THE CARAVAN FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS www.oncaravan.org
New Dates: THE CARAVAN FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS (Cairo, Egypt) is re-scheduled for May 12-18, 2011 (An interfaith art gathering of premier Middle Eastern and Western Artists using the Arts as a bridge for intercultural and inter-religious dialogue…hosted at the historic St. John’s Church in Maadi/Cairo)
Due to the recent Egyptian uprising, the 2011 Caravan Festival of the Arts, scheduled for the first week of February (the UN’s World Interfaith Harmony Week), had to be postponed. However, the unfortunate postponement of the CARAVAN arts initiative was replaced with the same intended outcome but on a far larger scale. As a result of what is now termed the “January 25 Revolution”, a parallel revolution has taken place in the minds of Egyptians about their value to each other...regardless of creed.
During the weeks of and following the demonstrations, an unprecedented coming together of Egyptian Muslims and Christians has been witnessed at the grassroots level as an inter-religious movement of the two faiths worked together side by side to re-shape their amazing country. This new spirit is symbolized by the widespread portrayals of the cross and crescent shown next to each other (often embracing each other in design) on signs, walls, bumper stickers and T-shirts.
In celebration of the Egyptian Muslims and Christians who are peacefully together walking the road toward a new Egypt, the CARAVAN Festival of the Arts has been re-scheduled for May 12¬
18. Hosted at the historic St. John’s Church in Maadi/Cairo, with the desire to honor the building of bridges between Muslims and Christians that has taken place, the CARAVAN arts initiative comes out of a vision that the Arts can be one of the most effective mediums to enhance understanding and encourage friendship between Christians and Muslims. In the words of Kahlil Gibran, the early 20th century Arab writer and artist, the CARAVAN exhibition seeks to highlight what Egyptians experienced in and through their revolution; “Your neighbor is your other self dwelling behind a wall. In understanding, all walls shall fall down.”
To be officially opened on May 12 at 7 PM by the United Nations Resident Coordinator to Egypt, James Rawley, and other Muslim and Christian dignitaries, all 45 premier Middle Eastern and Western visual artists will come together for the exhibition held inside St. John’s Church, each submitting work reflecting the theme, “My Neighbor”. A diverse range of artists will participate, from one of Egypt’s leading contemporary artists, Mohammed Abla, to rising star Reda Abdel Rahman, to expatriate artists Britt Boutros Ghali and Roland Prime.
Special guest artists to the CARAVAN Festival include Mohammed Antar, world renowned Ney (Middle Eastern Flute) player for a closing concert (May 18th at 7:00 PM). Other special guests include Khaled El Khamissi, best-selling Egyptian author of the internationally acclaimed novel
Taxi.
In addition to the “My Neighbor” theme exhibition, in response to the enormous outpouring of expression from the Egyptian people, a parallel exhibition will be held at the church entitled: “The Peoples’ Egypt since January 25th . A number of the CARAVAN participating artists courageously joined the protests in Tahrir Square, some for all 18 days. For this parallel exhibition, the participating artists have been invited to contribute artworks that have been created in response to the events of the Egyptian revolution.
The initiative has generated attention from the global media and art world. Attendance is free and 20% of all art sales of the “My Neighbor” exhibition go to Middle Eastern charities.
CARAVAN Festival of the Arts—May 12-18, 2011
(held at St. John’s Church/Maadi, Cairo…corner of Port Said Rd & Rd 17)
PROGRAM for CARAVAN Festival of the Arts
*Opening Night of the Art Exhibition—12 May 7 PM (19h00)--Opening presentation by United Nations Resident Coordinator to Egypt, James Rawley, together with Muslim and Christian religious dignitaries, with all 45 Arab and Western artists present (the exhibition will then be open through 18 May).
*Literature Night---14 May at 7 PM (19h00)---talk and book-signing by Khaled El Khamissi, best-selling Egyptian author of the internationally acclaimed novel Taxi.
*Closing Musical Concert---18 May at 7:00 PM (19h00) —a performance by Mohammed Antar, world renowned Ney (Middle Eastern Flute) player.
Middle Eastern Artists Country
Mohamed Abla Egypt
Mansour Ahmed Egypt
Maher Ali Egypt
Bishop Mouneer H Anis Egypt
Farid Fadel Egypt
Farres Ahmed Farres Egypt
Mariam Forham Egypt
Omar El Fayoumi Egypt
Rania El Hakim Egypt
Carelle Homsy Egypt
Hakim Jamain Jordan
Isolde Kadry Egypt
Nabil Lahoud Egypt
Girgis Lotfi Egypt
Naguib Mahmoud Egypt
Dia Makeen Egypt
Mohamed Mandour Egypt
Abdel Waheb Abdel Mohsen Egypt
Galila Nawar Egypt
Wilson Abrama Adluru Ntana Sudan
Ahmed Osama Egypt
Reda Abdel Rahman Egypt
Ahmed Selim Egypt
Asmaa Takieddine Syria
Mohamed Youssef Egypt
Hisham El Zeiny Egypt
Western Artists
anne de boistesselin France
Neil Crouch Canada
Silvia Davies Germany
Renee van Lille-Demetroudes South Africa
Britt Boutros Ghali Norway
Dorian Haqmoun Switzerland
Julie Klimentos UK
Cosima Lukashevich USA
Jerome Meadows USA
Julia Morgan-Leamon USA
Kimberly Odekirk USA
Julie Oxenforth UK
Roland Prime UK
Carolyn Seaton USA
Cecilia Smith USA
Lucy Westwood UK
Katrina Vrebalovich Norway
Marielle van der Woude Netherlands
CARAVAN Festival of the Arts: My Neighbor www.oncaravan.org
For more information or to request an interview, please contact Paul-Gordon Chandler at email: info@oncaravan.org or Roland Prime at email: primewestwood@yahoo.co.uk / Tel. 010-588-1793. Photographs available upon request.