Culture and Tourism
Culture:
Egypt enjoys a distinguished cultural heritage, accumulated over thousands of years, during which each of the Egyptian successive civilizations (Pharaonic, Greco-Roman, Coptic, and Islamic) contributed to the coherent entity of thinking, literature and arts. Because of its history, human capabilities and relations with Europe, Egypt has been a cultural pioneer in the modern age in the Arab world; the Egyptian writers, thinkers, authors, artists and musicians excelled in the Arab cultural production fields. Moreover, Cairo has always been the most active cultural capital in the Arab world, as the Egyptian cultural, literary and artistic life emerged early and it still flourishing.
The industry of media, cinema and arts, started early in Egypt, and today Egypt has more than 30 satellite channels, and more than 100 movies are annually produced. The Khedivial Opera House was the first opera house in the Middle East and the developing world.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina:
In 2002, with the support of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina was inaugurated. Noteworthy, that the new Bibliotheca and the old one are in Alexandria, Egypt. The dream in the reconstruction of the ancient Library of Alexandria, and revive the legacy of this universal center for science and knowledge, has haunted the imagination of intellectuals and scientists all over the world until it was accomplished by establishing the Bibliotheca Alexandrina .
Bibliotheca Alexandrina is one of the major cultural monuments that were established. At a big ceremony attended by Presidents, Kings, Queens, and high international delegations, the new Library of Alexandria was launched, to be a beacon of culture, as well as Egypt's window on the world, and vice versa.
Religions
According to the Constitution of 1971, the official state religion is Islam and the majority of Egypt's population are Muslims.
The historical statistics of the Egyptian population were estimated at an average rate of 94% Muslims and Christians at an average rate of 6% until 1986, when the last official census mentioned the number of followers of different religions in Egypt.
Religious Institutions:
There are two main Islamic institutions in Egypt, the oldest and the most important islamic institutions represented in :
- Al-Azhar, which was built by the Fatimids to spread the Shiite sect in North Africa, before Salah El-Din converts it to Sunni University to become one of the main pillars of Sunni Islam in the world. And the current Sheikh of Al-Azhar is Eminance Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb.
- Dar el Eftaa was founded in 1895 and headed by the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Eminence Sheikh Ali Gomaa holds the post now.
- The Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the oldest Christian churches in the world and one of the first five churches, the Church of Alexandria is the headquarters who sits on the throne of Saint Mark is Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of Saint Mark Episcopate, and the current Pope is the Bishop Shenouda III.
- The Roman Orthodox Church, Patriarch Theodros the second, Pope of the Roman Orthodox Patriarch of the Arab Republic Egypt and Africa resides in Alexandria.
Tourism
Egypt is known throughout its history as a destination for tourists and travelers, since the visit of "Herodotus" in ancient times, to record his surprise at the vast differences between Egypt and his country. Also the discovery of the Pharaohs monuments since the last century has added a special charm to it, in addition to its unique religious and cultural monuments, its geographic location centering the world, the moderate climate in summer and winter, as well as the extended coast, and the treasures of the unique coral reefs at its beaches.
In this regard, Egypt relies on its many monuments which is the outcome of the diversity over the ages, such as the Pharaonic, Coptic, Roman, and Islamic civilizations.Egypt also overlooks the Red Sea to the East, which contains the purest water, and its seabed encompasses coral reefs, numerous fish, the shape of its coastline helped in the emergence of natural harbors, and its also has different water sports that attract tourists, such as scuba-diving and snorkeling.