Sahar Assaf
Executive Artistic Director
Golden Thread Productions
Golden Thread Productions

Bio

Sahar Assaf is a Lebanese theatre-maker based between Riyadh and San Francisco. She is the Executive Artistic Director of Golden Thread Productions in San Francisco and currently serves as a Consultant for the Theater and Performing Arts Commission at the Ministry of Culture in Saudi Arabia. Recent Golden Thread projects include producing A Season for Palestine and co-producing ReOrient Festival and Forum, directing plays by Adam Ashraf Elsayigh, Yussef El Guindi and Torange Yeghiazarian. Between 2012 and 2020, as part of the Theater Initiative at the American University of Beirut, Sahar directed a wide range of works from Garcia-Lorca and Shakespeare to Wannous and Mahfouz, alongside contemporary pieces and devised site-specific and documentary performances focused on social and political issues. A Fulbright scholar, Sahar has presented her work internationally and authored academic articles on theater-making. She proudly balances her theater work with her role as a mother to Zad.

Sessions

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Points of Discussions:

Theatre as a tool for building confidence and space for personal growth

Collaboration and teamwork in theatre (trust, teamwork, leadership, communication skills)

Implementation of Theatre Programs in Saudi Schools (curriculum integration, prepare schools and institutes)

Long-Term Impact of Theatre on Students' Lives (career readiness and life skills, self-discovery and identity, building a supportive community)

Theatre’s Role in Reflecting and Preserving Saudi Culture (cultural storytelling, connecting tradition with modernity)

Other Speakers

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Executive Artistic Director

Talks

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This workshop, delivered by Be GLAD in partnership with Spacetoon Education, will highlight a Research-Based AND Field-Tested instructional system that increases critical skills, including reading, writing, listening, and speaking. This innovative system has been used extensively to transform districts within the famed Silicon Valley of California and across the US for over 20 years, producing creative problem-solvers of the future. With recent developments in technology, this award-winning instructional system is now moving to empower educators throughout the Middle East and Africa. In this workshop, you’ll learn 5 fundamental instructional strategies from the most effective system and the process to gain mastery of key indicators of success to achieve academic excellence

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Innovative programs that promote equity, access, and quality in education and the creative strategies they use to navigate funding challenges and achieve impactful results. This session is packed with thought-provoking discussions and practical takeaways, offering a glimpse into how non-profits are transforming education to shape a brighter future for teaching and learning.

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This session brings together content creators who excel in delivering knowledge through storytelling, by weaving complex ideas into engaging narratives.

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This discussion focuses on the pivotal role of vocational training in addressing the skills gap and equipping the workforce with the necessary competencies to thrive in today's dynamic job market and how it is enhancing employability and entrepreneurship. We will share insights on effective vocational training models, collaborations between educational institutions and industries, and strategies for preparing individuals for success in the evolving workforce.

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Points of Discussions:

Art Residencies as Catalysts for Artistic Growth (skill development, focus and immersion, feedback and critique)

Residencies and Professional Development (networking opportunities, exhibitions and visibility)

Art Residencies as Spaces for Reflection and Conceptual Development (time for reflection, development for new ideas)

Residencies and Education (integration with art education, mentorship and guidance)

Challenges and opportunities (funding, support, residency models)