THE ARTS

With its ancient history, cosmopolitanism, strong Islamic traditions, modern pan-Arab political and intellectual history and relative freedom, Egypt is the cultural capital of Arab world. The Arab television and cinema is dominated by the Egyptian television and film industry as is popular Arabic music. The Egyptian Ministry of Culture presides over a variety of western-style cultural institutions such as the Cairo Opera House, the National Puppet Theater, the Pocket Theater and the National Symphony, as well as the country's many museums (see Museums section under Tour guide). Egypt has also been a fount of Arabic literature having produced some of the greatest 20th century Arab writers from Taha Hussein and Tawfiq Al Hakim to Nobel prize-winning novelist Naguib Mahfouz. Egypt has also produced some of the greatest modern artisans, including the brilliant jewellry designer and her equally gifted sister who single-handedly revived the art of Mamluki metalwork.

Naguib Mahfouz

With his 90th birthday this week, Naguib Mahfouz can look back at a career of major achievements, but perhaps not the readership he deserves The tent is going up and the guests from the worlds of literature and film are all set to turn out on 11 December at the American University in Cairo to celebrate the only Nobel laureate for literature in the Arab world. But big party or not, Mahfouz is not likely to turn up. He hasn't been attending big events for a long time. Though his mind and memory are still sharp, Mahfouz is in poor health--although it is his shunning the limelight rather than his state of health that keeps him away

Osama Anwar Okasha

From his idyllic study overlooking the Pyramids, Osama Anwar Okasha reflects on Egyptian identity. It's a brisk December afternoon, and Okasha sits behind his desk in a blue jogging suit, working on part II of Zizinya, his popular Ramadan serial about Egyptians and foreigners in late monarchy/early Nasser Alexandria. Considering that he still writes everything in longhand, his desk is unnaturally tidy. He falls easily into conversation; his laid-back, down-to-earth style belies his not inconsiderable power in the television world.

Ahmed Fouad Nigm

"The great Maxim Gorky once said something I really like: 'I've come to this world in order to differ with it.' This is the sort of person I respect." Looking for Ahmed Fouad Nigm's flat in a sprawling popular district in the desert of Moqattam, we discover that there are 21 separate blocks of flats in his neighborhood. He didn't tell us which block was his. Could it be another impish ruse by the wiliest of wordsmiths in the whole Arab world, we wonder. No matter, we arrive all the same. Everyone knows Ahmed Fouad Nigm's place.

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