60 young singers and musicians perform at al-Assad Culture House in Lattakia

Lattakia, SANA – The orchestra and choir of the Ministry of Education held a musical evening at al-Assad Culture House in Lattakia “to show the ongoing cultural and artistic movement” in Syria against all odds.

A variety of musical and singing shows were performed by 60 singers and musicians, who came from various provinces defying the challenges related to security which are posed by the terrorist war waged against the country since 2011.

“Art is a means to encounter the obscurantist mentality which aims at undermining the Syrian people’s culture and distorting their civilization,” Mohammad Qazaq, Assistant Director of the Culture Department in the coastal province, told SANA reporter.

For his part, Head of Music Department at the Theatre and Music Directorate of the Education Ministry al-Samawal al-Shammat said as this event coincides with the beginning of the new academic year, “we want to stress that the cultural and artistic movement in Syria will go on despite the fierce terrorist war” that is still raging in the country.

He added that the event came within the framework of a government plan to nurture young talents and spot creative skills as well as help students recognize their potentials and build on them.

In turn, the conductor of the orchestra Nawaf Hilal said that school students from the provinces of Damascus, Damascus Countryside and Quneitra took part in the event, noting that the students, who are aged 12-18, constantly undergo training in both solo and group performance within a specific program set up by the Culture Ministry.

While hailing the courage of the students who came from other province to participate in the event, Head of School Theatre Department in Lattakia Issa Ali said this “conveys a message to the whole world that the spirit of resistance of the Syrians will not succumb to the circumstances.”

The Orchestra and choir of the Ministry of Education were established in 2008 – 2009. They include a group of school students who play on different musical instruments under the supervision of specialized trainers. The orchestra took part in several musical concerts, evenings and festivals inside Syria and abroad.

Rasha Raslan/Haifa Said