Culture
©UNESCO / Felipe Alcoceba
Giza Pyramids at Sunset
"CULTURE IS WHAT MAKES LIFE WORTH LIVING"
T.S. Eliot
In a world threatened by ill effects of globalization and standardization, protecting and promoting cultural diversity and dialogue is the main current priority, with special emphasis on the tangible and intangible heritage.
The Cairo Culture Unit was launched in July 2003 at the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Sciences in the Arab States. Projects are led in collaboration with major governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Objectives:
- Promoting Intercultural Dialogue
- Preserving Tangible Cultural Heritage
- Museums
- Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage
- Tourism and Community Development
The Culture sector within the Cairo Office is in charge of three cluster countries (Egypt, Sudan and Libya), as well as the UNESCO Mediterranean Programme. The Mediterranean Programme covers all countries of the Mediterranean basin and therefore also benefits Egypt.
UNESCO Mediterranean Programme
The UNESCO Mediterranean Programme was created and launched by the Director General (Federico Mayor) in 1994. Investments have been given by UNESCO in the Mediterranean area for years.
The main objective of the programme was to develop the dialogue among cultures and civilizations in the Mediterranean area in order to promote a culture of peace. This is done especially through the creation of thematic networks associating new stakeholders.
The Programme was later assigned to the Culture Sector and then decentralized to Cairo. Although its scope goes far beyond Egypt, some of its major current activities concern the country and give it a predominant role.
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