37 Lotfi Hassouna Street, Dokki, Giza, Cairo
Apartment 13, Floor 5
Giza
Egypt
- Arts
- Heritage
- International/Cultural relations
- Media
We will resist through art, creativity and culture through popular book fairs that allow residents of poor areas and slums to read, exchange and buy books at highly discounted rates, through reading sessions with illiterate street children, through musical performances and poetry readings, through short plays and Monodramas. And with this we hope to restore the role of the Egyptian people in the advanced and culturally diverse world.
Based on the information we have gathered through research (primary, secondary and tertiary) we have visited areas of high illiteracy and poor living conditions in the capital and other governorates. During our visits we got to know a few of the residents of these areas who were highly interested and showed us locations where we could hold our exhibition. We decided that we would visit a different area every Friday, which would involve the exhibition, performances, readings and so on and return to it the Saturday of the following week to host a seminar in which readers will discuss the events of the previous week.
Therefore the areas in which we will hold the exhibition will be decided on a month in advance, with promotion beginning approximately two weeks before the events are held in the area.
Promotion will include basic posters and leaflets that will be displayed in the area and distributed to its residents. Primary research of visiting areas has shown that residents accept the concept and are almost always extremely cooperative.
We arrive at the chosen location Friday morning and begin setting up the exhibition and the stage, which will be open to the public from 1 p.m. to 7p.m. During the day there are three events that take place on the stage, musical performances, theatrical performances, poetry readings and the like, in addition there will be small sittings within the exhibition where illiterate children will be read to. In the exhibition, people can exchange books with us for free, buy books at highly discounted prices and read. On the Saturday of the following week a seminar is held at the same venue to discuss with readers the books they have read, this seminar will be hosted by a public figure (someone involved in art or literature), this will include debates and discussions with readers involved in the events of the previous week. At the end of the seminar a prize will be given to the reader who has shown most interest and enjoyment during the course of the events, this will be a set of books. The exhibition will return six weeks later to the same area.
Because Anna Lindh is interested in the spread of cultural and intellectual awareness in the Euro-Med region, we have found that our project is of high importance and even contributes to the delivery of the organisation's message. Through our work with a wide range of people, mainly people from poor areas, who have the aspiration of being intellectually and culturally aware, but do not have the financial means with which to achieve this goal, through buying a book or attending musical or theatrical performances. We believe that these people particularly need our assistance as neither the government (through the poor public education system) nor other private organisations have shown initiative or interest in assisting them.
We will mainly rely on donations from authors, poets, intellectuals, publishing houses, libraries and private owners for the books that will be included in our exhibition.
Currently, all financial costs are covered by limited investments from those involved in the project, this money is meant for transportation, storage and wages for workers, musical bands and theatrical groups who have accepted earning a fraction of their agreed wages (temporarily) in hopes for the success and popularisation of the project, upon which their wages will increase gradually along with the success of the project.