Ethiopia’s Amb. Participates in Opening Forum of African Cultures in Cairo

Dina Mufti, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Egypt and Ahmed El Tazi, Morocco’s envoy, took part in opening the Fourth International Forum on the Interaction of African Cultures, held in the Egyptian Opera House on Tuesday.

Also a constellation of diplomats of the participating African nations appeared in the opening ceremony.

Helmy Sharaw, an Egyptian thinker and commissar of the forum said that it plays a big role in restoring the Egyptian cultural role to Africa, especially after winning presidency of the African Union earlier this year.

It is worth mentioning that Dr. Enas Abdel Daym, Minister of Culture, has decided to form a specialized committee to direct the forum and mount it periodically.

The decision shows that the state is interested in approaching with the African cultures in multi aspects such as arts, literature and popular cultures.

He added that months were spent in preparations for the forum.

Some 100 scholars (30 ones of them come from other African states will discuss many cultural issues.

This mirrors hopes of the African nations to achieve more cooperation approaching as the continent enjoys cultural persity.

Egypt seeks to unify the regional African lines and assure the common identity to benefit from union of the peoples’ strength.

Dr, Hesham Azmy, Chairman of the Higher Council of Culture, said that importance of the forum springs from keeping abreast with the international intellectual movement, discussing challenges like the digital revolution and defending the cultural national identity.

In remarks made to “ SEE’ news website, Dr Azmy said that the forum will be held periodically after some obstacles appeared in Egypt over the last years .

He affirmed that Egypt is opening to other countries in Africa despite the distinguished place of Sudan for a number of factors.

He appreciated participation of the Ethiopian envoy in opening the cultural forum; it has a positive meaning and proves that the historic relations would not be undermined by disputes.

Contributed by Ahmed Moamar