Egypt’s Minister of Culture Nevine El Kilani, met on Tuesday the head of UNESCO’s office in Cairo, Dr Nuria Sanz, to discuss means of fostering mutual cooperation in the conservation of heritage.
The two officials also reviewed Egypt’s plan for celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage(ICH) thisyear.
Minister el-Kilanipraised what she described as ‘fruitful’ cultural cooperation with UNESCO.
She especially referred to cooperation with the international organization in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in Cairo.
“This intangible heritage is a genuine part of our cultural identity,” the minister said.
She added that intangible cultural heritage or living heritage is about the knowledge, practices, and expressions passed down from generation to another.
“Living heritage provides meaning in the everyday lives of communities, a sense of identity, continuity, and belonging that contribute to people’s well-being,” the minister said.
She expressed eagerness to participate in the ICH anniversary celebration, referring to a plan to organize a series of events that reflect the importance of preserving Egypt’s intangible cultural heritage.
The plan, the minister said, will include the launch of the ‘Heritage House’ which is set to contain the national archive for the ICH of this nation.
She added that the plan also includes the decoration of the walls of cultural sites with ICH photographs and the preparation of a documentary on ICH elements listed in the convention.
