Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi on art: How an Egyptian weaving village became a lesson in the power of giving
A busy village scene in the Upper Egyptian Delta depicts a crowd of men harvesting corn and placing it on the backs of animals of burden, while women look after the children nearby. In the bottom-left corner, four men gather around a fire, possibly hinting that the scene is set in the autumn months, coinciding with the end of the corn harvest season in Egypt. The background is peppered with…
A tapestry, painted by Garya Mahmoud, one of the Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre's initial weavers, depicts a bustling scene of Upper Egyptian Delta villagers. Situated 15km southwest of Cairo, the village of Harraniya was chosen by Ramses Wissa Wassef and his wife Sophie Habib Gorgi in 1951 to establish an art centre that would empower the locals.
Initially employing 45 individuals in weaving, stoneware, and batik painting, the centre's mission was to grant villagers new skills and livelihoods, embodying the adage of teaching someone to fish rather than simply feeding them.
The concept of generosity, selflessness, and independence sparked by Sophie and Ramses has since inspired countless individuals. The Arab Gulf states have historically demonstrated this spirit through substantial foreign aid contributions. Kuwait, for instance, founded the Kuwait Fund for Development in 1961, which has since extended loans for education and infrastructure in over 100 countries. The UAE, as of 2025, ranks third in global humanitarian aid donations, providing $3.9 billion to Gaza alone.
At the heart of the centre's success are the artists and artisans it has nurtured. Many of these individuals carry on their mothers' and fathers' artistic legacies, with Mahmoud's daughter Naglaa being one such example. This legacy of giving back, whether through billions or small acts of kindness, serves as an enduring reminder that investing in our communities can yield lifelong benefits.
Written by urgent.news from The National Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
