Dr. Hossam Badrawi Official Website
Our vision for education emphasizes the importance of developing young people’s personalities, which can only happen through engagement, cultural exchange, art, and hobbies, coupled with the joy of learning and the guidance of mentors who understand their roles.
University theatre is a meeting point for the arts where young people learn to adhere to strict rules while expressing creativity and interacting with audiences.
With graceful movements, finesse, and smiles, one can see how youth realize through the University Theatre Forum the true vision of education without burdening the state. All we have to do is provide a supportive environment without interference, offering only flexible expert mentorship.
The University Theater Forum for young university students is an initiative launched and even funded to a considerable extent by youths, who embark on a week of work, enjoyment, innovation, and creativity.
The slogan for this year’s forum, held from 19 to 25 October, is “Create…Unleash.” The organizers have chosen esteemed actor Fouad El-Mohandes as the symbol and icon of the sixth edition.
The forum has attracted many students from Egyptian, Arab, and international universities. This year, 765 young students from 26 countries, representing Europe, Latin America, Africa, and most Arab countries, are participating.
The forum includes many events and competitions, including a theatrical competition involving 11 plays from universities in Romania, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, France, Oman, Iraq, and Syria. From Egypt, troupes representing the universities of Cairo, Helwan, Ain Shams, Galala University, and the Academy of Arts are staging plays.
The judging panel includes Dr. Rania Fathallah (Egypt), Professor Philippe Giget (France), director Nejar Hasib, artist Shamal Amin (Austria), and critic Asmaa Hegazy (Egypt).
Furthermore, the forum hosts six specialized international workshops on theatre arts in acting, body expression, African dance, theatre directing, improvisation, puppet making and movement, and a workshop for people with special needs. Almost 130 students from Egyptian and Arab universities will participate in these workshops.
The forum’s agenda also includes a roundtable discussion where a group of specialists and artists discuss with students advancing theatre arts at universities. Approximately 157 students from Egyptian, Arab, and international universities are expected to participate.
We hope the Cairo International University Theater Forum achieves all its objectives as it has since the first edition in October 2018. University theatre is the theatre of beginnings and one of the most important sources of art and culture.
The forum’s most beautiful aspect is the cultural, artistic, and intellectual exchange between people, blending the young’s joy and positive energy with the beauty and expertise of theatre arts. The friendships formed and the love nurtured throughout this week in the heart of Egypt, the mother of the world, are priceless.
The forum also underscores Egypt’s stability, attracting publicity and media coverage to its touristic attractions, culture, arts, and unique sites.
The sixth edition is held under the auspices of the Prime Minister, with partial support from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Tourism Promotion Authority. The General Authority for Cultural Palaces will host opening and closing ceremonies, and many events and competitions.
The youth will organize a tour for all participating delegations to visit the Museum of Folk Arts and the Great Egyptian Museum.
I still await greater attention from the state for this respectable youth effort, which surpasses what many governments do for their countries. In truth, Minister of Culture Ahmed Hano has lived up to my expectations in his support, as has Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Ashraf Sobhy.
However, the most recent tragic bus accident that caused the death of several students at Galala University has caused the university to withdraw its support for the forum just one day before the delegations arrive, which complicated matters for the young organizers who now need the state’s support.
Besides focusing on government conferences, Egyptian TV channels should cover the forum, which hosts over 700 young men and women representing their countries through theatrical performances and art.
We need more support and attention to ensure the forum and its mission of enlightenment continues. The forum places no burden on the state but rather uplifts it. I salute and raise my hat to the Egyptian Artists Foundation for Culture and Arts, a non-profit, civil society organization for culture and the arts led by the wonderful young director Amr Qabeel and his determined, ever-smiling, and efficient colleague Samar Saeed.
I am honoured to have served as a patron and spiritual father to these young people. They have always been and continue to be a source of inspiration, pride, and sacrifice as they ensure the forum’s success and cover much of the delegations’ costs.
I am also honoured to lead the forum’s supreme committee, which includes director Amr Qabeel, the forum’s founder and president, Dr Samar Saeed, the forum’s secretary-general, the esteemed artist Tarek El-Dessouki, the creative writer Fatima Naoot, and Dr Amal Sadiq Afifi. We regularly meet as part of the “Spreading Culture and Knowledge Association” which I am honoured to lead. Twenty-seven passionate young men and women make up the association’s organizing committee. They have done excellent voluntary work out of their love of the theatre and the arts and dream of doing more. Do they not deserve our applause and respect for their efforts to restore Cairo to its historical status as the capital of the arts?
I reiterate my pride in Amr, Samar, and everyone who has volunteered and contributed to this success and joy.
Egypt is in good hands with its youth…
And I still have hope.
