Egyptian musicians and actors will take the stage at Abu Dhabi National Theatre on Monday for a special concert celebrating UAE National Day.
Arab Idol runner-up Ahmad Gamal and 39-year-old award-winning pop singer Mohamed Hamaki are among the eight stars participating in Khalifa in Our Hearts, a two-hour operetta featuring a mix of Arabic songs and poems. A second performance will be held at the Culture and Scientific Association in Dubai on Thursday.
“We are here because the relations between UAE and Egypt are good and strong,” said 26-year-old Gamal, who rose to fame after the second season of Arab Idol. “We decided to do this together because we want to deliver a thank you message to the people and leaders of UAE from Egypt.”
Hamaki, who won the Best Arabia Act title at the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2010, said he will be singing a solo called Taheyati. “I always feel at home when I come to the UAE,” said the Ahla Haga Fiki singer.
The UAE’s hospitality is what inspired him to perform this composition, he says. “This is an emotional song. It stems from the connect we feel with this country. We appreciate what they have done for the Egyptian people in the first two years of the revolution and their continued support.”
Joining them will be singer Amr Mostafa and actors Karim Abdul Aziz, Hani Ramzi, Tamer Hassan and Eman Al Assi, and TV anchor Heba El Abasiry.
Dr Habib Ghuloom Al Attar, director of culture and community activities at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development, said the participation of the Egyptian artists is a sign of thriving relations with Egypt, which “is rooted in the era of Sheikh Zayed, who laid the foundation of the relationship and President Sheikh Khalifa, who continues to strengthen these relations”.
• Khalifa in our Hearts is at the Abu Dhabi National Theatre tomorrow at 8pm. Entry is free. Visit uaenationalday.ae for more details
aahmed@thenational.ae