CAIRO, June 19 (Xinhua) -- The eighth edition of the International Festival for Drums and Traditional Arts has concluded in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, with artists from 30 different countries showing their cultures and performances.
As the one-week festival came to an end on Friday, Cairo's renowned Saladin Citadel was packed with Egyptian audience enjoying the performances and shows by the artists.
Amid joyful atmosphere of a moonlit breezy night, the cheerful shows captivated the audience.
"I have almost watched all the performances of the festival ... I'm a fan of this kind of traditional art," Islam Abu al-Magd, an engineer from Cairo, told Xinhua during the closing ceremony.
The middle-aged man said the festival brings together different cultures in one place, which allows the audience to meet other cultures.
The festival, which aims to promote cross-culture dialogue, was sponsored by the Egyptian Culture Ministry and other related departments, with South Sudan and Colombia as guests of honor this year.
With a message of "Drums Dialogue for Peace," musicians, performers and artists managed to share their musical vision and encourage cultural dialogue.
"This is my first time to participate in the festival and I'm so proud to be part of this great event," Mejahed al-Ajeed, a member of a Yemeni traditional art troupe, told Xinhua.
He said Yemen has great culture and heritage, adding that the festival provided a platform to let people know more about Yemen's traditional art.
Al-Ajeed said that art transcends national borders, stressing that "the Egyptian audiences understand and appreciate our performance and gave us wild applause." Enditem