Sharjah: The Sharjah-based “Dialogues” program recently hosted Dr. Youssef Eidab, a renowned Sudanese intellectual and cultural advisor at the Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi Centre for Gulf Studies. The session was moderated by Ismail Al Rifai, an artist and writer who is currently the Director of the Translation and Arabic Content Department at the Sharjah Art Foundation.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the discussion delved into Dr. Eidab’s extensive career, which spans creative work, academic and cultural endeavors, and institutional planning. The ‘Dialogues’ program revisited the transformations that Arab and Gulf cultural life have experienced, with Eidab’s journey being closely tied to foundational stages in Sharjah’s cultural development. Over the past decades, Sharjah has evolved into a hub for creative talents and intellectuals from the region and beyond.

The session, titled “From the Corner of Poetry to the Oasis of Culture,” reviewed Eidab’s professional career over a three-hour period. It traced the various stages of his relationship with culture, including his work in poetry, theater, journalism, film criticism, and cultural and institutional contributions in Sharjah.

Dr. Youssef Eidab is a prominent figure in the Arab cultural scene, having previously served as Dean of the Institute of Music and Theater in Khartoum and as a university professor in Sudan, Romania, and the UAE. His writings cover a wide array of interests, from theater history to Gulf and Emirati heritage and arts. Notable publications include “Al-Wafi fi Tarikh al-Masrah fi al-Sudan” and “Al-Turath al-Sha’bi fi al-Imarat,” among others.

Eidab earned his doctorate in theatre history and theory from the University of Bucharest in 1979. Throughout his illustrious career, he has received numerous accolades, including the Honorary Award at the Carthage Theatre Days in 2024, the Appreciation and Recognition Award from the Damascus Theatre Festival in 2010, and the Key to the City of Sharjah, which was presented to him by Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi in 2009.