The letters of Ramadan

The second Faisal Book Fair and Al-Mahrousa Nights at Al-Sayeda Zeinab public garden are two Ministry of Culture activities that celebrate Ramadan this year. Nevine El-Aref reports

This week Minister of State for Antiquities and Charge D'Affairs of the Ministry of Culture Mohamed Ibrahim inaugurated both the Faisal Book Fair (FBF) and the Al-Mahrousa Nights at Al-Sayeda Zeinab public garden. Strains of Oriental music filled the evening air at the Faisal grounds of the General Egyptian Book Organisation (GEBO) to announce the opening of the second round of Faisal Book Fair (FBF).

This year the fair is larger than last year with 130 instead of 80 Egyptian publishers and contributions from four from Arab countries: Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Over the 20 days of the FBF, GEBO will launches new publications including the complete works of poet Ahmed Fouad Negm, the biography of lawyer and politician Yehia El-Gamal and Breathing underwater by Nader Fergani, the director of Almashkat Research Centre and the lead author of the Arab Human Development Report. GEBO also offers a 50 percent discount on all its publications as well as organising, for the first time, a workshop for children where they could read and discuss books of their age. Drawing and book singing events for children are also provided.

Basma Magdi, one of the children's workshop organisers said the existence of these workshops for the first time at the FBF has encouraged many children to join in several activities, which in its turn attracted more visitors to the fair to bring their children. "It is a really great innovation at the FBF," said engineer Hassan Hamed, the father of a child named Ahmed. He said he is very happy that Ahmed participated in the workshop as it helped him to develop his drawing hobby.

The FBF also put on show books containing the texts of Egypt's previous constitutions as well as others of archaeology, cultural heritage, politics, economics and literature. Cultural seminars, poetry readings ands book signing are to be held on the fringe of the fair.

Ahmed Megahed, the head of GEBO, said the fair opens its door free of charge to the public in two periods daily: from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm and (after iftar) from 8:00 pm to 1:00 am. A large parking space is located at the entrance of the fair.

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At Al Sayeda Zeinab Public Garden the Mawlawiya whirling dervishes opened the Al-Mahrousa Nights where Oriental and folkloric products of the Cultural Palaces Public Organisation (CPPO) are also exhibited. It includes arabesque art works and furniture, ceramic and copper pots, stained glass lamps, decorated kilims, rugs and khayamiya cushions (oriental weavings with geometric and foliage decorations) as well as portraits showing scenes of the traditional folk epic Al-Sira Al-Helaleya.

A book fair showing books published by the CPPO is held alongside the theatre and dance.

Ibrahim describes the Ministry of Culture celebration of Ramadan nights this year as a very good opportunity to introduce cultural products with the full range of its types to all Egyptians, especially the inhabitants of Faisal and Al-Sayeda Zeinab.

For his part, Saeed Abdel Rahman, the head of the CPPO, said the Al-Mahrousa Nights is a good opportunity to introduce all the activities and products of the CPPO in one place and at one time as well as raising the cultural awareness of Egyptians by showing to them different parts of their folk heritage.

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