Working for an artistic exchange between the US and Arab world
“We will be remembered not for our victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.
This immortal phrase from one of America’s most beloved presidents, John F. Kennedy, is engraved on the walls of the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington D.C.
And in that spirit, Michael M. Kaiser, the center’s president, visited Cairo earlier this week with the aim of increasing artistic and cultural exchange between the US and the Arab world.
“I feel it is very important for Americans to understand other people and I don’t think they understand or know Arab people. I believe the arts are the easiest, most engaging and most effective way to learn from [one another], he said during his two-day visit to Cairo.
Kaiser is coordinating the Arab Art Symposium expected in April 2007 in Cairo. The point of this seminar is to present and promote art by strengthening strategic planning, marketing and fund raising.
The plan is to make this symposium an annual event, moving it from one Arab country to the next every year. “Egypt seems like a natural heart of this activity, there is so much great culture here, so much great history and so it seems like a natural place to start, says Kaiser.
Kaiser hopes that this is not looked upon as American arrogance. He explains that they have more experience and have learned certain techniques that they would like to share with the Arab world.
During his stay he met with the Minister of Culture, Farouk Hosni, and also with various business leaders who are potential donors to the arts. Sponsorship of art is now rare in the country. Kaiser is optimistic about increasing private philanthropy, but acknowledges there is much work to be done.
The Kennedy Center has compiled a list of many art organizations in the Arab world, and, based on its surveys, has chosen the issues that will be addressed in the upcoming symposium.
The second project, expected in 2009, is the Arab Art Festival in Washington. This will be a month-long showcase of Arab art in the nine theaters at the Kennedy Center.
“I am interested in getting in my people of America to understand the whole range of arts that exists in the Arab countries and some of that is folkloric and some of that is contemporary and we plan to show both, explains Kaiser.
From traditional paintings to contemporary dance, the festival will feature Arab culture, folklore and history. It will include larger events such as symphonies in addition to more intimate events such as poetry readings.
The festival will be the first of its kind to reflect Arab culture in the US. There has previously been a lack of cultural exchange between the US and h Arab world.
He is also involved with putting together teaching curricula about global cultures. Recently he helped launch a website to enable American and Pakistani children to interact with each other and learn about one another; a similar project is in the works for the Middle East.
The project in Pakistan however was not part of the Kennedy Center. Kaiser also acts as cultural ambassador for the US State Department’s CultureConnect program.
The work being done for Arab countries is being done independently by the Kennedy Center, which is a private arts organization.
Kaiser says, “Culture can change the way the world feels about an issue. Culture is not just entertainment, it has important influence in society… art starts to reduce barriers, you start thinking: Isn’t that beautiful?
For more information on the Kennedy Center, visit www.kennedy-center.org
