'Misr Tegmaana' promotes tolerance through art

Selmiyah Movement promotes dialogue, tolerance and peace through art and culture at 'Misr Tegmaana' event at Darb 1718

The Selmiyah Movement, launched in July 2012 by cultural and political initiatives and independent artists, organised one of the simplest but most crowded cultural events in Cairo on Sunday, 'Misr Tegmaana' (Egypt Brings Us Together) at Darb 1718.
Misr Tegmaana is part of the movement's cultural campaign of the same name, which aims to create common spaces for dialogue and joint action with a view to breaking the current state of polarisation in Egyptian society.
The one-day festival, which took place on Saturday 20 April with a number of art workshops, included Ambassadors For Dialogue, a group which aims to promote dialogue among societies. Masreyati group gave a workshop on ideas of tolerance and peace among Egyptians.
In addition to workshops in Darb 1718's halls, from early Saturday the main stage in its courtyard was reserved for live performances, mime shows, concerts, running one after another until midnight.
The performing artists included the clown group Outa Hamra (Red Tomato), We Lesa (And Still), Hip Hop Project, Sout El-Sharee (Voice of the Street), Masterpiece, Abu El-Shabab, Motafaelon (Optimists) and Mokamileen (We Continue), to name a few.
With this dynamic line-up, the crowds grew throughout the day.
"The attendance was really impressive," Khalil El-Masry, a core member of Selmiyah Movement and Masreyati group commented to Ahram Online.
"According to Selmiyah, the aim of the campaign is to create cultural awareness and promote ideas of tolerance and acceptance so we can live peacefully, be able to talk to one another, collaborate and help develop Egypt," El-Masry said.
All participating cultural groups, artists, theatre and music groups are founders of the Selmiyah movement. "No one carries the project solely and we don't use the word founder," El-Masry emphasises.
Selmiyah Movement was established after brutal clashes between police and peaceful protestors in late 2011 and early 2012 at Mohamed Mahmoud Street and the parliament building in Cairo.
Khalil and his fellow members of Masreyati went to Tahrir Square and created circles of conversations among protestors and visitors. "We engaged in many conversations and helped others express their views."
Masreyati developed connections and started networking with other artistic and social groups and formed Selmiyah. As Khalil puts it, each active group contributes what it knows best, be it arts and culture or social development. "Each one of us has limited capacities but together we are able to grow and reach many people."
Selmiyah members underscore that it is a cultural movement rather than a political one. It seeks a revolution from within each person. "We call for peace among ourselves and the importance of listening to one another instead of violence and attacking."
Within the same Misr Tegmaana campaign, Selmiyah is to tour seven governorates across Egypt. Between July and September 2013, Selmiyah will visit Alexandria, Beheira, Delta cities, Sohag, and Assiut to name but a few.
Their workshops and initiatives are being filmed to document their development so their methods can be improved and perfected.
Within a few months of its birth, Selmiyah has become popular across different social classes and generations in Cairo. The movement hopes to build on its early success and spread across the whole of Egypt.
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