the kemet boutros-ghali foundation for peace and knowledge participates in the 15th edition of the luxor african film festival

The Kemet Boutros-Ghali Foundation for Peace and Knowledge took part in the activities of the 15th edition of the Luxor African Film Festival, which opened in the city of Luxor with the participation of a wide array of filmmakers and artists from across the continent.

Ambassador Laila Bahaa El-Din, the Foundation’s Executive Director, attended the opening ceremony, where she reaffirmed the Foundation’s strong belief in the vital role of art and cinema as effective tools for fostering cultural dialogue among African peoples.

She noted that the Kemet Boutros-Ghali Foundation for Peace and Knowledge was established by colleagues, students, and close associates of Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali — the distinguished diplomat, politician, academic, and former Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Board of Trustees is chaired by Mr. Mamdouh Abbas, who initiated the Foundation’s support for the Festival.

She further highlighted that the Foundation is active across several cultural fields aligned with Dr. Boutros’ interests, particularly in strengthening relations among African peoples and promoting deeper mutual understanding of their diverse cultures. In this regard, she emphasized that cinema stands out as one of the most powerful tools for achieving this goal on a broad scale, which explains the Foundation’s continued support for the Festival for the third consecutive year.

In the same context, she pointed out that this year’s focus on the challenges of artificial intelligence in cinema closely aligns with the Foundation’s commitment to keeping pace with scientific advancements, engaging with them, and promoting knowledge.

She also expressed her appreciation for the selection of South Africa as the guest of honor for this edition, highlighting its inspiring model in confronting racial discrimination and advocating for rights on the international stage, as well as its notable achievements in the field of cinema.

She further praised the celebration marking the centenary of the birth of the renowned director Youssef Chahine, to whom this edition is dedicated under the theme “Youssef Chahine – An Egyptian Story,” in addition to the announcement of the launch of an auteur cinema competition named after director Daoud Abdel Sayed.

Finally, the festival featured the honoring of a number of prominent film figures, including Khaled El Sawy and Riham Abdel Ghafour, in recognition of their outstanding artistic careers.