Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni of Egypt
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Hosni was born and grew up in Alexandria, Egypt.
Hosni remains in his job and said that he didn't call for stripping women of their veil, but that the veil style coming from the Arabian Peninsula (the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf) is not appropriate for Egyptian women.
In what was perhaps the fiercest campaign against him to date, last week Hosni was blamed for the disastrous fire that broke out at the Beni Sweif Cultural Palace during a theatrical performance on 5 September -- a tragedy that killed some 48 spectators and injured more.
When Hosni came to the ministry in 1987, it was straight from Rome, where he was director of the Egyptian Academy of Arts.
Hosni was born and grew up in Alexandria, where the relatively cosmopolitan Mediterranean atmosphere and a local tradition of painting sustained his creative bent; on graduating from Alexandria University's School of Fine Arts, he directed Al-Anfoushi Cultural Palace for six years.
Other than the charade scenario, the move was described as an attempt to capitalise on a fait accompli -- Hosni was close enough to the powers that be to know he would be excluded in the upcoming cabinet reshuffle, and thought he might as well resign to garner sympathy.
On the other hand reports of a conflict with Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif -- in submitting his resignation to the president, it was said, Hosni had overstepped the latter -- are in fact constitutional nonsense.
He spoke up and saved the Pyramids, and that is why Hosni is the perfect person to receive the gold medal.
People ask: how can we give the head of antiquities a prize? Many heads of antiquities have destroyed sites in order to keep their jobs, but Hosni had honour and spoke up for our heritage.
Farouk Hosni has always proved that he is a staunch follower of modern art, rebelling early in his apprenticeship against the traditions and norms of academic painting, which he learnt at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Alexandria.
After graduating, Hosni was still searching for a starting point, but was attracted to simple idealism and the delicate lines of Paul Klee (l879-l940), then he tended towards cubism of Paul Cezanne (l839-l906), Pablo Picasso (l881-l973) and George Braque (l882-l963.
Like other abstract artists, Hosni has evolved his own mythology that is in no way related to the myths of ancient Egypt, although occasionally the onlooker senses certain symbols of a remote relation with traditional myths.
First Published: July 31, 2007Farouk Hosni is "very happy that the president has endorsed him.
Farouk Hosni has been the Minister of Culture since 1987, and is the longest serving member of President Hosni Mubarak’s cabinet.
According to a spokesperson at the Ministry of Culture, Hosni is “very happy that the President has endorsed him as he seeks the position.
Mr Hosni is very well suited to the position,” said Sahar Gaara, a writer and columnist.
Hosni is not a wholly uncontroversial figure in Egypt.
CAIRO -- Egyptians may be watching more of their countrymen and women on the big screen if the chairman of Egypt's Actors' Union has his way.
Hosni is the perfect heir to this long history.
From his tenure as director of the Egyptian Cultural Center in Paris to his current position as Egypt's Minister of Culture, Farouk Hosni has worn many hats in the art world.
First appointed to Cabinet in 1986, Hosni is the longest-serving Cabinet member of the Mubarak era.
So why this regression?” Hosni said in a November 16 interview with the independent daily Al-Masry Al-Youm.
Prominent members of the Muslim Brotherhood claimed Hosni had attacked Islam, raising their voices even louder after the minister refused to retract his words or recant his position.
Hosni said the hijab implied “we men are animals and cannot control our sexual desires.
Shehab met with Hosni privately to negotiate a solution to the affair under which Hosni has agreed to return to work and to meet with NDP MPs to clear the air.
At press time, Hosni had not rescinded his comments.
Even though Hosni had issued an apology (albeit a pretty mild one), the government promised to bring him to parliament to answer MPs questions.
Farouk Hosni has been culture minister since 1986.
Hosni knew he was getting into tricky territory, especially with the veiling controversies in Europe that have received much international media attention, and the Brothers would have to be fools not to use the god-given opportunity to accuse the regime of being alienated and immoral in addition to repressive, and out of touch with the national sentiment, etc.
Farouk Hosni is a buffoon and always has been.
i dont think what Farouk Hosni said was a mistake or that he didnt really mean what he said but in the contrary i guess that he was told to say so.
Dahlia, I do not understand the meaning of your words, are you really saying that Farouk Hosni does not have the freedom of freedom of speech? And yet your next comment that it would be tragic if people did not have the freedom to speak up? Farouk Hosni was voicing the opinon of many people and they deserve a voice too.
Eschewing a direct apology, Hosni was driven to stress that his words reflected his personal opinion while affirming his respect for women of cover.
On the other hand, Farouk Hosni is a Muslim in a predominantly Muslim country and as such his opinion presumably comes uncluttered by ulterior motives.
When people have right on their side and the courage of their convictions why make the issue of the veil a taboo subject? Farouk Hosni has courageously opened the debate risking his own safety in the process.
I'd burn Israeli books myself if I found any in libraries in Egypt," Hosni said in parliament on May 10 in reply to questioning from an opposition MP.
And this week the international Simon Wiesenthal Centre wrote to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Director General Koichiro Matsuura, saying that Hosni had now ruled himself out as a possible successor to head the Paris-based body.
The letter said that "the sting in this tail is that literary pyromaniac Farouk Hosni is considered a serious candidate to replace as Director-General of UNESCO.
Embracing the position of Egyptian intellectuals, who oppose any "cultural normalization" with Israel, Hosni said such links could only take place after a "just and global peace" in the Middle East.
Hosni has responded by saying that "I have nothing against the Jews," and by saying that he has worked to preserve the cultural heritage of Jews in Egypt by restoring synagogues "which were in a deplorable state.
Hosni came under fire last month from Israel for saying that he would burn Israeli books.
a talented artist within the cultural community.
secretary-general, and he has good chances of being chosen.
government to stand against normalization with Israel.
One suggestion was to circulate a petition along the lines of Farouk Hosni is a scumbag, but Among this extremely liberal crowd, the attack on Hosni is seen as an attack on secular values and the ability to speak your mind out.
Among a certain segment of Egyptian society (in this case it was more artists and writers rather than wealthy people) the thoughts that Farouk Hosni expressed in his honey-drizzled comments to al-Masri al-Youm (women are like delicate flowers that must be admired, etc) are self-evident.
What Hosni said out loud is routinely uttered sotto voce.
I agree with what Hosni said regarding the veil, they do not shock me and I like to believe that a lot of peple share his opinion, although theyre becoming a minority.
If Hosni remains as minister the latter interpretation will prove valid.
Hosni took to boasting that Egypt’s intellectuals were all to be found within the ministry’s pen.
According to local press reports, Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni had sent Nazif an official letter three months ago nominating Goweida for membership of the council to replace writer Fatma Moussa, who passed away.
Hosni is also a frontrunner for the position of secretary general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (unesco.
The other disturbing part of this is that Hosni is not an extreme Muslim.
In an interview on the Egyptian television programme 90 Minutes on Saturday night, Hosni said Al Masry Al Yom had quoted him correctly but his remarks were not meant for publication.
Analysts say Hosni has traditionally had an ally in First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, with whom he attends many cultural events.
The anger in Israel over Hosni’s statement is especially emphasized due to the fact that the Hosni is Egypt’s candidate for the UNESCO position, as the United Nations’ education, science and cultural organization secretary-general, and he has good chances of being chosen.
Hosni is considered one of the strongest opposition leaders in the Egyptian government to stand against normalization with Israel.