Egyptian Ministry of Culture
19th Luxor International Painting Symposium
Under the patronage of
Prof. Dr. Abdel Aziz Qansouh
Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Acting Minister of Culture
Architect Hamdi El-Satouhi, Head of the Cultural Development Fund, has the honor of inviting you to attend the launch of the 19th Luxor International Painting Symposium and the opening of an exhibition showcasing works from previous symposia.
This will take place on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at 7:30 PM at the Fustat Creativity Center..
Launch of the 19th Luxor International Photography Forum and Announcement of its Higher Committee
Hamdi El-Satouhi: Developing the Artist Selection Mechanism and Establishing an Award in Collaboration with the Youth Salon
Mohamed El-Banawi: The New Edition Extends the Journey of 18 Editions and Builds on the Forum's Accumulated Experience
Khaled Seddik: "Building People Before Building Stones"... Culture and Art are the Foundation of Human Development
Under the patronage of Professor Dr. Abdel Aziz Qansouh, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Acting Minister of Culture, the Cultural Development Fund Sector launched the 19th Luxor International Photography Forum this evening during a press conference held at the Creativity and Traditional Crafts Center in Fustat.
Architect Hamdi El-Satouhi, Head of the Cultural Development Fund Sector, confirmed that the new edition features an improved artist selection mechanism through an expanded nomination pool. "Official nominees" have been selected to nominate artists to participate in the forum, with the Higher Committee making the final selection. In addition, a grant will be awarded to one of the artists participating in the Youth Salon, enhancing integration among the sectors of the Ministry of Culture and supporting broader opportunities for new artistic experiences. Dr. Mohamed El-Banawy, Commissioner of the 19th session, explained that the new session represents a continuation of the forum's journey over the past 18 sessions, aiming to build upon the accumulated experiences and expertise gained throughout its history, thus supporting its continuity and artistic development.
El-Satouhy also announced the formation of the Higher Committee for the 19th session, chaired by the head of the fund, with Dr. Mohamed El-Banawy as Commissioner. Members include Dr. Mahmoud Hamed, Head of the Fine Arts Sector; artist Tarek El-Komy, Head of the Syndicate of Fine Artists, serving as the forum's Commissioner; Professor Dr. Gamal El-Din Ahmed El-Khashan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Photography and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Art and Design at the British University; Professor Dr. Iman Osama Mohamed Salem, Professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Capital University; Professor Dr. Ahmed Mohi Hamza, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Professor of Graphics at Luxor University; Professor Dr. Kamal Mohamed Qassem, Professor in the Department of Photography at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Alexandria University; and Professor Dr. Nevin El-Refaey, Professor of Photography at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Alexandria University.
For his part, Engineer Khaled Sadek, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Urban Development Fund, emphasized that development begins with human development, highlighting the importance of culture and art in shaping awareness, under the slogan "Building People Before Stones." Al-Satouhi also reviewed examples of cooperation between the two funds, including the project for the museum dedicated to the late artist Nabil Darwish and the anticipated cultural activities at the Fustat Hills project.
The conference honored Professor Dr. Ibrahim Ghazala, the founder of the forum, Professor Dr. Mustafa Abdel-Moaty, and Professor Dr. Emad Abu Zeid. Professor Amani Moussa, Professor Dr. Asmaa El-Nawawy, and artist Yasser Ghaissa accepted the honor on their behalf, in recognition of their contributions to the forum's journey. Dr. Walid Qanoush and artist Khaled Galal were also honored for their roles during their tenures as heads of the Cultural Development Fund.
The launch of the forum coincided with the inauguration of the new building and two exhibition halls at the Fustat Center for Creativity and Traditional Crafts, and the opening of an exhibition featuring approximately 90 selected works from the previous eighteen sessions.
