A group of intellectuals and activists has launched a call to nominate the founder of the Lebanese National Theater, actor and director Kassem Istanbouli, for the position of Minister of Culture in Lebanon’s upcoming government. Istanbouli is currently working on rehabilitating the historic Colisée Cinema in Beirut, which had been closed for decades. He received the UNESCO Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture in Paris in 2023 and was appointed as a cultural advisor to the Advisory Council of the Cultural Exchange Foundation in Boston, USA, as well as to the Board of Trustees of the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy. These honors recognize his significant contributions to culture in Lebanon and the Arab region, his efforts in promoting cultural decentralization, and his advocacy for making art accessible to all.
The UNESCO Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture is one of the most prestigious international cultural awards. The jury selected Istanbouli for his pioneering and unique efforts in rehabilitating and reopening numerous cinemas in Lebanon, establishing festivals, organizing training workshops, revitalizing the cultural movement, fostering balanced cultural development, creating independent and free cultural spaces, broadening access to art, promoting cultural dialogue, and invigorating and disseminating Arab culture globally.
Over the past 16 years, Istanbouli has presented numerous theatrical productions in more than 23 countries. He founded the “Istanbouli Theater” troupe in 2008 and co-founded the “Tiro Association for Arts” in 2014. Among the theatrical works performed by Istanbouli’s troupe are Koum Yaba, A Picnic on the Battlefield, Zenga Zenga, Experiencia del Mural, The Black House, Margins, The Wall, Stories from the Borders, School of the Dictator, The Court of People, and Waiting for Godot. The troupe has participated in both local and international festivals, earning accolades such as Best Work at the Lebanese University Festival in 2009 and Best Actor at the Rituals Evenings Festival in Jordan in 2013.
Istanbouli’s play The Wall Experiment was the first Arab work to compete in the official selection of the Almagro Festival in Spain in 2011. Additionally, he was named Best Arab Theater Personality at the Sharm El-Sheikh International Theater Festival in Egypt in 2020. He received the Achievement in Cross-Cultural Understanding Award in Vienna for the Arab Arts and Culture Network project in 2021, the Jury’s Special Prize at the Mansoura Theater Festival in 2023, and the Best Integrated Performance Award at the Kirkuk International Street Theater Festival in 2024.