The Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) is preparing to host the 26th edition of the Arab Radio and Television Festival, from 21 to 24 September 2026, under the slogan “Where Image Pulses and Future Echoes.” The event will once again bring together leading figures from the worlds of art, media and the audiovisual industry.

For the second consecutive year, the Festival’s events will be held across Tunisia and Hammamet. The opening ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Carthage Amphitheatre, featuring Syrian star Nassif Zeytoun and Iraqi singer Rahma Riad, alongside tributes to prominent Arab television, radio and cinema figures, as well as media professionals.

The Festival programme will continue in the Mediterranean City of Yasmine Hammamet, which will host ASBU Exhibition for Technology and Equipment, offering professionals and visitors an opportunity to discover the latest innovations and technological developments in the media and communications sector. The city will also host the Programme Market, providing a platform for producers and media professionals to meet, exchange content and explore new opportunities for cooperation.

The programme will also include three panel discussions addressing major transformations in the Arab media landscape: “Podcasting: Content Trends and the Power of Influence,” “Audiences and Content Creation: From Reception to Partnership,” and “Tourism Media: From Reporting the Event to Creating Destinations.” The sessions will bring together a group of Arab and international experts.

The Festival will also feature a ceremony dedicated to the Arab radio and television exchange awards, as well as a tribute to members of the competition juries, in recognition of their contribution to evaluating media productions and promoting quality and excellence in Arab content.

The Festival will conclude with an artistic evening at the Opera Theatre, City of Culture in Tunis, featuring the exclusive premiere of “Safar Ilayka wa Ghanni” (“Journey to You and Sing”), by Tunisian composer Karim Thlibi. The performance offers an artistic journey centred on the Mawwal, highlighting its enduring aesthetic value within Arab musical heritage.

The closing ceremony will also reveal the results of the main and parallel Radio and Television competitions, alongside the New Media competition, and honour the winning productions. The event is expected to highlight the diversity of contemporary Arab media creativity while reflecting the rapid transformations taking place in the digital landscape