A student of the Near Eastern studies at FF ZČU in Pilsen, alumni of OAKV tourism. She loves travelling, guiding and children. She is interested in Orient and Gypsy culture. She took part in a project in Serbia and Hungary that organized lectures about Gypsy culture, integration and its problems. She is also a co-organizer of a summer recreation for children - she prepares and realizes programmes for children full of games and fun.

Annas Ekvator/Equator is a band that is dedicated to original and popular creation in the Arabic language. The band was founded in 2006 and since that time it has undergone many changes. From the original constitution remains Annas Younis who sings and plays the darbuka. The members of the band come from many parts of the Arab and Islamic world, and also from Bohemia. Hence, the name of the equator/ekvátor.

Musician and translator of Iraq origin. In 2003, after a long journey through Europe, he settled in Prague. Since 2006 he performs with the band Annas Ekvátor/equator where he plays the darbuka and sings.He has dedicated to original and popular creating in the Arabic language.

Amatérsky divadelní soubor "Arabské nedivadlo" je složený ze současných i bývalých studentů arabistiky na Filozofické fakultě Univerzity Karlovy, které pojí láska k prknům znamenajících svět. Soubor vznikl v roce 2012 pod vedením vynikajícího českého arabisty doc. Františka Ondráše.

The Stone Theatre (Prague authorial theater for seeking viewers) is exploring new, neglected and unusual forms of drama already for 15 years. It works primarily with the physical perception of drama and its musicality, minimalist practices, accumulation of motives in multiple levels, jazz improvisation type, unbound personality acting. The Stone Theatre has been operating in an intimate theater and exhibition space in Karlin since 2007.

Dance Studio of Oriental Dance Farha has been operating since 2003. It deals with the teaching of oriental dancefor example in České Budejovice, Český Krumlov etc. Farha dance studio in addition to teaching oriental dance offers artistic performances at various cultural events and organizes workshops on many topics (decorating scarves, Egyptian dance, oriental cuisine, etc.).

The drum formation Gamar was founded in 2004 at Orient dance school Intessar in České Budějovice as a supporting rhythmical band for Orient dance performances. The main impulse to create Gamar was a visit of a performance of one of the best world darbuka players Ibrahim Abu – Hassan (from Jordan) in České Budějovice during Intessar Show 2003.

Jiří Prokop graduated at VŠChT in Prague, he works in research and development of a pharmaceutical company Interpharma Praha. Since 1995, Mr. Prokop visits the Near East and is interested especially in Islam architecture, culture, history and modern life of this region. Since 2010 he is a presidium member of Opus Arabicum, a spokesperson and an editor of magazine VELbloud where he published more than 20 articles with related topics.

A Kurdish musician and businessman. Mr. Khalil was born in Al-Qamišli in East Syria. He lives in the Czech republic for more than 25 years. He is the director of the Kurdish association in ČR. He actively fights for Kurdish rights and Syrian nation rights in general against the regime of Bašar Asad. As part of his business, Mr. Khalil translates documents and research texts from and to Arabic and Kurdish, interprets and gives professional language help.

After finishing the High Art School, Jaroslava Bičovská started to work at publisher Vyšehrad, first as an administrative worker, later as a technical and art editor. During that time, she started to illustrate her first books. Her interest in books and book production accompanied her free art work. Later, she leaved the publisher to create illustrations for different magazines.

A photographer and a traveller Kamila Berndoffová spent already her sixteenth winter travelling and photographing different corners of the world. Her main motive is India, but she also regularly visits Basil, Syria, Oman, Dubai or Cambodia. She presented more than thirty successful exhibitions of her own work.

Tanečnice a lektorka orientálního tance vystupující pod jménem Kamilah. Hlavní organizátorka festivalu orientálních tanců v Plzni s názvem Orient Dream. Kromě toho vede semináře a kurzy orientálního tance po celé České republice, ale i v zahraničí. Její taneční vystoupení byly mnohokrát oceněny.

Kateřina is the owner of the dance studio Katelin. She is devoted to Oriental dance for several years. She has succumbed to its charms on holiday in Egypt. She has been a lecturer since 2010. She attended courses of shimmy style, dance with veil, sword, Isis wings and stick.She will lead a workshop of oriental dance during the festival of Arab culture in Pilsen.

As a professional makeup artist works with magazines and television (TV Metropol TV Five). She doesn´t depict only the models but also brides at weddings. Beside the make-up she is also dedicated to the overall advice on skin care and body painting for children. She will lead a workshop Arab visage within the Saturday program "Like at home".

Mrs. Honsová graduated from an high school of business economy. She leaves her job shortly after revolution and starts her own business. By that, she finally gains time for her, till this moment neglected, art activities. She makes ans displays stained glass and returns to photography. When Orient dancing comes to our lands she cannot resist and starts dancing at full. This activity naturally leads her to Kairo that soon becomes her favourite city.

A student of the Near Eastern Studies at FF ZČU in Pilsen. He is interested in everything related with both history and present of Egypt, especially in the Islam architecture of Cairo, the period of Napoleon's campaign into Egypt or the period of reign of Mamluks. Egypt is also his most favorite travel destination. His other great passion is photography.

Muzikant pocházející ze Sýrie. Do Československa přijel studovat stavebnictví v roce 1982. Stavebním inženýrem se stal v roce 1989. Poté se vrátil do své vlasti, kde pracoval v oboru až do roku 1997. Později přijel zpátky do České republiky, ve které žije do současnosti. Marwan založil v ČR první arabskou kapelu s názvem ZIRIAB. Hraje také středověkou a renesanční evropskou hudbu s českými muzikanty.

A painter, a photographer, and a graphic from north-eastern Syria. Said Ismail lives in Czech for already 13 years. He studied arts already in his homeland - Syria, he got a bachelor degree at a Faculty of Arts in Damascus. He graduated from his masters degree at the Institute of Art and Design in Pilsen. His long-term interest is in illustrations and graphics. His favorite motive are figures composed together with ornaments.

Hana Benešovská graduated from Egyptology and History of Arts at UK FF. She is interested in ancient Egyptian arts, especially in statuary of the Ancient Empire and paleography (hieratic texts of the Ancient Empire). Since 2000, she cooperates on archiving and processing of both photographic and planned documentation of the Czech Institute of Eqyptology of UK FF. She is a member of the International Egyptology Association.

Mrs. Nováková graduated from the Arab studies at the Philosophical Faculty of the Charles University. Among other occupations, Hana Nováková lectured Arabic at the Department of Near Eastern Studies at FF ZČU. Currently, she is working at the National Gallery in Prague. She co-authored a book called Cairo - Architecture and Arts of an Islam City (2009, Káhira - architektura a umění islámského velkoměsta).

Graduated from English / German translation at the Department of Translation Studies at Charles University,she mainly translates English literatur. She is a member of the Committee of the Society of Translators and leads courses of literary translation. She will come to present a translation of the novel "The Dark Side of Love" by Syrian author Sami Rafiq, during the festival.

Ms. Kramáreková graduated from the Near Eastern studies and cultural anthropology at FF ZČU in Pilsen. Since 2005, she's been visiting the Near East region every year, especially Lebanon, Syria and Yemen where she attended several Arabic language courses. At present, she studies a PhD degree of Ethnology at Department of anthropology at FF ZČU in Pilisen. Her dissertation work is about social importance of qat chewing in Yemen.

Je světovou třídou ve folklórních tancích Blízkého východu a vyučuje tanec po celé Evropě od Slovenska až po Španělsko. Pochází z umělecké rodiny a tančí už od dětství. Svou profesionální kariéru začal v populárních egyptských turistických resortech jako je Hurghada nebo Luxor. V roce 2003 a 2004 vyhrál v mužské kategorii folklorního tance první cenu na festivalu v Istanbulu. Čeští návštěvníci ho mohou znát z televizní show Česko-Slovensko má Talent!.

Extraordinary man - a poet, a musician, a chemistry professor, actor and man of the theater. All this is Algerian Rashid Rahma. He has experienced a war for independence in Algeria then he immigrated to Bohemia and studied there. After graduation he returned to Algeria where he founded the colleges and finally his efforts were terminated by terrorism. Life experience, taste to live and work is clearly reflected in his music a distinctive expression.

Ribelo band was recently created but its individual members have been successfully touring worthy of time not only in the Czech Republic but also abroad. Last time for example in Great Britain. Band is unique primarily with a combination of European and Arab culture and among other matters they are commited in matters related with the Syrian revolution.

Vladimír Váchal is a traveller, a photographer and an indestructible element. He started intensive travels into different parts of the world a few years ago and he just loved it. Most of his journeys took him into the area of Near and Far East - he visited Iran, India and other surrounding countries several times. He enjoys a cup of good tee and a hookah. In short, at his age of 21 years Vladimír is an exceptionally interesting personality.

A nontraditional music band Ziriab is created by two Syrians and one Lebanese (Marwan Alsolaiman, Haitham Farag and Mouin Abu Chahine), all of them live in the Czech Republic for longer time. During their performances, they introduce the beauties of classical Arab music from many areas of Orient. They also use original musical instruments as Arab lute, flute and several types of Arab drums.