Arabic Network For Human Rights Information » Egypt: ANHRI opens public library in a deprived neighbourhood

Egypt: ANHRI opens public library in a deprived neighbourhood

Posted on May 15, 2012 in focus, Press Releases No comments

A huge crowd of young people, children and residents of Dar Assalam to celebrate the opening of “Khatwa” library

Cairo – May 15th, 2012

ANHRI and Dar Assalam youth celebrated the opening of the first public library in this ancient deprived neighborhood in the presence of Egyptian literature and press figures led by Bilal Fadl, journalist and scriptwriter, Ibrahim Abdel-Maguid, writer, Ziad al-Alimi, MP, Sayed Abdel-Rady, member of the Shura Council, and a number of Dar Assalam figures. The celebration was overshadowed by optimism and happiness that Dar Assalaam was not forgotten by the Revolution of Dignity.

Khatwa (Step) is the beginning of ANHRI’s ambitious project aimed at building five public libraries in deprived neighbourhoods in Cairo and beyond. They will be designed to provide cultural and social services and activities for youth and children. The enormous celebration of Dar Assalaam youth welcoming the library is an evidence of their need and desire for knowledge after being neglected by Mubarak’s regime and the dictatorship of its successive governments, as a result of corruption and blatant bias for the rich at the expense of the poor.

After the library project announcement back in February, huge numbers of offers and voluntary efforts were offered to support the establishment of this library, whether by assistance in the preparation or donating large numbers of books whether by Dar Assalaam residents, publishing houses, leading writers and intellectuals, or Twitter users who took initiative and donated some books to Khatwa.

“I do not think Shafik or Moussa or any of Mubark’s men have ever visited Dar Assaaam, for if they saw how the extent of misery there, they would realize that people will not accept the return of Mubarak’s regime,” said Bilal Fadel who was expressed pleasure for participating in the celebration.

“The opening of Khatwa in this deprived neighbourhood is one of the revolution’s gains that we need to develop and support,” said Ibrahim Abdel-Maguid.

Khatwa and the other libraries will be opened under “Dignity’s Libraries” as a theme. The project will be funded through the international “Defenders of Human Dignity” award that ANHRI received in November 2011 in the city of Berlin, Germany . The award’s revenue will be allocated solely for building the libraries as awareness and knowledge are the foundations of combating ignorance and the defence of human dignity.