Folk arts festival kicks off in Syrian capital

A festival for folk arts started late Monday in an old historical citadel that lies in the old city of the Syrian capital of Damascus. The one-week festival, which was announced by the Ministry of Culture, has many activities ranging from lyrical folk dances to photo exhibitions and poetry evenings. During the inauguration ceremony, a photo exhibition was opened highlighting the most prominent ancient monuments of Damascus Old City like the mosques and the old houses. Syria's Minister of Culture Riad Ismat said "the festival aims at enhancing national unity and highlighting the originality and diversity of the Syrian cultural heritage."