By Manal Abdel Fattah
Within the framework of supporting Egyptian women in the field of art and music, the American Embassy in Cairo partnered with the NAFAC Foundation and the “She is the Arts” Festival to implement a world-class music education and career development program called “Mushiqi,” which trains 40 aspiring female artists and musicians in the field of contemporary music and education.
Entrepreneurship, in addition to providing networking and mentoring opportunities, as the workshops continued for three months.
After training 40 women and girls in music, a large concert was held for them at the Egyptian Museum on International Women’s Day.
A large number of different Egyptian media outlets attended, and Egyptian female artists played and sang, as the program supports women’s empowerment and also supports tourism in Egypt.
The Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Egypt, Evenia Sideris, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony, in which she said: I want to take a few minutes to talk about why this initiative is important to me and my colleagues at the US Embassy in Cairo.
She added: Women have done a lot for Egypt, and they have proudly taken the initiative at critical junctures throughout Egyptian history, but often times, the door is closed to women who are looking for a career in music or looking for a career in the arts, and for this reason, We were pleased to witness this partnership between the NAFAC Foundation and the Arts to provide a pivotal platform for promising Egyptian graduates from the Mushiqi program.
She said: “I did not know this before, but I learned from my colleagues that Umm Kulthum’s father used to dress her in fancy clothes so that she could perform on stage with her brother and the men as part of their band. This is a wonderful authentic story of the woman who would one day sell more than 80 million records.” She becomes a global icon, not just an Egyptian star, but a global icon. However, despite Umm Kulthum’s legacy, access to the Egyptian stage is still beyond the reach of many talented female artists.”
She added: “Accordingly, the partnership between the NAFAC Foundation and the arts is not only about breaking down barriers, but also about building a strong foundation through which female artists can flourish.”
Sideris continued: The forty women who will perform on stage tonight, along with the six tabla troupe, represent the passion and positivity that I saw embodied in so many faces in this place, and this evening’s performance represents the power of creativity, inspiration, and self-expression.
She added: My colleagues and I at the embassy cannot think of a better way to celebrate Egyptian friendship and celebrate International Women’s Day than this kind of celebration that shows our mutual respect and trust.
She said that the US government is committed to partnering with the Egyptian government to promote comprehensive economic growth, reduce gender disparities, and empower women in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030. For example, we are working with both the Egyptian government, the private sector, and local communities to achieve improved work environments for women, Expanding access to banking and non-banking financial services, and reducing the social and economic impacts of violence against women and girls.
The Chargé d’Affaires added that the US government also supports female entrepreneurs through partnerships with incubators, business accelerators, entrepreneurship networks, and business development services centers to provide women with the skills, resources, and networks they need to start their businesses and expand their businesses, and we are honored to partner with Egypt in these efforts aimed at enhancing… Gender equality and creating a more inclusive society and a stronger Egypt for future generations.
