Headed by Haitham El-Hawary, the festival is scheduled to take place between 7 and 12 March 2023, showcasing numerous theatre performances from Egypt and international scene.

The shows will take place in Qena, located about 570 kilometres south of Cairo.

El-Hawary, also president of the Union of African Playwrights, revealed that 35 theatrical performances, chosen from over 350 submissions and representing five continents, made it to the preliminary list. They include five plays from Egypt, three from Tunisia, three from Spain, alongside shows from Italy, Poland, France, Sudan, Jordan, Algeria, Palestine, Nigeria, India, and other countries.

Some of the plays will participate in the official competition, while others will be staged in the event's Out of Competition segment held on the street and in open spaces.

The festival is meant to decentralise culture and bring theatre to Egypt's southern governorates. Over the past editions, the festival has drawn significant interest from the audience of the south, with each edition introducing stages in different cities. 

This year, the festival is organised by Qena governorate under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Misr El-Kheir Foundation, the General Authority of Cultural Palaces of Culture, and the Cultural Development Fund.