The Support to Cultural Diversity and Creativity in Egypt Program Approaches Its Finale
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The Support to Cultural Diversity and Creativity in Egypt program is witnessing an outburst of activity as it nears its completion. The program, which started in November 2013, is a joint project between the BA and the European Union. It aims to broaden the scope of cultural projects in Egypt and promote arts and cultural education. It also seeks to use the rich cultural heritage of Egypt and human resources to benefit from arts and culture as a strong supportive element in the development of the country.
To achieve these goals, the program integrated a number of specifically designed activities to be implemented over a period of 24 months. These activities are categorized under the following themes: “Cultural Debates”, “Mapping”, “Arts in the Classroom”, “North and South”, “Bayt Al-Sinnari”, and “Kom el-Dikka”.
The “Cultural Debates” project completed 9 out of 12 debates last March. The debates discuss ways of improving the cultural sector in Egypt, and experts and policy makers are invited to discuss and give recommendations about drafting a national cultural policy for Egypt.
The “Mapping” activity, which maps and consolidates the existing cultural operators all over Egypt, is also holding its fourth workshop during 18–20 May in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Concerning the initiatives designed for the youth and young students, both “Arts in the Classroom” and “North and South” have concluded their work. The former, which was specifically designed for public and experimental school students, aimed to expose students to several forms of art to enhance their artistic talents and social skills. The initiative held a number of workshops in various Egyptian governorates. It concluded its work with its 12th and final workshop, which was held during 20–23 of April in Marsa Matrouh. On the other hand, the “North and South” project also concluded its events in March 2015. The project, which took the form of a creative journey that visited a number of Egyptian governorates, aimed to nurture new emerging talents and encourage them to interact with Egypt’s rich and diverse culture.
Furthermore, in its attempt to establish permanent cultural outlets in underprivileged areas to provide access to arts and cultural participation, the program chose the historic sites of Kom el-Dikka in Alexandria and Bayt al-Sinnari in Cairo to host some of its activities. Research work and studies have been carried out for the development of Kom el-Dikka area. On the other hand, Bayt Al-Sinnari, which already serves as venue for some of the program’s activities, held a variety of artistic events for youth. These events included five creativity youth forums and three bi-annual art production competitions.
The program is expected to conclude its events in November 2015 with a three-day high profile conference, which will be held at the BA. The conference will showcase the efforts and results of the program and will be attended by a large and diverse group of local and international participants.