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THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION SUPPORTS
CULTURAL PROJECTS IN EGYPT
Following the series of events that the Delegation of
the European Commission in Egypt held last month with
the Egyptian civil society, the month of April focused
on culture. The aim is to raise the awareness of past
and ongoing cultural projects funded in the country
under different local and regional programmes, involving
several Egyptian organizations from a wide range of
fields and specialities, in addition of the projects
supported by the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean
Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures.
Cultural actions have been a part of Chapter III
"Partnership in social, cultural and human affairs" of
the 1995 Barcelona Process, based on a regional and
partnership approach. Since then the European Commission
has funded around 40 cultural projects in Egypt within
several regional programmes. Euro-Med Heritage has
committed a total of €22 million in projects involving
Egyptian partners, and the 6th Framework Programme has
committed €15 million in projects focused on research
and technology. The Action Plan signed in March 2007
between Egypt and the European Union in the framework of
the Neighbourhood Policy has agreed to strengthen links
and cooperation in culture areas.
Last February, H.E. Dr. Klaus Ebermann, Ambassador of
the Delegation of the European Commission in Egypt,
inaugurated the kick-off meeting of cultural projects
selected through the last local call for proposals
launched last August 2006 with a total budget of
€190,000. The five proposals selected, which will be
implemented during this year, are from Al Asala
Foundation for Cultural Development and Arts, Dayra
Association for Culture and Arts, Goethe Institute,
Media Arts for Development, Van Gogh l’Elfenoun Art
Association, and they will include different kind of
activities on theatre, cinema, fine arts, architecture
and media.
The EU-funded Cinema Caravan project held the second
annual Days of Euro-Arab Cinema film festival in Cairo
on 4th-10th April. This project launched in March 2006
operates within the framework of the Euro-Med
Audiovisual II Programme, and organises cinema events in
cities throughout the Mediterranean region and the Arab
World.
Within this context Ambassador Ebermann, visited a pilot
project in the old Cairo from the regional project
Rehabimed under the Euromed Heritage programme. The main
objective of this project for the rehabilitation of the
Wekela Ahmed El Khateeb or Al Magrabi at the Gamalia
district is to safeguard the traditional architecture in
order to improve the conditions of living. On 18th
April, the regional project “Discover Islamic Art”
presented the virtual museum in fourteen countries. The
Egyptian partner of this project is the Supreme Council
of Antiquities.
At the end of the month Ambassador Ebermann will meet
the Egyptian Minister of Culture, H.E. Dr. Farouk Hosni,
and it will be an opportunity to discuss on how to
enhance the cultural co-operation between Egypt and the
EU and its Member States, as well as to promote the
dialogue between cultures.
ENDS
Contact: Germaine Demian
Press and Information Officer
Delegation of the European Commission in Egypt
Tel:3749 46 80
germaine.demian@cec.eu.int
http://www.eu-delegation.org.eg
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