The original aim of the main organizator of Arabfest was to create a range of lectures that would enhance the experience of students of the Near Eastern studies and provide more variety to their education. In other words, the festival was meant to be for students by students.

Thanks to the help of employees of the Department of Near Eastern studies at the Faculty of Philosophy at the ZČU in Pilsen and many enthusiasts the thought about a student conference evolved into a multilevel festival for general public. Visitors of Arabfest may thus meet not only Czech and foreign experts focusing on the Near East, but also Arab musicians, artists, journalists, travellers and many other interesting people.

Arabfest was successfully held in three seasons. The first season called Through the Path of Dates and Olive Trees led us to faraway lands and times. We were introduced to methods of ancient Muslim physicians, we learned how the old Arab wisemen had explained dreams and we found out what's hidden under the mysterious phrase naqshbandia.

A year later, the second season took place, it was called In the Tones of Lute and Rhebab. We learned how to play backgammon, we had a chance to dance in the rhythms of both traditional and modern Arabic music and filled our tummies with original Arabian sweets.

Our last visit to the world of Orient was during the third year of the festival called Footsteps in Saffron, that focused on spanish Andalusia. We followed the tracks left by Arabs in our civilization, because not many people realize, how vast the amount of things connected to Arab culture is.