Why did not Hosni go to Toulouse?
كتبهاعلاء الأسوانى ، في 24 أغسطس 2009 الساعة: 19:15 م
16 jun 2009
Why did not Hosni go to Toulouse?
Alaa Al-Aswany
The story started when Olivier Darfour, a French novelist and intellectual thought of organising a literary festival in Toulouse. Indeed, it is neither the largest nor the most famous city in France. Moreover, it is known for its aircraft industry – it hosts Airbus Plant. But Toulouse has plentiful libraries and literary-oriented inhabitants, however. Hence Darfour thought of organising a literary festival there wherein professional actors recite literary works in the presence of authors who would certainly be pleased with encountering the audience.
Toulouse municipality welcomed the idea and offered to finance half the aggregate cost of the festival named "Marathon des Mots" (Festival of words) while therest would be covered by private enterprises. The festival achieved such remarkable success that in five years it became the most prestigious literary festival in France. Dalia Hassan, an Egyptian young woman who had her education in Paris, offered to work voluntarily with Darfour. Then her talents and skills qualified her to be the festival’s managing director.
"Marathon des Mots" decided to be held this year under the title "Egyptian Literature in Cairo and Alexandria" and chose Egypt as this year’s guest of honour. The festival management invited a group of Egyptian men of letters and artists including Sonallah Ibrahim, Gamal al-Ghitany (who apologised due to personal considerations) Ibrahim Abdel-maguid, Khaled al-Khameesy, Nabil Naoum, Asmaa al-Bakry and myself. As it was thought of hosting an internationally acclaimed Egyptian figure, the festival invited the renowned Egyptian actor Omar Sharif. Indeed, he displayed enthusiasm and cancelled all his obligations to celebrate the literature of Egypt. He firmly dismissed the offer to receive money from the festival. He proposed to recite in French Naguib Mahfouz’s "Children of Gebelawi" and mine "Friendly Fire" – which was a great honour for me—.
The audience’s fascination with Egyptian literature was beyond all limits. Having a chance to know him closely, I realised how great Omar Sherif was. I wished Egyptian young actors were there to learn from his dedication, punctuality, modesty, and loyalty to the homeland. When someone asked him why he did not write his autobiography, he said ‘because simply there was nothing extraordinary in my life to write about…I was lucky for my parents spared no effort to take care of me…I am indebted to God for all the successes I made".
Sharif was accorded a legendary reception by the French audience. Toulouse’s largest theatre was specified for Sharif to recite "Children of Gebelawi". Over 180 minutes he managed to keep the attention of 1200 people who strove to attend the performance. The following night was no difference. The great actor recited my "Friendly Fire’ and the hall rocked with applause. In both occasions he had to get up on stage more than once in response to the audience’s applause.
A magnificent documentary – written by Patrick Darfour and directed by Karim Jouri— on Egyptian men of letters was displayed. I was really proud as Toulouse spent four days reading Egyptian literature. People were reading and discussing Egyptian literary works everywhere, in libraries, theatres and halls. I said to myself that Egypt is really a great nation. Despite all the hardships, the county never ceases to provide the humanity with creative and talented writers and artists.
In his speech at the inaugural ceremony, the festival’s director said that Egyptian literature is one of the greatest on earth. The French Minister of Culture, for her part, expressed her profound respect for Egyptian literature. One might wonder, however, why such great event was not transmitted to audiences in Egypt, and why the Egyptian Cultural Minister Farouk Hosni missed the occasion. Here is the answer: when the festival’s managing director called informed Nile TV about the event, they conditioned their approval to cover the occasion on receiving invitations for five of the staff in addition to the channel’s general-manager. Hassan told them that the festival’s budget is not that big and it can only invite two people. Yet these words fell into deaf ears and the channel’s officials insisted to stick to their position. The implicit message was then either to cover the costs needed for the five people at the expense of French tax payer, or to hell with Egyptian literature.
The story of Farouk Hosni is no less amazing. He received a formal invitation to attend the inaugural ceremony and I think the French party was certain without a shadow of a doubt that he would be there – particularly when taking into account that the French Minister of Culture was going to be present. Yet a few days latter, Hassan received a phone call from an official in the Egyptian Embassy stipulating that the invitation sent to Sonallah Ibrahim be withdrawn or otherwise Hosni would not attend. In fact, such move had to do with Ibrahim’s courageous stance refusing to accept a Ministry of Culture’s award a few years ago.
The French party exploded in anger and said that France, the Land of Liberty, would never give in to Honsi’s or anybody’s dictates. Hosni’s absence triggered the fury of all the French whom I encountered. More importantly, the festival could have been used by the minister to enhance his chances in his desperate fight to become UNESCO’s director-general.
Honsi cannot deny this story, particularly as he was a guest in Paris Marriott Hotel Champs-Elysees at the time the festival was being held. Anyhow, the Toulouse story provides new proof that Egypt has fallen prey to a corrupt regime whose officials’ prime concern is to fulfil their own interests. The officials in the Nile TV were interested in nothing but going to Paris at the expense of French tax payers. And the Egyptian Minister of Culture stays in luxurious hotel at the expense of Egyptian tax payers for the sake of getting the Israelis’ approval to his candidacy. Although the Egyptian people prove their talents and creative capabilities once they get the opportunity, the regime runs the country as a private property.
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التصنيفات : translated articles | أرسل الإدراج | دوّن الإدراج
