This film from Yallaa captures the atmosphere and social media campaign for the organisation’s Fonoon Festival. The Festival is an annual event in Belfast, organised and hosted by Yallaa, that celebrates Arab culture, heritage and art. Yallaa, an award-winning social enterprise, is dedicated to promoting Arabic culture in Northern Ireland. The fectival features a variety of activities, including art, music, dance, cooking, crafts and workshops.
This footage is from the 2023 festival which took place from 6th October to the 8th at 2 Royal Avenue, Belfast. Other events at the festival included calligraphy workshops, an echibition and film on inventions from the Islamic Golden Age of the 8th to 12th Centuries, henna art, raffles and a performance by the Yallaa Dabke Dance Group. We get a sense of the atmosphere of the event in this film. There is a glimpse of some of the materials on display at the exhibition and a short excerpt of a saidi or tahtib dance (need to double check this) .
2 Royal Avenue is a historic building that dates to the 1860s. Over the years, it has served as a bank, a supermarket, and in 2021 it was bought by Belfast City Council and subsequently opened as a multi-purpose space.
Yallaa, meaning "let’s go" in Arabic, is an award-winning organisation based in Northern Ireland. Through workshops, events and community initiatives, it fosters connections and celebrates Arab culture, making its café at 2 Royal Avenue a cornerstone of cultural celebration in Belfast.