Egyptian arts and culture festival begins in Aswan

Abdel Dayem told local media that she hoped the six-day festival, which runs until 22 February, would promote tourism in the southern city of Aswan and restore Egypt as a leading cultural destination in Africa.

"We have about 23 bands from participant states and they are all feeling completely safe and secure here in Aswan," she said. "This is a very important message of peace to the whole world that Egypt combats the strange ideology of extremism."

Speaking to Xinhua News Agency, Aswan governor Ahmed Ibrahim said: "Everyone in Aswan is happy with this wonderful event that attracts a lot of visitors and tourists, which is very good for Aswan and its people."

The event will include performances by 26 folk troupes from Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritius, Ghana, Togo, Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan and the DRC, among others. The Egyptian groups announced thus far include the El Houraya, Al-Tannoura, Ismailia, Toushka, Luxor, About Folk and Aswan folk troupes.

China is this year's guest of honour and featured a kung fu performance by 20 Shaolin monks during the festival's opening ceremony.

Other highlights at the festival will include the opening of a new cultural palace, a book fair at Fawzi Fawzi Theatre and a special conference for women. Last year, the festival hosted 250 guests from Thailand, Kenya, India, Egypt, and Ethiopia.

For more information about the Aswan International Festival of Arts and Culture 2019, email [email protected].

Below is a performance by the Luxor Folk Dance Troupe in 2016: