Frequently Asked Questions

What are the programs of the Center?

1. The Archeological map of Egypt

The conservation and management of Egypt's archeological heritage is a serious task. The overwhelming number of sites, monuments and artifacts scattered all over the country and the ever-increasing pace of urbanization around archeological sites as well as environmental hazards add another dimension to the problem. The documentation, protection and restoration of sites for future generations has become an urgent matter best achieved by the creation of an extended archeological Geographical Information System (GIS) as an essential part of Cultural Resource Management.

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2. The Architectural Heritage of Cairo

The purpose of this project is to document the architectural heritage of the Downtown area of Cairo in an unprecedented digital approach that crowns the attempts of a few dispersed scholars who have documented one aspect or another of Cairo's architecture. Our approach uses a Geographic Information System (GIS) that enables the user to browse the database, to view helpful information and at the same time, to locate historic buildings on a map of Cairo. The system also enables the printing of reports containing the data.

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The documentation of Egypt's Natural Heritage is a multidisciplinary project aiming at a computerized documentation of the data available on the natural heritage of Egypt. It involves the collection of all data available on the protectorates as well as the diverse habitats and their components in the country. The latter includes the detailed information on the Flora, Fauna, geological formations and cultural features related to specific sites or protected areas. The data is organized in the form of a searchable, user-friendly database associated with a GIS-mapping of existing and proposed protectorates as well as the distribution of the various plant and animal species within them.

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4. The Photographic Heritage of Egypt

CultNat took upon itself the task of documenting the archives of as many nineteenth and early twentieth-century vintage orientalist photographers as possible. Their photographs are being classified in Egypt's first of its kind photographic heritage database.

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5. The Folkoloric Heritage

CULTNAT is engaged in the task of documenting traditions of daily life that historically shape Egyptian Folklore. The systematic approach adopted in the database compilation process aims at building up the most comprehensive and inclusive scientific and audio visual relevant material. The scope of the database is designed to include a rich array that covers ethnological, and analytical articles as well as popular themes such as traditional feasts, celebrations, folktales and proverbs, cycles of life, local traditions, legends, customs, daily activities, cult of the saints, architectural and agricultural traditions, popular music, arts and crafts, popular superstitions, folk music, dance, in addition to national costumes and jewelry from all over Egypt: desert Bedouin, rural and urban provenance. The database will also include breath-taking and illustrative images, providing a truly multimedia experience of Egyptian folklore.

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6.The Arabic Music Heritage

Aiming at documenting the Egyptian Heritage of Arabic music, the project focuses on the collection, documentation and research on Egyptian songs and musical compositions, through the diversified use of Multimedia to support both audio and visual documentation.

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7.The Manuscripts Documentation

The manuscript documentation component of CultNat is a newly introduced activity that complements the pillar programs initiated at the foundation of the center. Began in Sept 2001 with a UNESCO fund, the project took upon itself the challenging task of documenting Arabic and Islamic manuscripts available in various institutions and private collections on the national and regional level. The joint vision is to compile an encyclopedic work of sciences and mathematics of Dar al-Islam from Samarkand to Casablanca.

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Does the center collaborate with other national and international institutions ?

Yes,
1. The center has signed a convention with the chair "Civilisation Pharaonique : Archéologie, Philologie, Histoire "of the "Collège de France" to collaborate within the project: "The Archeological Map of Egypt"

2. Within the natural heritage documentation project, the Center has signed a protocol with the Nature Conservation Sector (NCS) at the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA). This protocol will ensure the exchange of data and expertise regarding the protectorates database. The database will be produced on CDs as a joint project between the NCS and CULTNAT

3. The center has organised a one-day seminar to discuss the preliminary findings of the "Strategic Approach to Egypt's Cultural Heritage" study. This study is the result of the UNESCO/UNDP contract with the National Center for the Documentation of the Cultural and Natural Heritage (CULTNAT) EGY/00/04.

4. Within the framework of the Egyptian-American cooperation program in the field of information technology, a convention concerning the documentation of Egyptian Culture on the Internet was signed between IBM (USA) and the National Center of Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage (CULTNAT) representing the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) representing the Ministry of Culture.

5. A pilot project conducted within the Arabic manuscripts program is carried out in collaboration with Dar al-Kutub and should serve for further identification and future documentation projects.

6. The center is partner in several projects:
a. Strabon which is a multilingual information system (Website portal) for the EuroMediterranean Cultural Heritage (STRABON) funded by the European Community and in which the main partner is La Fondation des Sciences de l'Homme in Paris
b. " Patrimoines partagés: Savoirs et savoir-faire appliqués au patrimoine architectural et urbain des XIXe-XXe siècles en Méditerranée " is part of the EUROMED Heritage II program of the European commission. In this three-year project, Cultnat participates with fifteen organizations of academic and scientific nature from nine Mediterranean countries.
c. The Agency for the Euro-mediterranean cultural heritage which has been entrusted to Unimed (Mediterranean Universities Union) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Union Commission and which aims at the organisation of an international convention on the Euro-Mediterranean Cultural Heritage

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Address :Smart Village, Kilo 28, Cairo-Alex Desert Rd., Giza, EGYPT
Tel:(+202) 539 2020
Fax :(+202) 539 2929
E-mail : cultnat@mcit.gov.eg

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