Welcome to the Characters of Egypt website.

The Characters of Egypt Festival is a 3-day encounter of diverse cultures organized by Wafaa el Nil NGO and Geo Productions in collaboration with the Egyptian Tourism Authority. It is an annual event that brings together representatives from 33 different ethnic groups residing in Egypt.

From 2008 to 2010, Characters of Egypt was hosted by Fustat Wadi el Gemal, 50 kms south of the Red Sea resort of Marsa Alam. This year, in 2011, the festival will be relocated from the desert environment of Wadi el Gemal to the Island of Heisa in Aswan on the River Nile. This new location offers an opportunity for the participants to experience different landscapes and cultures in their places of origin.

In 2011, the Characters of Egypt festival was chosen by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Egyptian Tourism Authority (ETA) as a case study for “Tourism – Linking Cultures” at the World Tourism Day held in Aswan on September 27. Acknowledging the festival’s role in cultural interchange, the UNWTO invited Mr. Walid Ramadan (festival Founder) as guest speaker to showcase the impact of the Characters of Egypt festival on tourism and intercultural understanding.

An estimated 3,000 guests are expected to participate in this year’s event. These are composed of 350 individuals from a variety of Egyptian ethnic groups, 100 volunteers, 100 journalists, media personnel and press, politicians, ambassadors, business people, academics, artists, visitors from Cairo and Alexandria along with foreign tourists.

Join us in celebrating Egypt’s cultural diversity on October 27-29, 2011 at Heisa Island, Aswan, EGYPT.

VISION

The Characters of Egypt festival envisions creating a platform through which a variety of isolated ethnic groups can converge in a festive, communal atmosphere. The event offers a rare opportunity to link diverse cultures and to inculcate values of mutual respect, understanding, tolerance and equality.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of Characters of Egypt is to create awareness of cultural variances amongst different ethnic groups. This diversity is recognized and celebrated through the display of indigenous practices, beliefs, cuisines, clothing, music, art, literary traditions, sports and conversations. Some of these attributes are showcased through workshops and exhibitions together with arts and sports competitions.

This year, the festival aims to be an example of the selfless proactive attitude that is needed to help Egypt move onto a phase that shows more promise. Characters of Egypt intends to take proactive steps towards bettering the economic situation of the island inhabitants along with launching a campaign that promotes sustainable community tourism and spreads awareness of the importance of safeguarding our River Nile.