Hussain Hanbazazah has been the director of the King Abdul Aziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), which was developed by Saudi Aramco, since December 2019. Prior to that, he was the center’s director of media relations.
In 2007, he gained a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri in Columbia and while studying there was a member of the International Student Organization.
He went on to obtain a master’s degree in sustainable electrical energy from the Georgia Institute of Technology, in 2015.
He joined Saudi Aramco in February 2008 as an electrical engineer and rose through the ranks to become a project support general supervisor, the job he held when he left the company in 2017 to become a director at the Saudi Center for International Strategic Partnerships (SCISP). There, he was quickly promoted to the position of vice president.
In 2018, he moved back to Saudi Aramco as director of media relations before taking up his latest role. Hanbazazah took part in last week’s launch of Ithra’s planned program of events for the year ahead. “The start of this decade is particularly exciting for Ithra as we gear up to deliver a great slate of new programs and events in 2020 for our audiences.
“We are pleased to bring back favorites like our annual Tanween festival, in addition to new enriching programming as well as our other popular seasonal events,” he said. He tweets @hanbazazah.
Hussain Hanbazazah, director of the King Abdul Aziz Center for World Culture (Ithra)
https://arab.news/y9ffj
Hussain Hanbazazah, director of the King Abdul Aziz Center for World Culture (Ithra)
- The start of this decade is particularly exciting for Ithra as we gear up to deliver a great slate of new programs and events in 2020 for our audiences
Children’s Theater Festival opens in Qassim region
- To develop future ‘cultural architects,’ says CEO Khaled Al-Baz
- ‘Nurture creativity, aesthetic awareness and sense of belonging’
BURAIDAH: The Qassim Children’s Theater Festival opened on Tuesday bringing together professionals from across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.
The event is being held under the patronage of Prince Dr. Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, governor of Qassim, at the Science Center in Unaizah governorate.
It has been Organized by the Theater and Performing Arts Association and executed by the Unaizah Theater Association, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Running until Jan. 31, it features shows, panel discussions, as well as training workshops to develop children’s theater and strengthen professional skills in the field.
Khaled Al-Baz, CEO of the Theater and Performing Arts Association, told the SPA the festival forms part of a broader strategy to position children’s theater as a distinct cultural sector.
“Children today constitute genuine audiences — tomorrow’s cultural architects,” Al-Baz said.
Ahmed Al-Humaimidi, president of the Unaizah Theater Association, said it was an investment in young people, noting that it extends beyond performances to include cultural and educational programming.
He said the initiative aims to nurture creativity, aesthetic awareness and a sense of belonging, while also identifying emerging talent and encouraging knowledge exchange among theater practitioners.
“Our association recognizes children’s theater as foundational to cultivating aware, creative character,” he said.
The festival serves as both an artistic showcase and a platform for professional dialogue, reflecting the Kingdom’s expanding cultural landscape and growing focus on children’s theater as an educational and cultural tool, the SPA noted.
This occurs alongside support for signature initiatives and performing arts promotion as quality-of-life enhancement.
