Interviewed by Daoud Kuttab

In an enlightening interview, Grace Abu Daher, a renowned Lebanese/Jordanian artist and musician, shared her journey and experiences in bringing “The Chosen,” a global project being dubbed in Arabic by a Lebanese media organization,n Lighthouse Arab ً World, to Jordan. The initiative aims to spread the Story of Jesus and the lives of people who have been changed when they encountered Him through filmmaking. The Series has garnered significant attention worldwide.

Abu Daher, who has spent years in the media field and music industry, expressed her connection in bringing the Arabic version of “The Chosen” to Jordan.  

“During my visits to Lebanon last summer, I discovered that the Lighthouse Arab World was dubbing The Chosen into Arabic and had already carried out launches in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.  I asked a spontaneous question to Lighthouse Director, Johnny Jalek, “”When is Jordan’s turn?”” This question sparked the conversation about launching the project’s classical Arabic dub of the series in Jordan, a country pivotal to the story of Jesus.

Abu Daher emphasized the importance of local collaboration, stating, “I spoke with Father Rifat Bader about the possibility of launching it in Jordan. He was very enthusiastic about the idea. With the backing of the Catholic Media Center and the patronage of Princess Rym Ali, the launch gained significant momentum, culminating in great success through the event attended by 350 people at Le Royal Hotel in the Jordanian capital, Amman, and organized by The Engine Events.”

The response from the local community has been overwhelmingly positive. “The most beautiful story in history is being made and presented with the most beautiful cinematic production through art in all its forms, and specifically acting,” she stated.

 The project not only aims to reach a vast audience but also to encourage tourism in Jordan, as many are expressing interest in visiting the country after seeing the project.

A significant aspect of the project is its focus on language. Abu Daher mentioned, “More than 95% of the people I spoke to said that they preferred Modern Standard Arabic for this particular project. They felt that classical Arabic carries weight and significance, for a spiritual project like The Chosen, plus many felt that it is very close to the ears of Jordanians.”

She further elaborated on the accessibility of the series, “There’s an app on Android and iOS called ‘The Chosen.’ When you go to this app, you see all the languages that have been dubbed into, and then you choose the language or dialect you want.”

Abu Daher concluded with optimism about future endeavors, saying, “My dreams never stop. I’m always working on new projects. There will be a large and beautiful Christian musical work coming soon.”

As the project continues to unfold, Grace Abu Daher remains a pivotal figure in bridging cultural and spiritual narratives through art and music, fostering a deeper appreciation for the story of Jesus in Jordan and beyond.