Egypt's Culture Minister Ines Abdel-Dayem has held talks with chairman of the Cairo Opera House and several representatives of the ministry's cultural sectors where they discussed the possibility of investing in and improving the equipment needed for events that could be held in open-air areas at the Cairo Opera grounds once activities resume. The discussion was attended by Cairo Opera House chairman Magdy Saber, alongside the opera's artistic and administrative team; head of the Cultural Production Sector Khaled Galal; head of the Theatre Production House Ismail Mokhtar, and the Confrontation Theatre director Sameh Bassiouny. The meetings also included discussions related to the possible safety measure to be taken once cultural activities resume in Egypt. The ministry also plans to work on new productions that would tackle spreading awareness about the coronavirus, the struggles of the Egyptian army, the police and the medical teams in the face of the ongoing pandemic. Hanager Arts Centre located at the Cairo Opera House Grounds with a large open air space in front of it where many cultural activities take place. (Photo: Ati Metwaly) The discussions aim to assure the readiness for the possible return to cultural activities; however, the ministry did not provide any information indicating when and in what format the possible cultural reopening would take place. The Cairo Opera grounds is a large area embracing several cultural institutions (including the Cairo Opera House) presenting a variety of programing at its many stages, spaces for open-air events and a large parking lot. Check our guide on the Cairo Opera grounds here. Aiming to curb the spread of the coronavirus, all cultural activities have been suspended across Egypt starting 9 March. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture
