Minister of Culture Inas Abdel Dayem announced, on Thursday, that her ministry will re-open 16 public libraries in 10 governorates across Egypt from 5 July.
As the country’s cultural activities gradually resume following closures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Ministry of Culture will re-open 12 libraries affiliated to the General Egyptian Book Organization.
This comes in addition to the re-opening of Cairo’s 26th of July Library, and other libraries in Giza, Minya, Assiut, Aswan, and Ismailia.
Meanwhile, Abdel Dayem also said that the General Egyptian Book Organization will operate in two shifts to prevent overcrowding and congestion.
She added that Egypt’s various cultural, intellectual and artistic activities, and the rest of the country’s libraries, will be re-opened in a second stage starting from mid-July.
The minister emphasised that work at all Egypt’s cultural facilities will adhere to the state-imposed preventive measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus, and preserve public safety.
She explained that the facilities will be working at a maximum 25% of their capacities, in addition to having sanitisation devices placed at entry points. Visitors will also have their temperatures measured, whilst also applying social distances measures.
Abdel Dayem asserted that the Ministry of Culture will form committees to monitor the implementation of these procedures.
