Gamal Nkrumah sounds out British Council director on the promotion of contemporary British culture at this year's Cairo International Book Fair The United Kingdom is Guest of Honour at this year's Cairo International Book Fair, which opens on 22 January and runs until 5 February, and a special programme of events has been organised in order to present contemporary British culture, art and literature to an inquisitive Egyptian public. For some this invitation will awaken memories of the sometimes fraught relationship between the two countries, with many people in Egypt remembering Britain's past military campaigns against the country, including the 1956 Suez War. There is undoubtedly a long and bitter memory of the British occupation and of Egypt's colonial past under British rule. However, for all that there is no doubt that a special bond between the two countries also exists, and Egypt, ancient Egypt in particular, has long fascinated generations of British people. It is this bond that the events being presented at this year's Book Fair with Britain and British culture as a theme will seek to reinforce and build upon. As the director of the British Council in Egypt, , explains, the invitation is being used as an opportunity to present British cultural and literary events that will show off the potential for exciting dialogue and cooperation between the two countries. Smith, who is Cultural Counselor at the British Embassy in Cairo as well as British Council director, explained in an interview with Al-Ahram Weekly over coffee at the British Council's centre in Agouza that "at the British Council we believe that nothing is more important for the security and well-being of the world than cultural relations." An intellectually vigorous, sprightly man, with a sharp sense of humour and himself a voracious reader, Smith explains his belief that "culture today is more important than politics. Politicians, commentators and diplomats seem over the past few years to have realised that politics is a 'sub-set' of culture. Our culture is who we are, and it represents our distinctive (and increasingly multicultural) identities. Cultural matters and changes are the deep and long-lasting undertow of humanity, with politics often only the more visible surface waves and ripples," he insists. Smith, born in multicultural Hansworth in Birmingham, Britain's second largest city, believes that contemporary British culture is marked by adventure and experimentation. Indeed, he says, this experiment is happening at so fast a pace that it can seem that Britain is changing so fast that more conservative corners of the world cannot keep up. Nevertheless, he hopes that interest in Egypt in British culture is still as strong as it has been, and he says, British interest in the Middle East, its culture and its literature, has tremendously increased in recent years. "It's not just because this region of the world so often appears at the head of the world's news bulletins that people in Britain are interested in Egypt and the Middle East," he says. Many British readers are eager to find out more about Egypt and the Arab and Muslim worlds. This eagerness to discover the region for themselves has led British readers to "want to discover these cultures from within, and to hear authentic voices for themselves rather than accept the 'readings' of the region from sometimes ill-informed western pundits." "We found, when Egypt and the wider region were guests of honour at the London Book Fair last year, that there was a massive interest in knowing more about the contemporary identity and voices of this region of the world, which has known the most dynamic history of cultural and political relationship with us." One of the ways in which this year's Book Fair explores such British-Egyptian cultural exchanges is through the programme of "author pairings" planned for the Fair, in which a visiting British author will be "paired" with an Egyptian writer who will "give them a taste of the real Egypt." "When over 50 writers and commentators from Egypt and the region visited the London Book Fair as our guests of honour in January 2008, there was a massive swell of interest from British writers and readers in the culture, society, faith, politics, values and concerns of the Arab World and the Middle East. These are peoples who know they must collaborate well for the greater common good. They crave a better understanding of each other and are reluctant to surrender to the caricatures and misunderstandings that they may find in their local media and channels of mass communication." "As a result, we have been delighted to reciprocate at this year's Cairo fair by bringing over 50 cultural figures from the UK to Egypt to extend the debate and the exchange." The Cairo International Book Fair is in part a trade show for the publishing industry, but, Smith explains, this is only part of its function for the British Council. The idea of "trade," he says, goes much deeper than merely commercial exchange, since "we encourage the trading of ideas and the growth in more real and subtle understandings of relative viewpoints and the ways in which we can share our world. That can happen through literature, but it can also happen through reading, writing, talking and debating about science, the environment, history, politics, economics, sport and any other area which challenges the human mind and spirit and is part of the common global endeavour." As a result, he says, the British Council has been happy to arrange seminars and forums in such areas at this year's Cairo fair, one of the themes being simply "reading". This means "developing better means to encourage reading at all levels of life," Smith says. He is acutely aware, and he acknowledges it with utmost humility, that English is by far the most important language of communication between cultures. He is proud to note that English is what he terms a "pliable language" with hundreds of Arabic loan words, for instance. "Not just books of course -- reading pertains to many media. And 'reading' can be interpreted to mean more than following words and learning stories. In a way 'reading' is a word which embodies taking charge of your own learning and therefore your own future aspirations, work, opportunity, path of life and, to an extent, chosen identity. The IT revolution is producing many changes; one of them is the realisation that no-one's vocational destiny is necessarily prescribed. All individuals can take charge and can 'read' themselves into new possibilities." However, Smith is also aware that recent events may have overshadowed the relationship between the West and the Arab and Muslim worlds, particularly as a result of the US-led "war on terrorism" that has threatened dialogue and encouraged confrontation. In responding to this concern, Smith agrees that enhanced dialogue may not be enough. Instead, "practical engagement must celebrate the things that make us culturally distinct. Above all we must find mutual understanding around all the issues that most concern us -- international and intercultural relations, the care of our environment and our planet, the world's economic problems, multiculturalism, the globalisation of communications, the internationalisation of education, poverty, employability and so on." One particular interest of Smith's is literature, and he talks during the interview about literary exchange. Some years ago, he notes, "British readers were keen to hear new voices -- particularly in fiction -- from the Indian subcontinent. I suppose Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children was the iconic text which revolutionised Britain's appreciation of what makes modern India." However, "the UK reading public has shifted its focus many times and often with a few books as triggers - to China ( Wild Swans ), to Latin America ( A Hundred Years of Solitude ), and so on. We can truly feel the yearning to hear about this part of the world today from its own creative minds and voices. [Egyptian writer] Alaa Al Aswani's novel The Yacoubian Building is proving significant here -- it's providing a cultural link which western readers are finding fascinating. I think that's the international novel's most pertinent theme today, since the novel form has always concentrated on social differences and how individuals find their positioning within differentiated social structures." "In the 19th century, much fiction took class and caste division to motivate narrative. In the 20th century, it was perhaps psychological distinction between individuals and society. In the 21st century distinctions between cultures and identities is proving of paramount interest -- displacement, immigration, fractured multiculturalism, individual plural identities, refugees. Above all, new concepts of what it means to be 'at home'. Again, it's a cultural relations theme which is closest to a global concern." Communication, Smith feels, is about conveying cultural values, but another pertinent word to be explored at this year's Cairo fair is "translation." "At a Book Fair it's important to seek better ways to ensure our books and other media are well translated into each other's languages," he says. "But, for me, 'translation' is another word which explains the imperative of cultural relations, having to do with understanding one culture within the terms and terminology of another." "It's a politically and ethically challenging task, but it is also the most important of our times." between cultures, communities and professionals must make such ambitions active and real. In the case of the Cairo International Book Fair, it is the writers, publishers, readers, and 'intellectuals' engaging together, finding common ground, articulating and appreciating difference that enhances such practical engagements. The Fair is one such opportunity. However, we must also stretch that opportunity to all sectors of public interest -- education, science, social development, human rights, sport and languages." How, concretely, is Smith handling this ambitious remit? "We at the British Council," he says, "provide a host of activities and opportunities, the purpose of every one of which is to develop better professional partnerships and understanding between young professionals in our two countries and to give opportunity to young people of aspiration to realise their educational and vocational aspirations so that they can play a productive role in our international world." "How do we do this? Through school linkages and educational development projects; through the providing of international benchmarked qualifications and scholarships; through teaching English to help people find better jobs; through encouraging co-productions in the arts and helping to train young professionals in the creative sector and in the sciences; through increasing opportunities for youth networking across countries and enabling young people to enter directly into debate about the world's issues." "We are all increasingly conscious that the major issues we all face are global in scale," Smith goes on, "and that they can only be solved by the peoples of the world finding common understanding and respect and collaboration to create the world we all want and need for our future. To achieve this, we must all understand and appreciate better each other's cultures. We just agree on the values we share in common and we UK GUEST OF HONOUR CULTURAL PROGRAMME Thursday 22 January 1215-1300: Natural Theatre Company, Exhibition ground 1300-1345: Literary Caf�: Ben Okri talking to Gamal Nkrumah, Hall 15A UK stand 1345-1430: Natural Theatre Company, Exhibition ground 1430-1600: Engaging young people with Ancient Egyptian heritage through museums, with Ahdaf Soueif, Carolyn Perry (Petrie Museum), Rachel Morris (Metaphor) and Sara Hashem (Suzanne Mubarak Children's Museum) as speakers, 6th October Theatre 1545-1630: Natural Theatre Company, Exhibition ground 1630-1800: Subversion and repossession: the use of myth in contemporary writing, with Ben Okri, Hala Sami (Cairo University) and Marina Warner as speakers, 6th October Theatre 1900-2045: Music performance by I Fagiolini, 6th October theatre Friday 23January 1415-1500: Literary Caf�: Ahdaf Soueif, Hall 15A UK stand 1415-1500: Natural Theatre Company, Exhibition ground 1515-1600: Literary Caf�: Menna Elfyn, Hall 15A UK stand 1545-1630: Natural Theatre Company, Exhibition ground 1630-1800: How writers find inspiration in other cultures, with Ahdaf Soueif, Ben Okri, Jamal Mahjoub, Marina Warner and Radwa Ashour as speakers, Hall 15 Protocol room Saturday 24 January 1215-1300: Natural Theatre Company, Exhibition ground 1300-1345: Literary Caf�: Marina Warner talking to Hani Hanafi, Hall 15A UK stand 1415-1500: Natural Theatre Company, Exhibition ground 1500-1545: Literary Caf�: Jamal Mahjoub talking to Ahdaf Soueif, Hall 15A UK stand 1600-1645: Natural Theatre Company, Exhibition ground 1700-1830: New voices in British poetry: Leontia Flynn, Menna Elfyn, Paul Farley and Susie Nicklin, Hall 15 Protocol room 1900-2100: Poetry evening: Amin Haddad, Bahaa Jaheen (read by Samia Jaheen), Leontia Flynn, Menna Elfyn, Paul Farley, Sohair Metwali, 6th October theatre Sunday 25 January 1300-1345: Literary Caf�: Leontia Flynn, Hall 15A UK stand 1400-1445: Literary Caf�: Paul Farley, Hall 15A UK stand 1615-1730: The politics of translation, with Gaber Asfour, Jamal Mahjoub, Menna Elfyn and Sabry Hafez as speakers, Hall 15 Protocol room Monday 26 January 1000-1200: Climate change and me: a workshop for children, with Subathra Subramaniam as speaker, 6th October theatre 1300-1345: Literary Caf�: Deborah Moggach, Hall 15A UK stand 1300-1430: Arabic/English translation: frames and contexts? (British Academy sponsored), with, Feisal Younes, Hazem Azmy, Hoda Elsadda and Mona Baker as speakers, Hall 15 Protocol room 1400-1500: Publishers' seminar on the promotion of translated literature, with Bachar Chebaro, Gary Pulsifer, Mark Linz, Nigel Newton and Susie Nicklin as speakers, 6th October room upstairs 1500-1630: Caf� Scientifique: the science of football, with David James and Quentin Cooper as speakers, Hall 15 Protocol room 1700-1830: Writing conflict: which is better fiction or non-fiction? With Bahaa Taher and James Meek as speakers, Hall 15 Protocol room 1900-2000: Adapting books for film, with Deborah Moggach and Khalid Abdalla as speakers, Hall 15 Protocol room 2000-2200: Screening: Pride & Prejudice Tuesday 27 January 1300-1345: Literary Caf�: James Meek, Hall 15A UK stand 1400-1500: Publishers' seminar on the supply chain and bookselling in the UK, with Amira Mitchell-Karam, Jonathan Nowell and Simon Juden as speakers, 6th 1500-1630: Cape Farewell: the cultural response to climate change, with Quentin Cooper and Subathra Subramaniam as speakers, Hall 15 Protocol room 1500-1545: Literary Caf�: Samia Serageldin talking to Nadia Wassef (Diwan Bookstore), Hall 15A UK stand 1500-1600: Publishers seminar on digital developments in the UK in bookselling and publishing and the impact on copyright, with Lynette Owen and Simon Juden as speakers, 6th October room upstairs 1700-1800: Discussion: Anthony Horowitz, 6th October theatre 1800-2000: Film screening: Stormbreaker, 6th October theatre Wednesday 28 January 1300-1345: Literary Caf�: Anthony Horowitz, Hall 15A UK stand 1400-1500: Digital publishing for English language learning, with Jo Greig (Macmillan) as speaker, Hall 15 Protocol room 1400-1500: Publishers' seminar on Bloomsbury's link with the Qatar Foundation, with Nigel Newton as speaker, 6th October room upstairs 1500-1600: Publishers' seminar on the role of literary agents and literary scouts, with Ros Ramsay as speaker, 6th October room upstairs 1600-1730: From hermit to headliner: the role of the writer in the 21st century, with Anthony Horowitz, Margaret Drabble and Mohamed Salmawy as speakers, Hall 15 Protocol room Thursday 28 January 1400-1445: Literary Caf�: Margaret Drabble talking to Mohamed Salmawy, Hall 15A UK stand EGYPTIAN LITERATI GALORE *Cinema -Friday 23 January 1200: Notting Hill, starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, directed by Roger Michell. 1430: Leilet El-Baby Doll (The Baby Doll Night), starring Nour El-Sherif and Laila Elwy, directed by Adel Adeeb. -Saturday 24 January 1430: Khareg Ala Al-Qanoun (Outlaw), starring Karim Abdel-Aziz and Maya Nassri, directed by Ahmed Nader Galal. 1300: Eskendria Lih? (Alexandria Why?), directed by Youssef Chahine. 1430: Juba, starring Mustafa Shaaban and Dalia El-Beheri, directed by Ahmed Samir Farag. -Monday 25 January 1430: Heya Fawda (Chaos?), directed by Youssef Chahine, starring Khaled Saleh and Menna Shalabi. -Tuesday 26 January 1430: Ghorfa 707 (Room 707), starring Magdi Kamel and Rola Saad, directed by Ihab Radi. -Wednesday 27 January 1200: Haduta Masriya (An Egyptian Story), directed by Youssef Chahine. 1430: Amalyat Khasa (Private Missions), starring Khaled Selim and Nicole Saba, directed by Othman Abu Laban. *Cultural Caf� -Thursday 22 January 1200-1400: Culture and Social Change, "Youth Screams or Handkerchief". Participants: Ahmed El-Fakharani, Rehab Bassam, Shadi Aslan, Ghada Mahmoud, Ghada Abdel-Aal, Mohamed Fathi and Nermine, chaired by Youssef El-Qa'ed. 1400-1600: Signs in the history of Arab Culture: Qassim Amin, chaired by Zeinab El-Khoderi. 1600-1800: Creativity in the Short Story by Soha Zaki. Participants: Saed El-Wakil, Fathi Embabi, Mahmoud El-Dab', chaired by Zeinab El-Assal. -Friday 23 January 1400-1600: Signs in the History of Arab Culture: Mustafa Kamel. Participants: Ahmed Zakaria El-Shalaq, Iman Amer, Sherif Younis and Mohamed Afifi, chaired by Salah Eissa. 1600-1800: Creativity in Colloquial Poetry: Salem El-Shahbani. Participants: Hossam Haddad, Hossam Akl, Youssri Abdallah, chaired by Fouad Haggag. 1600-1800: Book Circulation in Arab Countries. Participants: Ibrahim Nasreddin, Hassan El-Zein, Lora Kafouri, Mohamed Abdel-Latif. -Saturday 24 January 1200-1400: Culture and Social Change: New Changes in Colloquial Poems. Participants: Ayman Bahgat Qammar, Mohamed Keshek and Youssri El-Azab. 1400-1600: Signs in History of Arab Culture: Mahmoud Mokhtar. Participants: Tarek Zabadi and Abdel-Hadi El-Weshahi. 1600-1800: Creativity in Formal Poetry: Mohamed Abu-Zeid. Participants: Ibrahim Dawoud and Atef Abdel-Aziz. -Sunday 25 January 1200-1400: Culture and Social Change. Participants: Hussein Hamouda, Sayed Ashmawi and Hamdi Abu-Galil, chaired by Amany Masoud. 1400-1600: Signs in History of Arab Culture: Gubran Khalil Gubran. Participants: Alaa Khaled, Fatma Kandil and Mohamed Ali Salama. -Monday 26 January 1200-1400: Culture and Social Change, chaired by Salah Fadl. 1400-1600: Signs in History of Arab Culture: Taha Hussein, chaired by Nabila Ibrahim. 1400-1600: Signs in History of Arab Culture. Participants: Farouk Shousha and Mohamed Ibrahim, chaired by Mohamed Abdel-Moteleb. 1830-2000: Creativity in Theatre: Rasha Abdel-Moniem, chaired by Ahmed Zaki. -Tuesday 26 January 1200-1400: Culture and Social Change: Online Journalism versus Printed Newspapers. Participants: Ahmed Fadl and Hamdi Hassan. 1400-1600: Signs in History of Arab Culture, chaired by Ahmed Zayed. 1600-1800: Creativity in Cinema. Participants: Ibrahim Aslan, Sherif Mounir and Samir Farid. -Wednesday 27 January 1300-1500: Culture and Social Change, chaired by Fawzya Mahran. 1400-1600: Signs in History of Arab Culture: Taha Hussein. Participants: Anwar Mugheith and Salah Qansoura. -Thursday 28 January 1300-1500: Culture and Social Change: The Dialogue Culture Crisis. Participants: Abdel-Moneim Mashaat and Nadia Mustafa. *Poetry Evenings -Friday 23 January 1400-1530: Poetic Session 1800-2000: Poetic Experiences: Ahmed Ghorab, chaired by El-Mongi Sarhan. 1800-2000: First Poetic Evening. Participants: Ahmed Abdel-Moeti Hegazy, Farouk Shousha, Fouad Taman, Mohamed Ibrahim Abu Sena and Maged Youssef, chaired by Ahmed Sowelam. 1800-2000: First Poetic Evening chaired by Emara Ibrahim. -Saturday 24 January 1600-1800: Poetic Experiences: Poet Abdel-Moneim Awad Youssef, chaired by Abdel-Allim Ismail. 1800-2000: Second Poetic Evening, chaired by Hamdi Abdel-Razek. -Sunday 25 January 1330: Poetic Session chaired by Fouad Haggag. 1700-1900: Sharjah Prize for Arab Creativity. Participants: Abeer Salama and Abdel-Fattah Sabri. 1800-2000: Second Poetic Evening. Participants: Ahmed Fadl, Ahmed Antar, Sameh Darwish and Mohamed Younis. 1600-1800: Creativity in Plastic Art: Taha El-Karni. Participants: Khaled Boghdadi and Makram Hanin. 1600-1800: Poetic Experiences: Poet Farid Taha, chaired by Mohamed Ismail. 1800-2000: Third Poetic Evening, chaired by Ahmed Tawfiq. -Monday 26 January 1330: Poetic Session, chaired by Mohamed Thabet. 1600-1800: Poetic Experiences: Poet Saad Abdel-Rahman. 1800-2000: Third Poetic Evening, chaired by Saed El-Sawy. -Tuesday 27 January 1330: Poetic Evening, chaired by Hazim Omar. 1600-1800: Poetic Experiences: Abdel-Sattar Selim, chaired by Ahmed Tawfiq. 1800-2000: Fifth Poetic Evening, chaired by Gamil Abdel-Rahman. -Wednesday 27 January 1600-1800: Poetic Experiences: Poet Gamil Abdel-Rahman. 1800-2000: Fourth Poetic Evening. Participants: Gaber Bassiouni, Saed El-Sawy and Nassar Abdallah. 1800-2000: Sixth Poetic Evening, chaired by Gaber Bassiouni. -Thursday 28 January 1330: Poetic Session: Literary Salons in Egypt and Arab Countries, chaired by Samir Farrag. 1600-1800: Poetic Experiences: Ahmed Sowelam. 1800-2000: Poetic Evening with Vernacular Egyptian Poet Abdel-Rahman El-Abnoudi. 1800-2000: Seventh Poetic Evening, chaired by Mohamed Salah Abdel-Hafiz. * Testimonies -Saturday 24 January 1700-1800: Hamed Ammar, winner of the Mubarak Award for Social Sciences (Sixth of October Hall). 1830-2100: Late Filmmaker Youssef Chahine. Participants: Rafiq El-Sabban, Nour El-Sherif and Yossra, chaired by Samir Farid (Hall 15). -Sunday 25 January 1700-1800: Egyptian Novelist Bahaa Taher, winner of the Arab Booker Prize, chaired by Amina Rashid (Sixth of October Hall).
