The city of Aswan launched the 11th Aswan International Arts and Culture Festival on Sunday with a morning event hosted by 15 Egyptian, Arab and international folklore ensembles.
The festival, co-organized by the Ministry of Culture and Aswan Governorate, aims not only to highlight Aswan’s natural charms, but also to promote folk art and highlight the cultural heritage of several countries, Aswan Governorate said on Facebook. said in a statement.
“This festival is special because it takes place on the Nile River,” Doha Assi, an Egyptian writer, member of parliament and member of the Parliamentary Culture Committee, said at the opening ceremony. “This amazing launch on the Nile highlights the importance of the Nile in popular culture,” she told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“The festival combines two elements: folklore and popular art. Each country brings its own culture and folklore into special artistic performances, highlighting the diversity of identity and the harmony it creates. ” she added.
The festival will run until February 22, coinciding with a special astronomical event when the sun aligns with the Temple of Ramesses II in Abu Simbel. This phenomenon occurs twice a year, on February 22nd, when the growing season began in ancient Egypt, and on October 22nd, the birthday of Rameses II and the anniversary of his coronation.
“At the opening, we saw great shows from Mexico, Sudan, and Palestine,” said an Egyptian lawmaker.
During the event, Aswan will host a number of artistic and cultural events, including the Aswan Sculpture Symposium, which will feature artists from Egypt and abroad.
“The arts and culture festival has every potential to become a major tourism event,” Assi noted, describing the foreign ensembles as “their countries’ ambassadors to Egypt.”