Dr. Salim AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Ines Abdel-Dayem, Minister of Culture of the Arab Republic of Egypt, proclaimed Cairo as Capital of Culture in the Islamic World for 2022 during a press conference held at the Cairo Opera House on Tuesday, December 7, 2021.

In her address, Dr. Ines Abdel-Dayem expressed her delight at the choice of Cairo as Capital of Culture in the Islamic World for 2022, emphasizing that this proclamation affirms the symbolic value held by the city. “Cairo is a long-standing crossroads of cultures and a hub for creativity, thought and arts. The city’s landmarks and monuments reflect different aspects of the human civilization in general and the Islamic heritage in particular,” noted the Egyptian minister.

Dr. Ines Abdel-Dayem commended ICESCO’s implementation of its distinguished Celebration of Islamic World Culture Capitals Program (CIWCC) and its efforts to harness all effective mechanisms for the promotion of relationships among these capitals.

The Egyptian minister noted that communication will be established, through ICESCO, with those in charge of the celebration program of Rabat as Capital of Culture in the Islamic World for 2022 to ensure synergy and coordination among the programmes held in Egypt and Morocco as part of the celebrations and share the activities between the two countries.

She also underlined the importance of these celebrations in providing a true portrayal of the Islamic civilization and promoting coexistence, tolerance, and communication between populations.

She pointed out that the celebration program of Cairo as Capital of Culture in the Islamic World, to be launched in mid-February 2022, will last throughout the year and will include a rich programme prepared by the various sectors of the Ministry of Culture in coordination with ICESCO.

In his address, Dr. Salim AlMalik, Director-General (DG) of ICESCO, emphasized the importance of intensifying coordinated efforts and harnessing all capacities for according due consideration to the celebration of Cairo as Capital of Culture in the Islamic World for 2020 and raising it to the level befitting the status of this ancient historical and cultural capital.

He noted that the celebration of Cairo as the Capital of Culture in the Islamic world was scheduled for 2020, but was postponed due to the exceptional circumstances imposed by the COVID- 19 pandemic. “This forced postponement gave us additional time to review, develop and enrich the initial celebration program with more cultural and artistic activities and programmes. We were able to widen our circle of local and regional partners and benefit from the new developmental amendments introduced to the Celebration of Islamic World Culture Capitals Program (CIWCC) by the Organization’s General Directorate,” explained ICESCO DG.

Dr. AlMalik praised the cultural and civilizational assets that make Cairo a capital of culture in the Islamic world, notably its abundant tangible, intangible and natural heritage, noting that the city represents a major meeting point of various civilizations and an open world heritage museum displaying several ancient and modern monuments from different eras.“ In addition to being home to numerous cultural institutions and hosting some of the most important cultural festivals and events, book fairs, and theatrical performances, Cairo also has several cultural facilities where intellectuals, artists, and creators meet,” he added. 

Celebrations of Cairo and Rabat as Capitals of Culture in the Islamic World are part of ICESCO’s Celebration of Islamic World Culture Capitals Program (CIWCC) which seeks the promotion of the cultural heritage of several Member States’ capitals, and the regeneration of cultural activity in the celebrated capitals by highlighting the role of their new cultural facilities and monuments as spaces for cultural and creative gatherings and promoting cooperation among the celebrated capitals in other regions of the Islamic world.