07 March 2015
H.E Shaikha Mai Participates in the Opening Ceremony of World’ Open Air Museum in Aswan
H.E: the museum will anchor world cultural tourism
Seeking to share universal human heritage and civilization, Bahrain Culture & Antiquities Authority (BCAA) president, H.E Shaikha Mai bint Mohammad Al-Khalifa, as part of Authority’s activities and events with regard to 2015 heritage year “Turathna Thara’ana” (Our Heritage is Our Wealth), participated in the opening ceremony of World’s Open-Air Museum in Aswan, Egypt on 6 March 2015. The invitation was bestowed upon her by the Egyptian Culture Ministry celebrating the 20th edition of Aswan International Sculpture Symposium, which is one of the oldest artistic events and a rare gem on the cultural map that has been ongoing without interruptions since its inception.
Speaking on the occasion, H.E stressed the importance of Ancient Egypt as one of the earliest, longest-lasting, and most influential civilizations in world history. H.E added that the civilization of Ancient Egypt is known for its stupendous achievements in a whole range of fields, including art and architecture, engineering, medicine and statecraft. Bahrain Culture & Antiquities Authority (BCAA) president expressed her happiness and gratitude for this invitation lauding the inauguration of this world’s biggest open-air museum, which would add to the “many strenuous efforts deployed by the Egyptians to document their historical heritage for humanity”. H.E added that this new museum will anchor the creative trend towards global cultural tourism traditions.
Egypt's culture minister, Dr. Abdul Wahid Al Nabawi inaugurated the 20th edition of Aswan International Sculpture Symposium. The minister was accompanied by president of the Bahraini Authority of Culture and Antiquities Shaikha Mai. It is Egypt’s largest open-air museum held on a 33 acres plateau overlooking the Nile nearby Aswan Dam and High Dam reservoir (or Lake Nasser reservoir). This year’s session will witness the participation of scores of artists and sculptors from all over the world to express different schools and styles in taming granite and to revive the ancient Egyptian art of molding granite. The year’s session honored its founder and curator, sculptor Adam Henein in recognition of his outstanding efforts during the past 19 sessions.
Indeed, several artworks and statutes that were accomplished during the symposium’s previous 19 sessions are currently on display at some squares, public parks and museums across Egypt. During the past 19 years, the symposium has hosted more than 138 sculptors from 44 countries. They have accomplished hundreds of pieces, 200 of which are currently on display at Aswan open -air Museum.
Aswan International Sculpture Symposium (AISS) is an annual gathering of sculptors illustrating their ancient Egyptians sculpture art on granite. The sculptures stand amid natural rocks that have existed for ages in an open-air museum with extended horizons from all sides, overlooking an old lake that lies between Aswan Dam and the High Dam, and are made by artists from all over the world with their creative works, motivated by desire and love to place their creations in the magical land of Aswan.
