The first workshop of the eighth round of the Abbara program, which aims to support and enable independent cultural and artistic organizations and initiatives in the Arab region, took place from 10 to 15 November 2025 in Beirut, Lebanon. The workshop focused on strategic planning and organizational management.
This workshop marked the first face-to-face meeting for the 11 participant organizations in this round, which are from Tunisia, Palestine, Lebanon, Morocco, Egypt, Yemen, and Syria. Representatives from each organization took part in the workshop, except for one Palestinian organization whose members were unable to leave the Gaza Strip. The workshop was designed by the researcher and co-director of “Arts and International Cooperation” advanced study program at Zurich University of the Arts, Rana Yazaji (Syria), dramaturge and cultural manager Abdullah AlKafri (Syria), and cultural pioneer and novelist Laila Hourani (Syria), and was facilitated by Abdullah AlKafri and Laila Hourani.
The workshop aimed to equip participants with an analytical and critical approach, drawing on their experience and acquired knowledge and skills, and allowing them to re-examine their plans, organizational structures, and work mechanisms. It also included field visits to the Arab Image Foundation and Amalgam Studio, one of the participant organizations in this round, along with a conversation with the Executive Director of Aflamuna, Jad Abi Khalil, facilitated by trainer Laila Hourani. Participants were also invited to attend the release concert of Tilt’s first album, supported by the Production Awards program.
At the end of the workshop, the Abbara team outlined the next steps with the participant organizations during their contracting period, which includes signing agreements and organizing a series of online meetings around contemporary topics, before reaching the second training workshop on financial planning, financial management, and business models, scheduled for 2026.
