The MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs Participates in the Opening of the Al-Nour Ninth Festival for Culture and Creativity in Cairo
As part of his visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt to participate in the conference “Countering Hate Speech to Promote Human Dignity and Coexistence,” organized by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) with its partners, the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs participated in the opening ceremony of Al-Nour Ninth Festival for Culture and Creativity, honoring the Thinker Dr. Hussain Shaban, in Cairo. Dr. Shaban is also one of the prominent researchers participating in the Council’s “Countering Hate Speech” conference.
Attending the opening alongside Professor Michel Abs were His Eminence Bishop Georges Chehwan, Maronite Bishop of the Eparchy of Cairo for Egypt and Sudan and Apostolic Visitor to North Africa; Reverend Dr. Refaat Fikry, MECC Associate Secretary General; Father Dr. Michel Kanbar, University Professor, Writer, and Historian; Professor Laure Abi Khalil, Coordinator of the Dialogue, Human Dignity, and Social Cohesion Program at MECC; and the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, Coordinator of Media and Church Relations at MECC, along with a distinguished group of thinkers, researchers, poets, and writers from several Arab countries.
The opening began with a documented report about the Thinker Dr. Hussain Shaban, followed by speeches highlighting the role of the festival, which is considered an Arab intellectual and literary event organized by Al-Nour Foundation for Culture and Media. The festival primarily aims to bring together intellectuals, create a space for dialogue, and honor creative talents.
Among the speeches was a word delivered by Professor Laure Abi Khalil, Coordinator of the MECC Program for Dialogue, Preserving Human Dignity, and Social Cohesion. She spoke about the Iraqi Thinker Dr. Abdul Hussain Shaban, after whom this edition of the festival is named, and reviewed his extensive contributions to the fields of thought, culture, and law.
