Hisham Atwa, chairman of the Cultural Palaces Authority: Egypt uses cultural activities to thrive

Awareness and engagement in the arts is a key priority of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, which has been working over the last two years through multiple bodies to implement cultural projects and activities across various governorates in order to promote arts and culture in the country. Activities include mobile theatres, book exhibitions, talent discovery, artistic and cultural performances and training in traditional crafts, among others. One of the successes in the Ministry's category of projects aimed at qualifying young artisans and tradespersons in heritage crafts is the graduation of diploma students from the Jameel House of Traditional Arts in Cairo. Located in historic Cairo, the Jameel House is a collaboration between Community Jameel and the Prince's Foundation School of Traditional Arts in London, and trains a cohort of approximately 20 students each year for a two-year course in woodwork, gypsum, ceramics and other traditional Islamic arts.