On the occasion of the World Day for Cultural Diversity May 22, the Library of Alexandria hosted festivities to conclude a series of technical workshops to cultivate the artistic skills of Syrian children and young people. Organized by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees over the past year, the project was the first of its kind to focus on the artistic talents of the refugees, and not just professional skills needed for the labor market.
The workshops were organized in cooperation between the Egyptian Cultural Center and the Syrian services center Suriyana. Rafa al-Rifa’i, the cultural center’s director, told Al-Monitor, “The participation of a Syrian center in the organization made it easier to communicate with a large number of trainees.” She added, “Many of their long-held dreams came true in training and forming new artistic troupes.”
