Rising generations introduced to dynamic cultural scene

CAIRO – 12 March 2018: The “Culture is a field of work” seminar – part of the 8th edition of Hakawy International ArtsFestival for Children held at the Supreme Council of Culture on Sunday, March 11– presented successful models of institutions and cultural projects in Egypt.

The motive behind this seminar was to introduce university students in Egypt who are studying economy, literature, science and law, among other fields, to the cultural scene as a field of work.The speakers who participated in the seminar believe that making an awareness of arts and culture as an industry would enable the students tojoin related field work after graduation.

The presence of these speakers provided anadequate opportunity for the studentsto apply for internship grants at cultural institutions.

Omar AlmotaazB’Allah, director of the Osiris Studio and TeatroTroupe, joined the seminar to explain the vision of the institution he represents, as it is considered one of the most significant spaces in Cairo. He expressed that Osirisaims at developing both independent and professional artists in many fields such as acting.

Heba El Cheikh, director ofMahatat for Contemporary Arts, joined the seminar to inform the attending students about the initiative’s efforts that have been exerted to develop many regions in Egypt. This initiative is known for adding art in public spacesas a serious attempt to uniquely develop deteriorated regions and districts.

“We develop many damaged regions through contemporary art in Egypt to attract Egyptians before tourists,” Cheikh said, clarifying that if Egyptian residents accept to live in a certain district happily and with satisfaction, then tourists will have the same feelings and be attracted to the place.

Cheikhrevealed what Mahtat has done in many Egyptian regions,especially in the El Khalifa district ofSayyedaZeinab,where they have worked on providing residents with many services, includingteaching school children different kinds of arts and adding mini hospitals for emergencies.

Meanwhile,AzzaKamel, founder of AlwanwaAwtar, presented a mini documentary to inform the students about the major changes that the association has successfully made in many Egyptian children’s lives.

Through experiential learning, a way that depends on delivering informationthrough real experiments instead of relying on memorization without even understanding the content. The association brought a group of French experts to interact with a group of youth and children in the poor Egyptian area of El Zelzal inMoqattam.

Kamel pointed out that these children have changed to the extent that they once surprised a group of trainers from the American University in Cairoby preparing several remarkable activities for them.

Hakawy is a festival that mainly targets children through various events. It is held under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture’sCenter for Foreign Cultural Relations and will be supported by UNESCO.