Syria

Over 20 writers took part and, as a result, twelve participants produced first drafts of new plays. After a further encounter with David, the group was joined by Royal Court Associate Director, Sacha Wares for a series of readings at the Damascus High Institute of Drama. The British Council in Syria sponsored two of the writers to take part in the Royal Court's annual International Residency for Emerging Writers: Omar Abu Saada in 2005 and Abdullah Al-Kafri in 2006. In 2007, five of the writers were invited to London to work with British artists on their plays, extracts of which were presented in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs. Three writers from Syria took part in the Royal Court Theatre / British Council New Arab Playwrights Project from April 2007 to February 2009. The first phase of this work took place in Damascus in April 2007. h2. Current work Withdrawal by Mohammad Al Attar was presented as part of the "PEN World Voices Festival": www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/1096 at the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center in New York in April 2010.