Farouk Hosni Foundation .. Mubarak's favorite minister returns a private museum and cultural competition

Alaa Abdel Razek-Cairo

Former Egyptian Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni has re-emerged with the opening of a cultural institution bearing his name and the launch of an art prize after appearing as guest in successive cultural events that paved the way for media celebration after years of absence.

Hosni was the Minister of Culture in the regime of deposed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for many years more than 23 years, and was known at the time as the artist's minister.

Finally, the minister, who is more than 80 years old, returned to the spotlight, where he participated in the Cairo and Alexandria book fairs and participated in meetings with the public at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

Farouk Hosny Foundation
On September 29, Hosni opened an institution bearing his name for culture and arts in an elegant house in Zamalek district in Cairo in the presence of a large number of artists and intellectuals. The Foundation includes a museum that includes his paintings, artifacts and statues from countries of the world, is scheduled to organize a range of artistic and cultural activities and sponsors competitions In different art branches.

Hosni announced the launch of an annual art competition that starts its first session next year, and is awarded a prize of 50,000 Egyptian pounds, provided that the work belongs to plastic art only.The forthcoming courses will be awarded in other technical fields such as photography, architecture and short story, according to the foundation.

Among those attending the opening ceremony were Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Osama Naqli, National Security Advisor Dr. Fayza Abul-Naga, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Dr. Mostafa El-Feki, media artist Lamees El Hadidy, artists Yousra, Lebla, Samiha Ayoub, businessmen Naguib Sawiris and Salah Diab.

According to the former Minister of Culture, the Foundation is not just a museum to showcase his work or review his autobiography, but is "an institution to serve the community, especially young people, and promote art and culture." He added, "I hope to contribute to the development of artistic and cultural awareness, and support young creative people in various fields."

Hosni thanked the Ministry of Social Solidarity for supporting the Foundation, which falls under it as one of the institutions of civil society, and thanked the Ministry of Culture, which will cooperate with the Foundation in the implementation of its activities.

Mohamed Salmawy, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, said it would be a cultural center that would include many cultural activities and would offer prizes of great value because it bears the name of one of the largest intellectuals in Egypt, and that it would be a great cultural center befitting the culture and civilization of Egypt.

The journalist Ahmed Moussa also presented a television report on his program on Sada Al-Balad channel about the opening of the institution, describing him as an artist who remained loyal to his art after leaving the post of Minister of Culture.

Press celebration
Egyptian writers who write for Egyptian newspapers celebrated the cultural institution, where writer Suleiman Jouda likened her to Princess Fatima, daughter of Khedive Ismail, who sold her jewelry and land to establish Cairo University in 1908. Joudeh pointed out that the crowd who attended the launch of the institution was an unmistakable signal that the Egyptian would feel seriousness In any public work I accept him and stood next to him and gave him confidence and bet on him.

The Egyptian writer Amina Al-Naqash described the foundation as an overflow of Farouk Hosni's sincere efforts to serve his country and its citizens.He wrote that he is one of the makers of the rise of modern Egypt whether he has executive power or does not own it even if he spends on the implementation of his own money.

The Battle of UNESCO
Farouk Hosni is one of the most prominent symbols of deposed President Hosni Mubarak, supported by the Mubarak regime in his candidacy for the presidency of the United Nations Organization for Culture, Arts and Science (UNESCO) in 2009, in which Hosni received the highest votes in the first round, but lost the race in the final round by four votes to Bulgarian candidate Irina Bokova after a heated competition.

Hosni was controversial in his comments during his tenure as Culture Minister, where he was accused of insulting the hijab.

There was also a fire incident in September 2005 at the Beni Suef Cultural Palace Theater, in which he resigned and was rejected by Mubarak.

Despite many criticisms received by Hosni on various occasions during his tenure, Mubarak has always adhered to him, raising the question of many whether this is an expression of the President's stubbornness or confidence in his minister or other unknown reasons.

Its relationship to the current system
Hosni is a supporter of the regime of the current Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, where he saw in press statements that Sisi is very interested in the Egyptian culture and its status.

Hosni also said that Sisi "put his hand on the glory of the Egyptian state," and considered that the files of education, health and culture in Egypt as a top priority after winning a new presidential term last year.

In a previous television interview, Hosni said the intellectual who would not benefit from Sisi would be against him, and described Mubarak as a first-class nationalist.