People attend the inauguration ceremony of the House of Heritage in Cairo, Egypt, Aug. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
CAIRO, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's Ministry of Culture inaugurated on Sunday evening a new venue to showcase and preserve the country's rich intangible cultural heritage with a ceremony featuring traditional music and dance.
The venue, named the House of Heritage, is located inside the Foustat Traditional Crafts Center in Cairo and was inaugurated by Egyptian Minister of Culture Neveen Al-Kilany and representatives from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The house, which is part of Egypt's program to mark the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, will be a venue for preserving and promoting the country's intangible cultural heritage, in addition to hosting many heritage-related workshops and events.
Artists perform traditional dances during the inauguration ceremony of the House of Heritage in Cairo, Egypt, Aug. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
"The House of Heritage includes shops for selling handmade products, a museum for showcasing traditional crafts, and places for organizing a variety of heritage-related cultural activities throughout the year," Al-Kilany told reporters.
For her part, Nuria Sanz, director of the UNESCO Cairo Office, said the House of Heritage is a way to integrate all kinds of Egyptian heritage, tangible and intangible, noting that its inauguration is a kick-off event of the UNESCO's joint celebrations with Egypt that will continue till the end of the year.
"The role of Egypt has always been pivotal vis-a-vis all the UNESCO conventions," Sanz said, stressing that Egyptian officials, academics and experts contributed actively to the preparatory work for ratification of the UNESCO convention 20 years ago.
Artisans draw on ceramics during the inauguration ceremony of the House of Heritage in Cairo, Egypt, Aug. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
During the celebration, a number of Egyptian artisans showcased their craftsmanship in front of visitors, including weaving, copper engraving, wood carving, pottery making, drawing on ceramics, etc.
Fatma Al-Hawary, a trainee in a handicraft workshop at Foustat Traditional Crafts Center, was shaping a circular copper sheet into an artistic decoration.
"The House of Heritage is a very good initiative because we need to preserve our heritage. These traditional handicrafts are declining, so we revive them and bring our heritage to light," the craftswoman told Xinhua.
Egypt boasts a vibrant and rich living heritage, with multiple elements of intangible cultural heritage already inscribed on UNESCO's lists, including distinctive practices like "Aragouz," a traditional form of hand puppetry, the singular stick-based dance game "Tahteeb," and the art of hand-weaving in Upper Egypt.
Artisans engrave on copper sheet during the inauguration ceremony of the House of Heritage in Cairo, Egypt, Aug. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)■
