When Egypt nominated Minister of Culture to be UNESCO's next director-general all hell broke loose. Hosni's supporters argued he was uniquely qualified for the job, a man of refined taste, gentle manners and profound culture, a proponent of all the arts, a champion of archaeology and of the theatre, a balletomane and patron of the opera, a lover of literature and devotee of the popular arts. Hosni's adversaries harshly criticised him after three of the ministry's officials were recently found guilty of attempting to solicit more than LE50 million in return for contracts to carry out restoration work. He responded by publicly welcoming all efforts to eradicate "any corrupt elements". A painter by profession, Hosni is no stranger to criticism. During his 21-year tenure as minister of culture he has been a controversial figure, frequently locked in feuds with the NDP, Islamist politicians and left-leaning intellectuals. His latest battle, as a candidate for UNESCO's director-general, is being fought on an international front. Assem El-Kersh and Nevine El-Aref speak to him about his campaign You are Egypt's first, Arab and Muslim candidate for UNESCO's director-general. How do you introduce yourself to the world? And why do you consider yourself qualified to occupy such an important international post? First, I did not envision myself in such a post. The Egyptian government was the one to do so. President Hosni Mubarak nominated me in August 2007. I consider the nomination a great honour as well as an enormous responsibility. I have introduced myself to the international community by adopting a well- organised election programme based on three concepts, philosophical, technological and administrative. My vision is based on the principle of conciliation, between civilisations and religions, between human beings and the environment, between arid and moist areas. Reducing the gap between poverty and prosperity is another aspect of my programme. It can be achieved with the help of rich countries, though financial aid should not be our sole resort. We must help poor countries make the most of their own resources. I will follow in the footsteps of previous UNESCO director-generals, seeking to build on what already exists, adding where necessary, amending if required. Education is one of UNESCO's core concerns. I will seek to educate children ethically, teaching them not only how to read and write but morally as well. They must be taught the value of life and of faith as well as discovering their skills. Solutions must be found for street children. They should be provided with a healthy and proper standard of life. UNESCO is the protector of World Heritage sites. But these world heritage sites, while forming an important part of the global patrimony, are the tip of the iceberg. Increasing the number of cultural sites on the world heritage list requires the adoption of policies that can raise cultural awareness among countries that don't properly understand such a concept. This will also promote calm on the international level. Culture is not about confrontation, on the contrary, it is a pathway to peace. Dialogue between civilisations cannot be achieved until all continents embrace interchange. Europe, for example, could host the civilisation of Asia for a year, Latin American civilisation could travel to Asia and the civilisation of Africa go to all. Practically, how do you plan to implement such an ambitious programme? Implementation will require the support of thinkers and intellectuals from all over the globe. My friends in Paris, Latin America, Africa and Europe can also play a role, leading UNESCO to other thinkers who we may not know yet but whose work forms the thought of the universe. The director-general's office should act as a clearing house of ideas. In some ways the most ambitious programme is also the easiest because the focus is on benefiting humanity, though one must, of course, be cautious in implementing such an agenda if success is to be assured. You have spoken of conciliation between religions. How will you ameliorate the image of Islam, which has been tarnished by a false association with terrorism? The image of Islam does not require amelioration. It is the image of Muslims that is in dire needs. Fundamentalism exists across different faiths and religions. There are those who abuse Islam to attain political gains. Moderate Muslims must join hands in order to confront such people. They are Islam's first enemies, and are harming the faith. They are not real Muslims but motaaslemeen, seeking to force their ideas onto the international community. Do you have plans to reform UNESCO? UNESCO's administration used to be stuffed with unnecessary employees. It has, however, been streamlined by recent secretary-generals, though there remains room for improvement. Any changes, though, must be carried out with caution, and done in a respectful manner. Do you envisage any change in the role of the organisation? Every person has his dreams but often they cannot be made to come true. What I would hope to achieve is to expand the activities of UNESCO so that they directly address the needs and concerns of a wider public, not just the elites. How do you rate your chances of success? The indicators are positive, but this does not leave any room for complacency in the campaign. In the end the results will be determined by election. The position of director-general of UNESCO cannot help but be buffeted by political circumstances. Under these circumstances the most suitable candidate, on paper at least, may well not get the job. Several European countries, including France, Spain and Italy, have voiced their support of my nomination. So have China, Pakistan, Qatar and the Aga Khan Foundation. Arab countries have expressed their backing. I am the only Arab candidate. And support for my nomination is growing in Africa, which, with 13 votes, has the biggest say in who will get the job. Asia has 12 votes, while Europe and the Arab World wield just seven. During the African Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh the Ministry of Foreign Affairs liaised between myself and African foreign ministers. I also met with some African heads of state who expressed their support. During November, at the Conference of African Ministries of Culture in Algeria, we also canvassed for support. We have the backing of former French culture minister Jacques Lang, and the culture ministers of Libya, Syria, Algeria, Kuwait and Qatar are also working hard behind the scenes. The Americans so far have withheld support. What I feel, and I hope that I am wrong, is that they don't want an Arab Muslim to be the next UNESCO director- general. Russia has yet to clarify its position though I hope they will back the Egyptian candidate. Are you expecting any change in the American position now that a new administration has been elected? Yes, of course. Who are your closest competitors? The Bulgarian and Lithuania representatives to UNESCO are running. Some also expect UNESCO's current Brazilian deputy director to be nominated as the Latin American candidate though I suspect this might appear strange. Latin America has already held the post, though if they can agree on a single candidate they will present a strong challenge. What about Arab countries? Are you planning to replace the economic clout of the rich within UNESCO with Arabs if you win the post? Not at all. I would say, however, that it is high time the Arabs upped their financial support of UNESCO. I want greater Arab participation and influence in the organisation. What are the mistakes that the Arabs have avoided this time in selecting a candidate to head UNESCO? Most important is that there is only one Arab nominee backed by all Arab countries. In earlier elections Ghazi El-Kossebi was the sole Arab nominee but only after Egypt withdrew Ismail Serageddin as its candidate. Both Serageddin and El-Kossebi would have made excellent heads of the organisation. If you become director-general, do you foresee any conflict between being an Arab Egyptian Muslim and head of an international organisation? No. The behaviour of UNESCO's director-general must be characterised by honesty, justice and equality. When I was appointed to the culture portfolio I did not work for individuals or groups but for the whole of the country. Heading UNESCO means replacing a national perspective with an international one. Also, it is important to remember that decisions are not the sole prerogative of the director-general. UNESCO is not a one man show. There is an executive council that contains representatives of member states. If I win the post the whole world will be my nation and I will serve world culture without discrimination between states. Do you think your recent remark about burning Israeli books if you found any in libraries in Egypt has harmed your campaign? First, the remark was not a public statement but made in a corridor while chatting with an MP. It is an example of the kind of hyperbole common in Egyptian slang. I was responding to an unfounded comment made by a Muslim Brotherhood MP who claimed Egyptian bookshops and libraries were full of Israeli books. I denied this and told the MP that if such books existed I would burn them myself. It was a way of confirming the denial, not affirming the act of burning. When in English you say go to hell you do not literally mean to escort the person to whom you are talking. When the French say va te bruler they have no intention of burning themselves. As Egypt's minister of culture I have always been clear that we will pursue normalisation with Israel when a comprehensive peace treaty has been signed. I am not against normalisation per se but the timing is crucial. How will you deal with Israeli aggression and its illegal excavations beneath Al-Aqsa Mosque? Of course these issues will be discussed. All the concerned parties will defend their positions and a consensus will emerge from these discussions. What is the role of the newly formed Arab national committee of culture ministers? They will launch a promotion campaign in support of Egypt's nomination, not only on the Arab front but around the world. How are you marketing yourself abroad? An international PR company has been appointed to oversee the promotional campaign abroad. It will deal with the international media, newspapers, magazines, TV and so on, promoting my candidacy and publicising my programme. Campaign expenses are being financed by the government and by donations from businessmen. What are your plans if you did not win the post? I am not running for the post of director- general because I am interested in rank or positions. Being Egypt's minister of culture has been the greatest honour in my life and I do not expect that feeling to change.
