This Friday will see the launch of the Culture Corner—a “moving book fair” conceived and organized by independent, non-profit group Donate Your Books.
For a group that only came together only a few weeks ago, Donate Your Books is quickly making clear the impressive extent of their potential, mainly through an assortment of simple, yet brilliant ideas. First among them is the Culture Corner—a series of mobile book fairs, the first of which will be held this Friday, in a public garden in Heliopolis.
The idea behind the Culture Corner was born out of a desire to “create a secondhand bookstore, just like the one in Azbakeya, but to have it in every neighborhood, or as many as possible,” explained Eman Hussein, co-creator of the literary initiative.
This is not Hussein’s first attempt at raising awareness towards what she feels is an important issue. Shortly after graduating from Ain Shams University’s Faculty of Commerce, the 21-year-old launched her own campaign, “Ibda’ Benafsak,” (Begin with Yourself), which aimed to “bring some order” to the way people behaved in Cairo’s subway trains and stations.
The campaign didn’t last long, and Hussein admits “its impact wasn’t that big.” However, it was enough to partly inspire what would become the Culture Corner—an idea originally suggested by her friend Ahmed Yousri, which now operates under the motto, ibda’ benafsak.
“We want to encourage people to read more,” said Hussein. “Especially those who don’t ever, or rarely, read. Those that do can be encouraged to try more challenging, or informative books.”
“When people read, it’s mostly for entertainment, not knowledge,” Hussein said. “There’s nothing wrong with novels, but people should be motivated to expand their horizons, and push themselves more.”
The members of the group are also aiming to get schoolchildren to take more of an independent interest in reading. “For a lot of those kids, reading isn’t a priority because books might be too expensive, or unavailable,” Hussein said. “With the Culture Corner, we’re bringing the books to their neighborhood, at much lower prices. So the kids really don’t have an excuse anymore.”
In spite of her committment to the cause, Hussein is wary of sounding too preachy. “You can’t just go up to people and tell them to read,” she said. “You have to deliver that message in a fun, accessible way.”
With no funding and little credibility, Hussein and the other members of the independent, non-profit group found that it would be “too difficult” to immediately realize their goal. Resourcefulness prevailed, and the group shaped their idea into what Hussein describes as “a moving book fair.”
“The Culture Corner events will be held twice a month, in neighborhoods across Cairo,” explained Hussein. Besides the cooperation of neighborhood residents, who can donate books for a nominal fee, the fairs will also rely on the support of notable bookstores, such as Diwan, Alef, and Shorouk, all of which are participating with a large selection of discounted books. As hinted at by its name, though, the Culture Corner is not just about books.
“We’re inviting anyone with any artistic talent,” Hussein said, hoping that any talented guests will encourage others, especially children, to artistic expression, while also providing entertainment for other visitors. In case they fail to show up, children will doubtlessly find amusement in the puppet show, face-painting, and wide selection of activity booths, games, and art workshops, with materials such as paint, colored pencils, oil colors and lots of paper, all provided by stationary store Samir & Aly.
In a testament to how carefully the members of Donate Your Books planned their event, Friday’s Culture Corner will feature a team of reliable babysitters, and the garden itself will be constantly monitored and encircled by a team of volunteer security guards. “We want people to feel safe, and secure, and to be able to have fun,” said Hussein. “We don’t want parents worrying and clutching to their kids all day long.”
Hussein and the other members of Donate Your Books hope that Friday’s Culture Corner, scheduled to start after prayers and end around sunset, will be the first of many.
“We want to take advantage of the post-revolution enthusiasm that a lot of people feel right now,” Hussein said. “For once, people feel like they do have a voice, which can be used to make things better. The widespread apathy we all shared is now gone, and we should celebrate that by doing all that we can.”
For more information on the Culture Corner, including its exact location and how to support it, visit their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=208149159195655
