CAIRO – He believes that nothing comes quickly. That's why he's planning his future so patiently and carefully. He says it's like throwing a stone in a lake. First you see one, then two, then many ripples. Hossam Nassar, the First Undersecretary of State for Foreign Cultural Relations, is doing his best to promote Egyptian arts and give foreigners the chance to experience their magic. In his Foreign Cultural Relations Sector, affiliated to the Ministry of Culture, Nassar pays a great deal of attention to young Egyptian artists. The sector offers them many chances and helps them to show off their talents abroad, participate in workshops and claim grants, because nothing compares to the experience that one can gain from travelling abroad and getting in touch with different people and cultures. Nassar took the helm in 2009; this marked a turning point for this sector, which he has managed to revive. "I felt depressed as I walked into my new office for the first time. But the employees astonished me. They were into their work and very devoted," said Nassar, who has a ten-year plan for his sector, until 2020. "We have never looked back. We love Egypt and that's why we are devoted to our work. We work stupid hours," Nassar told the Egyptian Mail in an interview. Although many of its demands have yet to be met, the Egyptian revolution has made many changes in Egypt, especially in the field of arts. People are now more enthusiastic about what they are doing. "We haven't changed, because we have always been enthusiastic about our work. But the most important thing that has happened since the revolution is that there is more appreciation for Egyptian culture and heritage from foreign countries," Nassar explained. As well as inspiring the whole world, the Egyptian revolution has inspired Egyptian artists, who have been creating new works, born from the womb of this great revolution. "We get committees to watch the performances before we send them abroad to ensure that our product is good," Nassar added. "We watch most troupes, bands and performers that we send, so we're know their works are of a high quality. This was also true before the revolution.” The sector doesn't just send Egyptians abroad, as it also hosts foreigners in Egypt. "We help embassies and foreign cultural centres in Egypt and participate in their many cultural events. One of the most recent was the ‘Festival des Jeunes Créateurs', a theatre festival held every year in the French Centre for Culture and Co-operation. “We have sent talented young Egyptian artists to Avignon and also hosted a French director who held a workshop here for talented young Egyptians," said Nassar. Performances of Egyptian folkloric arts, music, caricature and fine arts are usually welcomed by foreign countries, which like to discover the magic of Egypt with its exotic atmosphere. "Since the dawn of time, Egypt has been known for being special and now the Egyptian revolution has influenced the world. “We are trying to promote folkloric arts in the first place, but also trying to enhance literature, theatre and modern arts," added Nassar, who himself is a sensitive poet. Some of his poems are romantic, while others are satirical, criticising whatever happens in his country from his own point of view. The Foreign Cultural Relations Sector in the Ministry of Culture has a special vision for years to come. It is working on a project entitled ‘Dialogue of Cultures', dealing with the similarity between cultures of every country. "The purpose of this initiative is to enhance the dialogue with other cultures. We will concentrate on the similarities, not the differences," Nassar said. Geographically, the sector is very keen on sending many Egyptian troupes and delegations every year to the Nile Basin countries. "They are our neighbours, so we have to visit them regularly. But this doesn't mean that we ignore European or other foreign countries. We send many troupes to Europe, America, Asia and other places, although the majority of course go to Arab countries," he mentioned. Although the sector is doing a great job in promoting Egyptian artistic movements and helping foreign countries to get to know about Egyptian culture, it faces a critical obstacle – money. "We have sent a report to the Government, asking for a bigger budget, in order to offer good services. We also need new, skilled employees, who speak fluent English and know how to deal with the contemporary world," stressed Nassar, who is waiting for the ripples.
