Egypt plans to immediately begin the development of 30 cultural palaces across several governorates as the first phase of a 12-month plan to modernise the sector, Culture Minister Gihane Zaki said on Monday.
During a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly to review the ministry’s upcoming work pillars, Zaki said the upgrades aim to transform these facilities from “mere buildings into an integrated life system.” The initiative is part of a broader strategy to achieve “cultural justice” and ensure cultural access as a right for all citizens.
Madbouly stated that the cultural file holds an “advanced priority” within government programmes, citing the state’s interest in “building the Egyptian person” and enhancing civilisational identity. He added that the culture sector remains a primary pillar of Egypt’s soft power and that the government is keen to invest in the sector’s “promising potential.”
The minister outlined the strategy under the slogan “Towards a Fair, Safe, and Creative Culture,” based on three pillars: social, national, and civilisational.
Under the social dimension, the plan includes supporting mobile culture units to reach rural and border areas through artistic workshops. Upgraded culture palaces will be equipped with “People’s Cinema” screenings, digital book platforms, free studios for talent discovery, and permanent theatres for touring performances. Zaki also announced the planned launch of a free “cultural card” for low-income students and people with disabilities to provide free access to all cultural services and events.
The national dimension focuses on protecting identity and “fortifying generations,” specifically targeting “Generation Alpha and Generation Z” through partnerships with the private sector and schools. Zaki said a national programme will be established to merge technology with Egyptian heritage through interactive applications and educational games.
The strategy further involves partnering with private companies to produce digital cultural content for social media platforms and integrating “authentic Egyptian cultural content” into basic education curricula to form a “conscious generation” capable of facing “digital cultural invasion.”
Additionally, a unified digital platform for museums dedicated to Egyptian state icons will be launched, using formats such as “reels” to attract younger audiences. This will be supported by school and university trips and promotional programmes coordinated with the Ministry of Tourism.
The “civilisational” pillar, titled “Egypt Creates for the World,” seeks to celebrate Egyptian creators globally. Plans include establishing “Digital Egypt Studio” as an integrated production centre and a national fund to support creators in partnership with the private sector. The minister also noted the creation of an Egyptian cultural export programme and partnerships between Egyptian art museums and international capitals to showcase Egyptian art.
Zaki identified digitisation as the “backbone” of the Egyptian cultural system, stating it is no longer an option but a necessity. The ministry aims to build a unified cultural platform to aggregate all Egyptian cultural initiatives and reach a larger number of beneficiaries.
