|
On the 27th of September, at the Italian
Centre for Restoration and Archeology in Old Cairo, The Italian
Cooperation hosted a gathering for the presentation of “The Other
Egypt”: New Tourist Routes and Sites for the
Community Development.
The event was characterized by a series of interventions
by: Mr. Nino Merola, Director of the Italian
Development Cooperation Office; Mr. Moustafa Fouda,
Director of Nature Conservation Sector NCS, EEAA;
Mr. Hussein El Zomor, Vice Secretary General of the Fayoum Governorate;
Mr.
Marco Marchetti, Environmental Program Coordinator of the Italian
Cooperation; Ms. Maria Casini, Archeological Expert of the
Italian Cultural Institute; Mr. Antonio La Rocca, Archeological
Project Manager of the Environmental Progam; Mr. Vincenzo Valenti,
Tourism Expert;
Mr. Ahmed Marei, Egyptian Tourist Authority;
Ms. Maria Donata Rinaldi, COSPE representative in Egypt; Ms.
Zohra Merabet, Executive Director, NSCE; Mr. Umberto Di Maria,
Deputy Chairman of the Italian Association for Responsible Tourism;
Mr. Mahmoud El-Kaissouni, Chairman of the Ecotourism Commission,
Egyptian Federation for Tourism.
The event highlighted new collaboration paths between the
Italian Cooperation, Egyptian Authorities, Tour Operators and Italian
NGO’s. The aim was to promote and enhance the realization of an
integrated model of sustainable development trough environmental,
cultural, archeological and artistic heritage conservation and
protection as well as the improvement of living conditions in local
communities.
Ecotourism is gaining ground on Egypt’s tourist map, said
Mr. Mustafa Fouda, director of Nature Conservation Sector at the Egyptian
Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA). The conservation of natural
resources and promotion of Egypt as a world-class site for ecotourism
were among EEAA objectives outlined at the conference. Egypt’s new
tourist destinations include 24 Protected Areas in the country, said
Mr. Mustafa Fouda, revealing plans to raise the number to 40.
A significant role for ecotourism development is played by
the Protected Areas of Wadi
El’Rayan (along with the archeological site of Medinet Madi),
Siwa and
Gabal Elba which are components of the
Egyptian-Italian Environmental Cooperation Program. Similarly, the
institutional support provided by the Environmental Program to the
Nature Conservation Sector in order to strengthen its autonomous
capacity and ability to interact with the private sector will also
contribute to the development of new forms of responsible tourism.
Other natural attractions include the renown protected
areas of St. Catherine, Ras Mohammed and desert safaris, trekking, bird
watching, geological features, scuba diving, coral reefs and adventure
sites.
The Italian NGO, COSPE represented by Ms. Maria Donata
Rinaldi, highlighted the close relationship between ecotourism and fair
trade that can be created by linking local producers from marginalized
communities to fair national and international markets.
Mr. Mahmoud El-Kaissouni, (Chairman of the Ecotourism
Commission, Egyptian Federation for Tourism) applauded the support of
the Italian Government provided to tourism industries, and particularly
to ecotourism.
The director of the Italian Cooperation Office in Cairo,
Mr. Nino Merola, has confirmed Italy’s interest in supporting ecotourism as
a means for the development of communities, and the conservation of
nature, cultures and traditions.
|
|
25th
April 2004
Second edition of the
MEDITERRE and signature of the Twinning and Cooperation Agreement
between the Italian National Park of the Gran Sasso and the Laga
Mountains and the protected area of Wady El Rayan in Fayoum
 From the 22nd to the
25th April, an Egyptian delegation led by Prof. Moustafa Fouda,
Head of Nature Conservation Sector of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs
Agency (EEAA) participated to the Second edition of the
MEDITERRE, an
event dedicated to parks and natural protected areas throughout the
Mediterranean. The Egyptian delegation also included the Directors of
the protected areas of Siwa and
Gabal Elba, representatives of the
Ministry of Tourism and the Supreme Council of Antiquities.
The aim of
the event is to promote, through the establishment of a network, the
exchange of ideas and common projects among the various entities
involved in the management of these areas. The event took place in the
attractive setting of Otranto Castle (near Lecce, Italy),
The event has seen the
participation of twenty-three nations overlooking the Mediterranean Sea
(Gibraltar, Spain, France, Principality of Monaco, Italy, Malta,
Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece,
Turkey, Cyprus, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel,
Palestine, Lebanon and Syria), plus Portugal, Andorra, Macedonia, Serbia
and Jordan, whose nature, culture and history have always been
significantly influenced by the Mediterranean sea.
 The Egyptian participation
has been of great importance, given the extension of Egyptian protected
areas which were at the centre of discussion for a full day (23.04.04).
The Egyptian stand has been one of the most visited; among the visitors
also the Italian vice Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini and the
Italian Minister of Environment Altero Matteoli. Prof.
Moustafa Fouda, addressing a large audience, illustrated the Egyptian
policy in managing protected areas and underlined the importance of the
Italian cooperation in the field of environment.
An 18 ml. euros program (6
of which have been already made available in the last three years) is
under implementation with the Egyptian Ministry of Environment.
Egypt's
key role in the Mediterranean network has been confirmed by the
signature of the Twinning and Cooperation Agreement between the
Italian National Park of the Gran Sasso and the Laga Mountains
and the protected area of Wady El Rayan in Fayoum.
The protocol has been
signed at Otranto on 25th April 2004, in the presence of the
Italian Minister of Environment, by Prof. Moustafa Fouda and Mr. Aldo
Cosentino, General Director for Environment Protection of the
Italian Ministry of Environment.
|
