Palaces and the people

Al Ahram Weekly (Nevine El-Aref)

They are the veins of the cultural movement in Egypt. So described Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni cultural palaces and how he envisions the way these architectural wonders can spread what they have to offer across Egypt. Hosni told Al-Ahram Weekly that the palaces play a big role in pushing forward the riches of creativity from urban to rural areas in a rendition that meets modern technology and approaches.

"Building or renovating a cultural palace is a cultural movement and a creation of a persistence liaison between the palace and the people," Hosni said.

The General Organisation for Cultural Palaces (GOCP), one of the leading departments in the Ministry of Culture, "helps in achieving the ministry's two main objectives: preserving Egypt's national identity and intellectualising the minds of citizens who are the cornerstone of any future development plans drawn up by the government," Hosni said.

Ahmed Megahed, GOCP chairman, says that ever since the building of the palaces in question in 1945, they have served their purpose, "but with a little twist due to the development of time." During the 1940s, the GOCP aimed at spreading culture and art among all segments of the Egyptian community, 80 per cent of whom were at the time illiterate. Only the elite of society received an education.