Aswan International Women Film Festival

Reception hosted by the European Union Delegation to Egypt

6 March 2023

Remarks by

Ambassador Christian Berger, Head of the EU Delegation to Egypt

It is with great pleasure I would like to extend a warm welcome to our distinguished guests this evening. 

Last year we dedicated the EU reception to the victims of Russia’s war in Ukraine, many of them women and children; or mothers, wives, daughters and sisters of those fallen in this senseless war.  One year later the war is still waging and new catastrophes are affecting women and girls, like now the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.  Our thoughts are with them tonight. 

It is an honour to have with us such a great presence of cinematic and artistic figures representing Egypt as well as other countries including EU Member States.

Let me thank our partners and friends representing the Government of Egypt and the Aswan International Women Film Festival.  And let me affirm that the European Union is committed to supporting women’s rights and empowerment in all fields.

We have a longstanding and strategic partnership with Egypt that fosters development actions in education, employment, social protection, health and population, climate change mitigation - the theme of this year’s festival.  Women rights are central to all the EU supported actions.

Culture and cinema are influential in shaping awareness about women and societal issues,  in Egypt and other countries. The European Union is keen to work with its partners to support initiatives that promote the role of women in the cinema industry and that may contribute to creating a positive image about women and promoting gender equality.

Your role is significant and you are the champions of positive change.  I would like to congratulate again the special and outstanding women honoured in the 7th edition of the Aswan Women Film Festival, from Egypt, Tunisia, the Netherlands, and Spain.

A special welcome to five women archaeologists under the leadership of Dr Friederike Seyfried who are doing outstanding work in Aswan.  Special thanks to the festival board and management, especially H.E. Mervat al-Tallawy and Mr. Mohamed Abdel-Khalik. Great appreciation to the partnership with the National Council for Women and the Ministries of Culture, Social Solidarity, and Tourism.

And my gratitude to H.E. the Governor of Aswan, Ashraf Attia, for hosting the Aswan Festival and for his warm welcome to the EU Delegation in Egypt.

I wish you a very pleasant evening.