Luxor4u

A great idea.

Mobile Libraries Roam Cairo Streets To Achieve Cultural Equality Between Egyptians


EGYPTIAN STREETS
FEBRUARY 5, 2018

In a new step to achieve cultural equality between Egyptians and children, in particular, Egypt’s newly-appointed Minister of Culture Enas Abdel Dayem has launched a new initiative of Mobile Libraries that roam the streets of Cairo.

In an official statement, the Ministry of Culture said that the Mobile Libraries have cultural activities, books, artistic performances, workshops for handicrafts, painting, and drawing. Arts and culture competitions are also held between children and youth; winners of the competitions get collections of important and valuable books for free.

The new initiative started last week in al-Asmarat neighborhood in Mokattam. The library, however, will move on 8 February to Mansheyat Nasser, Abdel Dayem said, adding that the Mobile Library will return back to al-Asmarat neighborhood to achieve the maximum benefit. Abdel Dayem also added that these libraries will soon be all across Egyptian cities and governorates.

Mobile Libraries are a collaboration between the General Organization of Books And National Documents, headed by Dr. Ahmed Shawki , the General Organization of Cultural Palaces, headed by Dr. Ahmed Awwad, Misr al- Gadeeda Association, a civil society cultural institutions, represented by Mr. Fouad Hilmi, the Secretary-General.

The residents of al-Asmarat neighborhood welcomed the initiative and interacted with the activities of the Mobile Library, according to the statement.

The new initiative primarily focuses on underprivileged areas in order to achieve cultural equality between all children.


https://egyptianstreets.com/2018/02/05/ ... egyptians/

Sounds like a marvelous idea - well practiced in rural and regional Australia from the 1950's.

Why there aren't physical libraries is a real question because the World's Greatest Egyptologist built 17 (or more) regional Museums (many of which are falling down) for communities that never wanted them and had no need of them (in most cases). On a positive note they gave his powerful friend and patron many opportunities to open new fiascos. So all this stuff got built and benefited no one - except Hawass and Mubarak.

The central issues are that there is no system of public libraries and a censorship system which means that a lot of books are excluded from Egypt. Its also significant that Egypt has the second or third worst education system in the world and lies about its literacy and numeracy figures given to the UN. Whether a traveling library will help the illiterate is questionable.

Why schools don't already have libraries is a question only the mysterious pyramids could answer.

That the library,bus (is it a single library) is located in Cairo that already gets much more in government services than morally required, rather than in disadvantaged areas - like Upper Egypt - is entirely consistent with a policy of Cairo first.

I haven't checked the suburbs it visits but my guess is that they aren't the poorest places where buying books is a problem but borrowing them would be a real opportunity.

Pardon my cynicism but the social programs over 40/50 years have delivered little because they were poorly designed and unbelievably implemented. They have, however, delivered good press releases and employed many bureaucrats.

At a guess, I'd say the "book" element of the project is relatively modest. Cultural activities, artistic performances, workshops for handicrafts, painting, and drawing.....maybe.

I can't see them lending out books. Would they ever see them again?

I wonder what Egyptian literature is considered suitable for young impressionable minds?

I imagine they'll be concentrating on districts with a reasonable level of literacy....if they can find any

I share Hafiz's cynicism. Another announcement for consumption by the press, ostensibly with social merit, but little chance of being of practical benefit to many - if any.

I also am cynical about this, but hopeful that at least some children will get the reading opportunities they've desired.