Kick off the first Al-Hussayni Al-Sagheer Festival of Children's Theatre, hosted by the Imam Al-Hussayn's (p) Holy Shrine..

On Sunday morning the 23rd of Jumada Al-Ula 1436 AH corresponding to the 15th of March, 2015 at the Culture's House hall in the holy city of Karbala, was the kick off of the activities of the first Al-Hussayni Al-Sagheer Festival of Children's Theatre, hosted by the Division of child care at Imam Al-Hussayn's (p) Holy Shrine, under the slogan : "We educate generations on the path of Imam Al-Hussayn (peace be upon him)," the opening ceremony was attended by a large number of religious, cultural and political figures and a number of specialists of theatrical affairs.

The festival's opening began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran by the international reader Haj. Adel Al-Karbalai, followed by the word of the General-Secretariat of the Imam Al-Hussayn's (p) Holy Shrine, Mr. Saad Eddin Hashem in which he explained the importance of the establishment of such festivals in this holy city because of its great status in the hearts of Muslims and non-Muslims.

Adding: "This festival is the first seed that we plough and in order to help it grow to become a creative tree that will shade beneath it our youth from the heat of the intellectual fierce attack that confuse their emerging minds and keep them away from their religion and beliefs, it needs support and suggestions from the specialists in the theatre field. In addition, the festival seeks to maturing of a new generation of young playwrights either, audience, actors or directors, to take positions in supporting future generations of conscientious artists, believing that the people who derive their culture from the serious and committed theatre, are peoples who disseminate culture in human roots and establish for an intellectual renaissance that can not be undermined despite the intellectual counter-attacks."

Then came the word of the governor of the holy city of Karbala, Mr. Aqeel Turaihi in which he cited the proverb "Life is a large theatre", stressing that this theatre will only honour those who follow the approach of Imam Al-Hussayn (peace be upon him) whose martyrdom's day marked his eternal presence.

Adding: "The theatre is one of the fine Arts, which we must use in delivering the message of Imam Al-Hussayn (peace be upon him) to the world, and to revive the childhood that the blind terrorism wanted to kill through its subversive thoughts."

The ceremony was concluded by an operetta. The events of the festival will continue for four days, during which will be presented more than 18 theatrical play of the different theatre troupe from various provinces of Iraq.