Riad Ismat

Riad Ismat رياض عصمت
File:Riad Ismat.jpg
Minister of Culture
In office 3 October 2010 – 23 June 2012
President	Bashar al-Assad
Prime Minister	Muhammad Naji al-Otari Adel Safar
Preceded by	Riad Nassan Agha
Succeeded by	Lubanah Mshaweh
Personal details
Born	(1947-07-11) 11 July 1947 Damascus, Syria
Spouse(s)	Azzah Konbaz
Children	2 boys & a daughter
Alma mater	Damascus University, University College, Cardiff, World University Greenwich University
Profession	dramatist/critic/director

Mohammad Riad Hussain Ismat 'Riad' Ismat (Arabic: رياض عصمت‎‎) (born 11 July 1947) is a Syrian writer, critic and theatre director. He served as Minister of Culture of Syria from 3 October 2010 to 23 June 2012.

Early life, education and career

In 2003, Ismat became Director General of Syrian State Radio and Television, then held the post of Syrian Vice-Minister of Culture. In 2005, he was appointed Ambassador to Pakistan and in 2010, Syrian Ambassador to Qatar. In October 2010, Ismat was appointed as Minister of Culture, serving in that post until 23 June 2012.

Theatre

Ismat has directed more than 15 theatrical productions, including interpretations of Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams and Frank Wedekind, as well as producing his own personal vision of The Arabian Nights. He founded the first mime troupe in Damascus and taught mime, acting & directing at the Syrian Academy of Dramatic Arts. His breakthrough as a playwright came with The Game of Love & Revolution; among his best known dramatic works are: Was Dinner Good, dear Sister, Mourning Becomes Antigone, Sinbad, Shahryar's Nights, Abla & Antar, Mata Hari and In Search of Zenobia. Ismat also directed his own television trilogy for Syrian TV, "The Artist & Love", 1985.

Publications

Ismat has published 35 books, including short stories and several books on Arab and World drama. He has also written a book on the Nobel Prize laureate Naguib Mahfouz and a book on cinema. As a television script writer, he has written the scripts for seven television serials.

See also

• Cabinet of Syria

References

• Minister of Culture Mohammad Riad Hussain Ismat, SANA
• Biography of the new Syrian government 2011 - the names and lives of government ministers, Syria FM, 17 April 2011

External links

• Ministry of Culture official government website
• Riad Ismat at the Internet Movie Database
• Works by or about Riad Ismat in libraries (WorldCat catalog)