In a surprise decision, twenty-eight dancers from the Egyptian Rida Group have headed off to Iraq in order to participate in the Babylon Festival for Popular Arts, currently taking place in the sanctioned country, reported ‘Al Shaq El Awsat’ newspaper.
The Rida dancing group, one of Egypt’s oldest popular groups, has taken the decision in a political step towards reviving good relations between Egypt and Iraq.
Relations between the two countries were severed when Egypt sided with Kuwait and the US during the Gulf War.
The group aims at giving the Iraqi people a night of fun and entertainment to make them forget about their suffering, reported ‘Al Sharq El Awsat.’
Meanwhile, Rida’s visit to Iraq is not the first move by Egyptian artists to improve relations.
The effort comes as an extension of a 2-year drive by Egypt’s art associations to bring the Iraqis food and medication.
Earlier this year, Egyptian actress Raghda, alongside Hamdi Ahmad, Abdul Aziz Makhyoun and other artists led a drive of food and medicine to the sanctioned state – Albawaba.com.
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
