Egyptian men of letters have again rejected all forms of normalization and dealing with what they described as the Zionist enemy, calling on national forces in Palestine and Iraq to close up ranks and stop conflicting. At the end of their 23rd annual conference yesterday, they stressed the importance of ensuring freedom of expression for Egypt's intellectuals. They refused control by religious institutions on all forms of thought and creativity.
At the end of the three-day conference, which was held in Marsa Matrouh, the intellectuals called on cultural and academic bodies to meet the cultural needs of remote and border areas and work to develop them.
They criticized the Ministry of Finance's intransigence and refusal to disburse the deposit of Sheikh Mohammed Al-Qasimi that is allocated for the medical treatment of writers and intellectuals.
They called for an insurance umbrella for health and social care for men of letters to preserve their dignity and activate channels of media communication between cultures and promote public awareness.
They announced their support for Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni in his nomination for the UNESCO Director-General, calling sister and friend countries to support him.
