Sharjah: The second edition of Tanweer Festival opened last evening in the Mleiha Desert of Sharjah, setting the stage for a three-day celebration that brings together art, music, heritage, and human connection. Under the theme ‘What You Seek Is Seeking You,’ inspired by Rumi, the festival welcomed audiences from across the world for concerts, intimate encounters, and shared experiences across four immersive performance spaces.
According to Emirates News Agency, the opening ceremony was framed by the desert’s ancient horizons and the newly inscribed Faya Paleolandscape on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The ceremony highlighted Tanweer’s vision to convene global talent around values of stewardship, cultural memory, and communal creativity. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and Visionary of Tanweer Festival, addressed festivalgoers with a message about reconnecting and finding stillness in the sacred Mleiha landscape. Her remarks were accompanied by the music of Iraqi santur player Azhar Kubba.
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anweer features over 28 performances by more than 183 musicians from 23 nations across four themed performance areas: the Main Stage, Tree of Life, Dome, and Marketplace. The program includes nine workshops and eleven art installations that transform the desert into a gallery of thought and wonder. Audiences can explore culinary offerings with seventeen food vendors and fourteen marketplace artisans, alongside activities like stargazing and guided archaeological tours.
The Main Stage featured performances that bridged tradition and modernity, including a light calligraphy show by artist Julien Breton, accompanied by musicians Oliver Milchberg and Mohammed Al Numa. Palestinian singer Aya Khalaf delivered a performance preserving heritage through song, followed by Rooh-e-Noor ensemble’s Indian musical traditions. The evening culminated with a performance by A.R. Rahman, who delighted the audience with ‘Wings of Love’.
Earlier, Moroccan ensemble Nass El Ghiwane infused the desert afternoon with rhythms and anc
estral voice at the Tree of Life. The Dome served as a space for inquiry and shared practice, while the Marketplace bustled with artisan makers, storytellers, and musicians. Tanweer presents 11 art installations, connecting past, present, and future within Mleiha’s landscape.
The festival extends into Mleiha’s natural and archaeological landscape through guided stargazing, desert explorations, and tours of the Mleiha Archaeological Centre. Activities such as horse riding, fossil rock safaris, and rides in a custom Unimog vehicle turn nature into a living classroom.
Tanweer Festival 2025 welcomes international audiences and media to witness Sharjah’s creative leadership firsthand, where East meets West, tradition meets innovation, and desert horizons set the stage for performances that speak to our shared human story. For more information and to register, please visit the festival’s official channels.