The Damanhour International Folk Festival, which kicked off on April 1 and will run until April 7, sends a message of Egypt's safety and security, said director of Damanhour Opera Mohamed Zarif. 

In exclusive statements to MENA on Wednesday, Zarif said that 16 teams from seven African, Arab and Asian countries are taking part in the festival. 

The participating countries include Sudan, Indonesia, India, Palestine, China and Jordan, he added.