WASHINGTON — The American public is getting a rare taste of Arabic music, arts and culture with an eye on bridging knowledge and understanding gap with a diverse region that stretches from the Arabian Gulf to North Africa. "This is a groundbreaking event in the United States," Piney Kesting, a freelance writer and a visitor of to the "Arabesque: Arts of the Arab World" festival, told IslamOnline.

"For the first time, an event of this nature and size is taking place in America."

Arabesque Shines in Washington (Watch) US Festival Celebrates Arab Arts The festival, organized by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington in tandem with the Arab League, runs from February 23 through March 15. The 10-million-dollar event is the largest presentation of Arab arts ever attempted in the US.

According to the organizers, more than 800 Arab artists from 22 countries will appear in the three-week event, which was organized over four years.

The program will feature performances in music, theater, as well as a number of dance groups, such as the famed Caracalla Dance Theater of Lebanon.

It will also include many free performances, poetry readings, films and exhibits, as well as low ticket prices for other shows.

Alaa El Kashef, a Grammy-award winning sound engineer who has captured the sounds of the bustling streets of Cairo, performed during the opening night.

World-renowned Lebanese composer Marcel Khalifé also charmed the audience.

"Nothing like this ever happened in this country before," Ernest Hiltz, a volunteer at the Kennedy Center, told IOL.

"I have a feeling that President Barack Obama should come."

Bridging Gap

Americans of Arab backgrounds are delighted by the first-of-its-kind festival. "This is an excellent event," says Jumana, a 23-year American of Jordanian roots.

"It will introduce the rich Arab culture to the American society."

Many believe the festival will educate Americans about Arabs through their art and culture.

"They know nothing about the beautiful culture and history of the Arab World," regrets Kesting, who writes often about the Arab world.

She notes that for many Americans, the Arab region is recognized only with the Middle East conflict, deadly wars and battles on oil.

"Arts humanize people."

Dr. Randi Rubovits-Seitz, a psychiatrist, agrees that such festivals can help bridge the gap between the Arab-Muslim world and the West.

"Exposure to the emotional expression…through the creative products of diverse peoples will not remove the experience of foreign-ness," she admits.

"But it will, ideally, diminish the response that the foreign…is threatening and dangerous."

Anti-Muslim and Arab sentiments have been on the rise since the 9/11 attacks, largely over the distorted description of Arabs and Muslims in the Western media.

A British study has accused the American media and film industry of demonizing Muslims and Arabs as violent, dangerous and threatening people.

Lara Nasser, a Palestinian-American, is optimistic such festivals can help.

"I think, it’s a great thing. We have a rich culture and history and it should be exposed," she said.

"With such events the world can see beyond the stereotype thinking about the Arab world.

"Definitely it will help understand the Arab world."