Bayt al-Sinnari in the historical medieval Islamic quarter of Cairo is hosting a three-day festival under the title “Africa in the eyes of the artist”. The festival which opens tomorrow, Tuesday 1 December, is organised jointly by the African Assembly in Egypt and the State-owned Akhbar al-Shabab weekly magazine. It focuses on the exchange in culture and experience among youth from various neighbouring countries, through diverse forms of art such as poetry narrative, singing, drawing, music, literature and theatre.
“Africa in the eyes of the artist” will open with an art exhibition, followed by an address by Ambassador Muhammad Nasr Eddine, honorary head of the festival. The festival will also host a literary seminar on the poetry of the south, and another on the role of literature and poetry on cultural development. The attendants will also be treated to dance and song performances.
Bayt al-Sinnari is a house built in the late 18th century century, considered a gem of Islamic-style architecture in Egypt. It was restored during the 1990s and affiliated to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA) which uses it as a venue for cultural events it holds in Cairo. With its stone structure, wooden mashrabiyas (lattice-windows) spacious rooms and courtyards, the house makes a perfect setting for such events.
Watani International
30 November 2015