Carrying the theme of 'Traditional Crafts and the Development of Africa', the 12th edition of the Festival for Traditional Crafts will begin on Thursday, 24 October, at Cairo's Mahmoud Mokhtar Museum grounds, starting 5pm.

According to a press release issued by the Fine Arts Sector of the Ministry of Culture, the festival theme aims to shed light on and help preserve Egyptian heritage and folkloric arts, reconfirming roots that touch the African continent at large.

Khaled Sorour, head of the Fine Arts Sector, said that this year's festival will hold numerous stands showcasing creative products of numerous artists and craftsmen working in various fields of heritage art, traditional fashion, hand-made crafts, wood, copper, glass, and textiles, etc.

In an article about the festival's 11th edition published in Ahram Online last year, Salwa Al-Sherbini, head of the Central Agency for Crafts Production, said that, “The festival is a great opportunity for craftsmen to display their work as well as for customers to buy traditional crafts at reasonable prices. The latter are regulated by a committee set up before the festival, while prices outside the festival can be almost double.”

The festival's 11th edition carried the theme of “Traditional Crafts — the Heritage of Humanity and Egyptian Identity”.

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