Culture council general secretary boycotts national dialogue ‎

Ahram Online, Sunday 12 Jun 2011

Ezzedine Choukri Fishere, the Supreme Council of Culture's general secretary, announced ‎that he will not take part in the National Dialogue’s seminar about the future of culture ‎in Egypt

Ezzedine Choukri Fishere
Ezzedine Choukri Fishere

Ezzedine Choukri Fishere, the Supreme Council of Culture general secretary, announced ‎that he would take no part in the National Dialogue’s seminar about the future of culture ‎in Egypt. ‎
    
Tuesday's seminar is to be chaired by Ismail Serag El-Din, the director of the ‎Library of Alexandria and vice-president of the World Bank.‎

Choukri commented on his decision to boycott the National Dialogue by saying: “The ‎future of culture in Egypt will be determined by those who produce this culture in a ‎quiet manner, with their writings and innovation.

“Those who sought to keep the identity ‎of the Egyptian culture intact and fought against the fist of tyranny and the domination ‎of the nation [before the revolution]. Not those who contributed to this tyranny and now are trying to sneak ‎back in from the National Dialogue door.”‎

A number of political forces and movements decided not to participate in the National ‎Dialogue after several disciples of toppled president Hosni Mubarak and former NDP ‎members showed up in its sessions.‎

Fishere, a renowned writer and diplomat, called on those who worked with Mubarak’s ‎younger son, Gamal, and the now-dismantled NDP not to be involved in politics, nor hold key posts. He said: “Several leaders of the heritage [of power] scenario haven’t gotten ‎the message yet.”‎

Gamal was Mubarak’s erstwhile heir apparent  until his father was brought down ‎following the 18-day revolt. Both men, along with many former regime cronies, have been held in ‎police custody for weeks pending investigation into multiple charges of corruption.‎

The National Dialogue is designed to be a dialogue between a loose coalition of political ‎‎‎‎‎groups ‎and the interim government. It is conducted by former Prime Minister, Abdel ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎Aziz Hegazi.‎

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