Commenting on his appointment as jury head of Colombo International Theatre Festival, El-Gharabawy said, "The festival is one of the leading annual international theatre events that offers a platform for international theatre troupes and enhances cultural interaction between theatre specialists from across the world."
The jury also includes theatre critic, Ajay C. Joshi from India; Qatar Theatre Troupe chairman, artist Hamad Abdul-Reda; director Erica Moldovan from Romania; alongside artists from Sri Lanka, including actor and director Hemantha Prasad, actress Yashoda Wimaladharma, actress Nihari Somasiri, actor and director Jayanath Bandara, and actress, singer and vocal coach Subuddhi Lakmali.
El-Gharabawy's participation in Sri Lanka's festival comes shortly after his return from France, where he took part in Avignon Off activities, which included a roundtable, speed networking, and a workshop he led with local participants.
In the directorial field, El-Gharabawy's latest play, titled Body, Teeth & Wig, won the Best Director award at the 18th Egyptian National Theatre Festival (20 July - 6 August 2025). The production also garnered the Best Emerging Actress award (shared by Nagham Saleh), a shared Best Music award (Mahmoud Ezz), and Best Orchestral Arrangement (Magdy El-Foly).
Body, Teeth & Wig premiered in South Korea in August 2024 and was later staged in India to two sold-out audiences.
The centrepiece of El-Gharabawy's theatrical work is Sharm El‑Sheikh International Theatre Festival for Youth (SITFY), which he founded and continues to lead, with Engy El-Bestawy as its Managing Director. The festival's 10th edition is scheduled for November under the slogan Theatre for Peace and Humanity.
Over the years, SITFY has forged collaborations with numerous international theatre institutions and launched sister editions outside Egypt, including SITFY Poland and SITFY Georgia. El-Gharabawy's strategic plans focus on launching SIFTY's editions in China, Sri Lanka, and some European capitals before 2030.
Colombo International Theatre Festival
CITF was launched in 2012 by InterAct Art (IAA), led by founder/director M. Safeer. Its mission is to forge a cultural bridge between Sri Lanka and the global theatre community.
The festival aims to transcend traditional divides—religious, ethnic, and regional—to encourage dialogue through performance. It seeks to elevate cultural identities, address societal stress, and uncover voices from outside mainstream spheres.
Since its establishment in 2012, the festival has featured troupes from over 100 countries and more than 500 foreign delegates, promoting Sri Lanka's position on the global theatrical map.
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