Deadly Israeli airstrikes pound Gaza as Doha talks raise hopes for ceasefire    Egypt accelerates coastal protection projects amid rising climate threats    Egypt's PM calls Israeli war on Gaza 'most dangerous crisis' at BRICS summit    Egypt's FinMin urges BRICS to support debt sustainability    Egypt's gold prices up on July 6th    Venezuela vows to uphold sovereignty on 214th independence anniversary    ADIB Egypt publishes second sustainability report for 2024    Egypt, Saudi FMs discuss Gaza truce, Iran-Israel tensions    Over 215,000 projects funded under Mashrouak, exceeding EGP 33bn in May: Minister    Egypt, Norway hold informal talks ahead of global plastic treaty negotiations    Greco-Roman tombs with hieroglyphic inscriptions discovered in Aswan    UN conference cites Egypt's 'NWFE' programme as model for development finance    Global tour for Korean 'K-Comics' launches in Cairo with 'Hellbound' exhibition    China's factory output expands in June '25    Philip Morris Misr announces new price list effective 1 July    Egypt teams up with private sector to boost university rankings    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Egypt condemns deadly terrorist attack in Niger    Egypt's FM, China's Wang discuss Iran-Israel escalation    Egypt's EHA, Schneider Electric sign MoU on sustainable infrastructure    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Grand Egyptian Museum opening delayed to Q4    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's EDA joins high-level Africa-Europe medicines regulatory talks    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Dali promotes tourism
Published in Al-Ahram Weekly on 21 - 06 - 2016

Pope Tawadros II has been presented a statue made by Salvador Dali in recognition of Egypt being the land of peace.
Marking the ceremony, Pope Tawadros was received by Minister of Tourism Yehia Rashed, Juan-Javier Bofill, the director of the Salvador Dali exhibition in Barcelona, Bofill's business manager, Francisco Lara Mora, and Hamdi Zaki, Egypt's former tourism advisor to Latin America and currently an advisor to a think tank in Madrid and Barcelona.
During the meeting, Bofill presented an original statue of St George the dragon slayer made by Dali, the Spanish surrealist painter. The 80-cm statute was presented in recognition of Egypt's role as the mother of civilisation and the land of peace, which throughout history has protected the world from barbarism — a mission that Egypt continues to embrace today.
“We chose Egypt to be the home of this statute for historical reasons, seen in the Pharaonic carvings at the Temple of Hibis in Kharga, which show Horus slaying a snake, the symbol of evil, just as St George slays the dragon and evil as well,” Lara Mora said. “Now in the 21st century, we see him as slaying ignorance.”
He added that the need for the world to turn its attention to Egypt and the need to promote the journey of the Holy Family led Bofill to dedicate the statute to Egypt. Valued at 1.9 million euros, the statue is part of Bofill's collection and was part of a successful exhibition in Brazil.
Zaki said that Bofill was inspired to give the statue to Egypt by his friend Lara Mora. Of Dali's 650 pieces scattered around the world, Bofill owns 44, including two pieces showing St George the dragon slayer. He gave one of the pieces, valued at 2.25 million euros, to the Barcelona Cathedral and the other to Egypt.
Rashed said that religious tourism is flourishing around the world. Some 10 million visitors come to Spain every year for religious tourism. “And we have the journey of the Holy Family, who lived in Egypt for three and a half years,” Rashed said.
He added that in agreement with Pope Tawadros, an international festival will be held to re-enact the course of the Holy Family's travels in Egypt. Thousands of church representatives from around the world will be invited, as well as figures with influence on travel decisions.
Pope Tawadros, who is concerned about tourism, suggested the slogan, “Christ: The first tourist in Egypt”. During the festival, a 3.2-metre replica of Dali's St. George statue will be unveiled.
The festival will also see one million Egyptian children from the land of peace and the cradle of civilisation and religion send a message over social media to tens of millions of children around the world, inviting them to take part in a contest by submitting an essay or artwork on Egypt.
The Ministry of Tourism will award 1,000 prizes to winners, including replicas of Tutankhamen's treasures and the St George statue. The best 100 submissions from 50 nations will win a trip to Egypt.
The festival is expected to improve Egypt's image and bolster tourism, as well as supply work to tourism industries that have been greatly affected.
Notably, Madrid normally receives less than 1.5 million tourists in six months but a few years ago, with the visit by the Roman Catholic Pope Francis, 1.5 million Europeans visited Madrid in six days in August, bringing in $180 million. Currently some 70 million tourists visit Spain annually, spending more than $80 billion in the country.


Clic here to read the story from its source.