Support to Cultural Diversity and Creativity in Egypt is one of the programs orchestrated by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA), and co-funded by the European Union. The program was developed in compliance with UNESCO 2005 Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions, to which both Egypt and the European Union are parties.
Teaming up with the ministries of Culture, Education and Higher Education, and a number cultural centres in Egypt, as well as the European Union, the BA seeks to broaden the scope of cultural projects in Egypt, and to promote artistic and cultural education. The program also seeks to use the rich cultural heritage of Egypt and human capital to benefit from arts and culture as a strong support element to the development of the country. By encouraging cultural diversity and promoting contemporary arts, it also seeks to challenge old-fashioned attitudes and trends towards the definitions of culture which resulted in a limited public representation in cultural activities throughout the past years.
To achieve these goals, the program has integrated a number of activities specifically designed to be implemented over a period of 24 months ─ the duration allotted for the project. The activities are based on three main themes that form the pillars of the program. These activities include cultural debates, mapping cultural industries all over Egypt, initiatives for young students and artists, and revamping existing cultural outlets. The program also brings disparate groups together as it invites a wide spectrum of the Egyptian society, including; culture operators, artists, undiscovered talents, marginalized and underprivileged groups amongst many others, to participate in the activities fostered by the program. This would help in mainstreaming culture in all relevant aspects of society to support intercultural dialogue, and promote diversity and social development.
As part of the program, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina has also created a think-tank consisting of young and senior intellectuals, cultural operators, artists, ministry officials and public authorities amongst others, to assess the current cultural situation, the main players in the country and the challenges to be addressed. The participants will engage in a structured dialogue to make recommendations on drafting a national cultural policy to be presented to the concerned Egyptian authorities for discussion and adoption. The think-tank will also be producing a research defining the elements, constraints, challenges of the cultural reality in Egypt and presenting practical recommendations and designed policies as future solutions.
Inspired by the changing reality of the cultural and political scene in Egypt, Support to Cultural Diversity and Creativity in Egypt takes a step forward towards fostering the dialogue between cultures, identifying and profiling cultural actors in the country, nurturing existing talents, boosting the activities of cultural institutions and reaffirming the important link between culture and development. The prospect of the establishment of an innovative cultural agenda and a future policy for the Egyptian culture, is what the project aspires to realize.