Art forum celebrates women’s role at Egypt’s historical site

CAIRO: About 30 female artists from 14 different countries exhibited artworks as part of the International Women’s Art Forum held this week in Hurghada, Egypt.

The event was staged in March, a month reserved to celebrate women, and was part of the Egyptian Tourism Ministry’s efforts to attract visitors to the country during spring.

The forum began on March 5 in Luxor, where artists showcased their works at an exhibition in front of the Hatshepsut Temple.

“This International Women’s Art Forum is its third edition, with about 120 artists participating during the previous two sessions, but there was a plan to develop the event into a bigger show this year, so the organizers of the exhibition contacted the Tourism Ministry to get support,” said Mohammed Hamida, head of the forum’s organizing committee.

The ministry offered its backing after recognizing the event’s potential to attract tourism and promote Egypt’s artistic heritage.

Artist Ahmed Abdel-Naim said that such forums are needed because “they attract tourism and introduce Egyptians to the world’s creations in plastic art, and this is important because plastic art, in particular, spreads through exhibitions, most of which are limited to the people of the country.”

He added: “Holding the exhibition at the Temple of Hatshepsut has important tourist and historical connotations. On one hand, it introduces guests to the history of Egypt, and on the other, it promotes tourism at a time when we desperately need it.”

The forum allowed female artists to exchange ideas and collaborate, and also promoted Egypt’s artistic heritage and cultural significance to a global audience.