Dialogues
Mohamed Elshahed:
Because you do recognize as you’ve
“Of course the big missing actor in
being here, and the kind of environment
this kind of session is the Ministry of
said the value of these institutions that they can create in Downtown.”
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Karim Shafei: “It was an option eight years ago, and it is still an option today, and
Culture, which sits across the river
it will continue to be an option.
in the Opera [House] complex and
We have an interest in Downtown
nobody really knows what’s happening
remaining a very inclusive space,
there or what they’re thinking. They
that it remains attractive for lots of
probably don’t even understand that
different segments in society …
this whole conversation is happening here about the relationship between
We think that certain activities are
urban development and arts and
non-discriminatory between social
culture. So unfortunately, despite the
segments: activities such as politics,
fact that they own so much space
sports and arts. These activities don’t
Downtown—cinemas, theaters, puppet
look at how much money a person
theaters even—and despite the fact
has, compared to other activities that
they have a huge budget; in a way they
are commercial in nature, such as a
have just taken themselves out of the
restaurant or a clothing store which
conversation. So then, we have to figure
typically have a client coming from a
out what we can do. So this is all built
specific market segment. So for us to be
up to ask [Karim Shafei of Ismaelia for
able to stay true to our commitment to
Real Estate Investment]—do you think
having a very inclusive Downtown, we
besides providing space temporarily or
are not doing that just out of corporate
long term leases that have preferential
social responsibility, but actually
rates or so on—do you think it might
because we believe that this is how our
actually be necessary to invest directly,
project is going to succeed. So out of
as a form of investment, into arts and
that commitment, we have to maintain
culture spaces? Not because they
a certain part of our investment in the
will generate a profit ... but as a form
art scene, making sure that we continue
of corporate [social] responsibility?
to attract a very wide audience.”