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| Egyptian faces obstacles in bid for UNESCO job | ||
| 2009-08-03 | ||
[Al Arabiya Latest] Egypt's Minster of Culture Farouk Hosni said Islamist and Jewish groups are standing against his nomination to become UNESCO's next secretary general, according to media reports Friday. Hosni is being attacked inside Egypt by extremist Islamist group and outside by Orthodox Jewish groups, he said in an interview with Al Arabiya TV Friday.
Hosni denied that Israel is now supporting him, but said it only stopped openly launching campaigns against his nomination. When asked about inviting Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim to perform at the Cairo Opera House, Hosni replied that he has more than one nationality, one of which is the Palestinian. "I invited him as a Palestinian, and I cannot forget his joint efforts for peace with Edward Said. Plus, art has no borders and no nationality." As for the latest fatwa issued in the aftermath of giving secular thinker Sayed al-Qimni the State Award of Merit and which stipulated that no writer who insulted Islam should get any kind of appreciation, Hosni said the ministry had nothing to do with choosing candidates for this award. "52 members of the Supreme Cultural Council voted for him and the voting process is kept secret." | ||
| Posted by:Fred |