DOCSLIB.ORG

Egypt's 2021 Voluntary National Review

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Egypt's 2021 Voluntary National Review EGYPT’S 2021 VOLUNTARY NATIONAL REVIEW 1 Copyright @ 2021 The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development 9 St. Salah Salem Street, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt www.mped.gov.eg All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission. This VNR was made possible with the help of the United Nations Development Programme. 2 Temple of Isis, Island of Philae, Aswan 3 photo: © svstrelkov CONTENTS 01 Page 08 05 Page 23 Opening Statement Progress on Goals & Targets SDG 1: No Poverty SDG 2: Zero Hunger SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being 02 Page 10 SDG 4: Quality Education SDG 5: Gender Equality SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation Policy Enabling Environment SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure 2.1 Governing framework: Updated Egypt’s Vision 2030 SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities 2.2 Localization of Sustainable Development SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities 2.3 Evidence Based Policy SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production SDG 13: Climate Action SDG 14: Life Below Water SDG 15: Life on Land SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions SDG 17: Partnerships For the Goals 03 Page 16 Review Methodology 06 Page 79 A Decade of Development Ahead: Page 19 04 Challenges & Way Forward Towards a More Resilient Economy: Egypt’s Economic Reform Page 85 4.1 Results of the First Phase of the Reform Program 4.2 Second Phase: Structural Reforms Acknowledgements & Annexes 4 ACRONYMS AfCFTA African Continental Free Trade Area AFD French Development Agency AU African Union CAPMAS Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics CBE Central Bank of Egypt CDWS Chamber of Diving and Watersports CEDARE Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe CO2 Carbon Dioxide COP Conference of Parties DAESN Development Association for Empowering Special Needs EBI Egyptian Banking Institute EEZs Exclusive Economic Zone EGP Egyptian Pound EIU Economist Intelligence Unit FDI Foreign Direct Investment FGM Female Genital Mutilation FY Fiscal Year GCDL Global Change Data Lab GCI Global Competitiveness Index GDP Gross Domestic Product GERD Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam GHG Greenhouse Gas GII Gender Inequality Index GIZ German Agency for Development GoE Government of Egypt IFC International Finance Corporation IFPRI International Food Policy Research Institute IMF International Monetary Fund IT/DT Information technology and Digital transformation IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature LMICs Lower Middle Income Countries MCIT Ministry of Communications and Information Technology MENA Middle East and North Africa MMBTU Metric Million British Thermal Unit MOERE Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy MOETE Ministry of Education & Technical Education MOF Ministry of Finance MOHP Ministry of Health and Population MOIC Ministry of International Cooperation 5 MOSIT Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade MOSS Ministry of Social Solidarity MOWRI Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation MPED Ministry of Planning and Economic Development MSMEDA Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Agency MSMEs Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises MW Mega Watt M&E Monitoring and Evaluation NC4Egypt Egyptian Fourth National Communication to the UNFCCC NCEAS National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis NCSD National Center for Spatial Data Infrastructure NCW National Council for Women NGOs Non-Governmental Organisations NIGSD National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development NMR Neonatal Mortality Rate NREA New and Renewable Energy Authority NSRP National Structural Reforms Program NWRP National Water Resources Plan ODA Official Development Assistance OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OHI Ocean Health Index PM2.5 Particulate Matter less than 2.5 micrometres PPP Purchasing Power Parity PWD Persons with Disabilities SDGs Sustainable Development Goals SDS Sustainable Development Stategy: Egypt Vision 2030 SMEs Small and Medium Enterprises U5MR Under-5 Mortality Rate UN Habitat United Nations Human Settlement Programme UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNEP United Nations Environment Program UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund USD United States Dollar VAT Value Added Tax WEF World Economic Forum WFP World Food Programme WGI Worldwide Governance Indicators WHO World Health Organization 6 Hathor temple, Dendera, Qena 7 photo: © user15449331 Opening 1. Statement After the successful launch of Egypt’s Voluntary National of development, sectoral structural reform, reliance on Review (VNR) 2018 and the praise that Egypt received evidence-based policy, and effective role of the state have during the High Level Political Forum from all the been key elements in weathering the crisis and ensuring stakeholders and the international community, H.E. the a fast recovery. Despite the challenges imposed by the President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi directed to continue focusing pandemic, opportunities also emerged: to focus more on on monitoring the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and human capital (health and education), to implement bold for Egypt to present its third VNR in 2021. The team in the sectoral reform, to be more globally competitive, and to Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MPED) be better integrated in global supply chains. responsible for the preparation of the VNR was worried Given this plenitude of significant changes, it was a difficult due to the relatively short period of time between 2018 task to compile this report and an even harder one to make and 2021 which could give rise to difficulties in reporting it concise. Indeed, there are many issues worth mentioning on significant developments materializing during this or elaborating on that did not get their fair portion in this period. Time, however, had another tale to tell, as these report for the sake of brevity. Notwithstanding, the series three years ended up witnessing drastic changes on both of workshops carried out with development stakeholders a global and a domestic level. including government entities, the private sector, the civil On the global level, the outbreak of the COVID-19 society, and international development partners were pandemic in 2019 has been phenomenal, and its span of instrumental in shaping the report to reflect the enormous impact geographically and sectorally was unprecedented. efforts by all parties toward the effective implementation The pandemic served to remind us that the world is of the 2030 Agenda. Continuing the tradition set in Egypt’s interconnected and has more commonalities than VNR 2018, this report does not only objectively document differences. In times of crisis, especially global ones, achievements but also depicts challenges in Egypt’s path international collaboration is a necessity not a luxury. toward sustainable and inclusive development concluding Overcoming this crisis was proven to be a function of the with a brief on the way forward to horizon 2030. level of collaboration among all countries and with the international community. The pandemic taught us in a practical manner that sustainable development should be the ultimate objective and that trading off one dimension at the expense of another could jeopardize development and put people and the planet at risk. On the domestic level, COVID-19 has been a game changer without a doubt. While it is true that the pandemic has impeded Egypt’s fast-track developmental path, it has also proven that Egypt is on the right trajectory. National priorities such as universal heath insurance, localization 8 The Nile as seen from Cairo 9 photo: © ukrolenochka Policy Enabling 2. Environment 2.1 Governing Framework: Updated • The National Strategy for Medium, Small and Micro Egypt’s Vision 2030 Enterprises and Entrepreneurship – by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), • The Sustainable Development Strategy for Tourism – by Out of the government’s commitment to ensure a quality the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. life for the Egyptian people, Egypt launched its first-ever Sustainable Development Strategy: Egypt Vision 2030 (SDS) Believing that strategies are living documents that ought to in February 2016, believing that sustainable development is adapt to changes in national and international circumstances, the guarantee for growth, development, and prosperity for Egypt embarked on a process of updating the SDS in 2018. The future generations. The SDS is aligned with the 17 SDGs, as driving forces behind this update process are (1) ensuring a well as the African Agenda 2063, and acts as the governing better and more rigorous alignment of the national goals with framework for all development programs and projects the SDGs, as well as (2) emphasizing complementarity of the that will be implemented until 2030. It was also formulated three pillars of sustainable development across sectors. (3) following a participatory approach involving all stakeholders The Economic Reform Program initiated by the Government including the government, the private sector, the civil society, of Egypt (GoE) in 2016 was also an important factor for the and academia. update process, to ensure reflecting the changes resulting from these reforms in the SDS. Furthermore, (4) the update The launch of the strategy was followed
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 4Th SWYAA Guidebook.Pdf
    Contents I. SWYAA Global Assembly ............................................... 4 Purpose ......................................................................................................... 4 Theme ........................................................................................................... 4 Outline .......................................................................................................... 4 Host ............................................................................................................... 5 Participating Countries: ................................................................................... 6 Program ......................................................................................................... 7 Optional Tour ................................................................................................. 8 II. Useful Information ....................................................... 9 General instructions ....................................................................................... 9 Weather ........................................................................................................ 9 Transport in Cairo ........................................................................................... 9 Internet Access ............................................................................................. 10 Laundry services ........................................................................................... 10 Delivery services ..........................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Plan of Action for the Prevention, Care & Treatment of Viral Hepatitis
    Plan of Action for the Prevention, Care & Treatment of Viral Hepatitis, Egypt 2014-2018 Viral hepatitis is a global health problem that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Globally, it is estimated that approximately 1.4 million persons die annually from all types of viral hepatitis. Egypt has one of the highest global burdens of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, with an estimated 10%, over 6 million people between 15-59 years, being chronically infected. Tragically, an estimated 150,000 new people are being infected annually, and thousands die every year. In recognition of the enormity of the problem, in 2012, the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP), in collaboration with stakeholders, developed the “Plan of Action for the Prevention, Care & Treatment of Viral Hepatitis, Egypt” (PoA) which focuses on the seven main components of viral hepatitis prevention and control: surveillance, infection control, blood safety, hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination, care & treatment, communication, and research. The PoA highlights the important goals and objectives of the MOHP’s viral hepatitis program and reflects the MOHP’s commitment to controlling the viral hepatitis epidemic by preventing new infections. Finalizing the “Plan of Action for the Prevention, Care & Treatment of Viral Hepatitis, Egypt” was a huge step toward achieving MOHP’s new vision aimed at National Eradication of Viral Hepatitis. In addition, MOHP has recently introduced new, highly-effective medications to treat HCV infection at an affordable price; these medications have been shown to cure over 90% of those receiving the treatment. With this vision in mind, MOHP is urging all concerned parties to join forces and turn this plan into action which will not only stop the vicious circle of transmission of infection; but will also increase the effectiveness of new treatment and assist MOHP in translating its vision into reality.
    [Show full text]
  • Ethnic Identity in Graeco-Roman Egypt Instructor
    Egypt after the Pharaohs: Ethnic Identity in Graeco-Roman Egypt Instructor: Rachel Mairs [email protected] 401-863-2306 Office hours: Rhode Island Hall 202. Tues 2-3pm, Thurs 11am-12pm, or by appointment. Course Description Egypt under Greek and Roman rule (from c. 332 BC) was a diverse place, its population including Egyptians, Greeks, Jews, Romans, Nubians, Arabs, and even Indians. This course will explore the sometimes controversial subject of ethnic identity and its manifestations in the material and textual record from Graeco-Roman Egypt, through a series of case studies involving individual people and communities. Topics will include multilingualism, ethnic conflict and discrimination, legal systems, and gender, using evidence from contemporary texts on papyrus as well as recent archaeological excavations and field survey projects. Course Objectives By the end of the course, participants should understand and be able to articulate: • how Graeco-Roman Egypt functioned as a diverse multiethnic, multilingual society. • the legal and political frameworks within which this diversity was organised and negotiated. • how research in the social sciences on multilingualism and ethnic identity can be utilised to provide productive and interesting approaches to the textual and archaeological evidence from Graeco-Roman Egypt. Students will also gain a broad overview of Egypt’s history from its conquest by Alexander the Great, through its rule by the Ptolemies, to the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark Antony and its integration into the Roman Empire, to the rise of Christianity. Course Requirements Attendance and participation (10%); assignments (2 short essays of 4-5 pages) and quizzes/map exercises (50%); extended essay on individual topics to be decided in consultation with me (c.
    [Show full text]
  • Suez Canal Development Project: Egypt's Gate to the Future
    Economy Suez Canal Development Project: Egypt's Gate to the Future President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi With the Egyptian children around him, when he gave go ahead to implement the East Port Said project On November 27, 2015, President Ab- Egyptians’ will to successfully address del-Fattah el-Sissi inaugurated the initial the challenges of careful planning and phase of the East Port Said project. This speedy implementation of massive in- was part of a strategy initiated by the vestment projects, in spite of the state of digging of the New Suez Canal (NSC), instability and turmoil imposed on the already completed within one year on Middle East and North Africa and the August 6, 2015. This was followed by unrelenting attempts by certain interna- steps to dig out a 9-km-long branch tional and regional powers to destabilize channel East of Port-Said from among Egypt. dozens of projects for the development In a suggestive gesture by President el of the Suez Canal zone. -Sissi, as he was giving a go-ahead to This project is the main pillar of in- launch the new phase of the East Port vestment, on which Egypt pins hopes to Said project, he insisted to have around yield returns to address public budget him on the podium a galaxy of Egypt’s deficit, reduce unemployment and in- children, including siblings of martyrs, crease growth rate. This would positively signifying Egypt’s recognition of the role reflect on the improvement of the stan- of young generations in building its fu- dard of living for various social groups in ture.
    [Show full text]
  • Dendara. Gergory Marouard
    DENDARA DENDARA Gregory Marouard Dendara (Tentyra, Iunet) is one of the major archaeological sites north of the Theban region and the ancient capital of the sixth nome of Upper Egypt, Iqer, the Crocodile nome. The site is located 55 km (34 mi) north of the Luxor area and 5 km (3 mi) south of the modern town of Qena. Situated on the “West Bank” from an ancient Egyptian perspective, Dendara lies south of the river, in a curving bend of the Nile, the only part of the valley where the river runs from the east to the w est (fig. 1). Today the site is positioned along the desert fringe of the Nile valley floodplain. It seems quite likely that the river — currently situated 2 km to the north — flowed much closer to the site in ancient times. Well known by its sanctuary complex of the goddess Hathor, which dates back to the late Ptolemaic and early Roman periods (fig. 2), the main temple is one of the most iconic and the best preserved, with the Ptolemaic temple at Edfu-Behedet. Those two sanctuaries, the temple of Hathor at Dendara and the temple of Horus in Edfu, were always considered as sister-sites sharing a close religious connection. The triad of Edfu (Horus, Hathor, Harsomtus/Ihy) was honored in both temples and every year in the month of Epiphi (Season of Shemu), when the Nile waters were at the lowest level, the “Feast of the Beautiful Reunion” was celebrated. The statue of Hathor left its temple and traveled upstream by boat to the south in order to join her consort Horus in Edfu.
    [Show full text]
  • Bio-Climatic Analysis and Thermal Performance of Upper Egypt “A
    ESL-IC-12-10-48 Bio-Climatic Analysis and Thermal Performance of Upper Egypt “A Case Study Kharga Region” Mervat Hassan Khalil Housing & Building National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt, P. Box 1770 E. mail: marvat.hassan.khalil@gmail .com ABSTRACT As a result of the change and development of Egyptian society, Egyptian government has focused its attention of comprehensive development to various directions. One of these attentions is housing, construction and land reclamation in desert and Upper Egypt. In the recent century the most attentions of the government is the creation of new wadi parallel to Nile wadi in the west desert. Kharga Oasis is 25°26′56″North latitude and 30°32′24″East longitude. This oasis, is the largest of the oases in the westren desert of Egypt. It required the capital of the new wadi (Al Wadi Al Gadeed Government). The climate of this oasis is caricaturized by; aridity, high summer daytime temperature, large diurnal temperature variation, low relative humidity and high solar radiation. In such conditions, man losses his ability to work and to contribute effectively in the development planning due to the high thermal stress affected on him. In designing and planning in this region, it is necessary not only to understand the needs of the people but to create an indoor environment which is suitable for healthy, pleasant, and comfortable to live and work in it. So, efforts have been motivated towards the development of new concepts for building design and urban planning to moderate the rate, direction and magnitudes of heat flow. Also, reduce or if possible eliminate the energy expenditure for environmental control.
    [Show full text]
  • Temples and Tombs Treasures of Egyptian Art from the British Museum
    Temples and Tombs Treasures of Egyptian Art from The British Museum Resource for Educators this is max size of image at 200 dpi; the sil is low res and for the comp only. if approved, needs to be redone carefully American Federation of Arts Temples and Tombs Treasures of Egyptian Art from The British Museum Resource for Educators American Federation of Arts © 2006 American Federation of Arts Temples and Tombs: Treasures of Egyptian Art from the British Museum is organized by the American Federation of Arts and The British Museum. All materials included in this resource may be reproduced for educational American Federation of Arts purposes. 212.988.7700 800.232.0270 The AFA is a nonprofit institution that organizes art exhibitions for presen- www.afaweb.org tation in museums around the world, publishes exhibition catalogues, and interim address: develops education programs. 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1514 New York, NY 10168 after April 1, 2007: 305 East 47th Street New York, NY 10017 Please direct questions about this resource to: Suzanne Elder Burke Director of Education American Federation of Arts 212.988.7700 x26 [email protected] Exhibition Itinerary to Date Oklahoma City Museum of Art Oklahoma City, Oklahoma September 7–November 26, 2006 The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens Jacksonville, Florida December 22, 2006–March 18, 2007 North Carolina Museum of Art Raleigh, North Carolina April 15–July 8, 2007 Albuquerque Museum of Art and History Albuquerque, New Mexico November 16, 2007–February 10, 2008 Fresno Metropolitan Museum of Art, History and Science Fresno, California March 7–June 1, 2008 Design/Production: Susan E.
    [Show full text]
  • Egypt Presidential Election Observation Report
    EGYPT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OBSERVATION REPORT JULY 2014 This publication was produced by Democracy International, Inc., for the United States Agency for International Development through Cooperative Agreement No. 3263-A- 13-00002. Photographs in this report were taken by DI while conducting the mission. Democracy International, Inc. 7600 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1010 Bethesda, MD 20814 Tel: +1.301.961.1660 www.democracyinternational.com EGYPT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OBSERVATION REPORT July 2014 Disclaimer This publication is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of Democracy International, Inc. and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. CONTENTS CONTENTS ................................................................ 4 MAP OF EGYPT .......................................................... I ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................. II DELEGATION MEMBERS ......................................... V ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ....................... X EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................. 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................ 6 ABOUT DI .......................................................... 6 ABOUT THE MISSION ....................................... 7 METHODOLOGY .............................................. 8 BACKGROUND ........................................................ 10 TUMULT
    [Show full text]
  • UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA Santa Barbara Egyptian
    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Santa Barbara Egyptian Urban Exigencies: Space, Governance and Structures of Meaning in a Globalising Cairo A Thesis submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Global Studies by Roberta Duffield Committee in charge: Professor Paul Amar, Chair Professor Jan Nederveen Pieterse Assistant Professor Javiera Barandiarán Associate Professor Juan Campo June 2019 The thesis of Roberta Duffield is approved. ____________________________________________ Paul Amar, Committee Chair ____________________________________________ Jan Nederveen Pieterse ____________________________________________ Javiera Barandiarán ____________________________________________ Juan Campo June 2014 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my thesis committee at the University of California, Santa Barbara whose valuable direction, comments and advice informed this work: Professor Paul Amar, Professor Jan Nederveen Pieterse, Professor Javiera Barandiarán and Professor Juan Campo, alongside the rest of the faculty and staff of UCSB’s Global Studies Department. Without their tireless work to promote the field of Global Studies and committed support for their students I would not have been able to complete this degree. I am also eternally grateful for the intellectual camaraderie and unending solidarity of my UCSB colleagues who helped me navigate Californian graduate school and come out the other side: Brett Aho, Amy Fallas, Tina Guirguis, Taylor Horton, Miguel Fuentes Carreño, Lena Köpell, Ashkon Molaei, Asutay Ozmen, Jonas Richter, Eugene Riordan, Luka Šterić, Heather Snay and Leila Zonouzi. I would especially also like to thank my friends in Cairo whose infinite humour, loyalty and love created the best dysfunctional family away from home I could ever ask for and encouraged me to enroll in graduate studies and complete this thesis: Miriam Afifiy, Eman El-Sherbiny, Felix Fallon, Peter Holslin, Emily Hudson, Raïs Jamodien and Thomas Pinney.
    [Show full text]
  • Vocal Empowerment for Young Egyptian Women: Increasing Contributions to Sustainable Development
    i Vocal Empowerment for Young Egyptian Women: Increasing Contributions to Sustainable Development Sarah Fahmy B.A., Theatre, University of Kentucky, 2017 B.A., Arts Administration, University of Kentucky, 2017 A Thesis submitted in the partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts In Theatre and Performance Studies University of Colorado, Boulder 2019 ii This thesis entitled: Vocal Empowerment for Young Egyptian Women: Increasing Contributions to Sustainable Development written by Sarah Fahmy has been approved for the Department of Theatre & Dance Beth Osnes, PhD Marcos Steuernagel, PhD Date:____________ The final copy of this thesis has been examined by the signatories, and we find that both the content and the form meet acceptable presentation standards of scholarly work in the above mentioned discipline. IRB protocol # 16-0261 iii Abstract: Fahmy, Sarah (M.A. Theatre & Performance Studies, Department of Theatre & Dance) Vocal Empowerment for Young Egyptian Women: Increasing Contributions to Sustainable Development Thesis Advisor: Beth Osnes, Ph.D., Associate Professor This study assesses the impact theatre based vocal empowerment activities can have on young Egyptian women’s self-perception of their ability to contribute to sustainable development. Through the presentation and analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data collected from 55 participants from conducting the SPEAK: Vocal Empowerment curriculum in Alexandria and Aswan, Egypt between June - July 2018. This study depicts how the change in perceived
    [Show full text]
  • Egypt : a Path Forward for Future Prosperity
    The Egyptian Cabinet Information and Decision of Ministers Support Center (IDSC) Egypt : A path Forward for Future Prosperity March 2020 The Egyptian Cabinet Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC); is the leading governmental Egyptian think tank which is entitled with the responsibility of conducting high quality policy research through using and disseminating information to support the decision-making process in Egypt. IDSC has a diversified working agenda which tackles several economic, social and political issues related to the development process. IDSC relies on highly qualified staff and experts, with distinguished academic backgrounds who are able – at the same time – to creatively think ahead for realizing prosperity all over Egypt. www.idsc.gov.eg In view of Egypt’s ultimate goal of upgrading the quality of life of Egyptians, the Government of Egypt (GOE) has embarked on a very comprehensive economic reform program, and has undertaken very bold measures towards a more stable resilient economy. In this context, Egypt has succeeded in creating an enabling environment for inclusive growth and sustainable development, where economic fundamentals are stabilizing with reduction in fiscal deficit, curbing in the rate of inflation, and increasing the growth rate of output , together with strengthening the local currency, this is met with increased confidence from domestic and international investors, which makes Egypt the promise land for businessmen to come and invest. While implementing its comprehensive reform program, citizens are always the government’s first concern, that’s why the government was keen on reducing the negative impact of this program especially on the most vulnerable. In this regard providing social safety nets was considered as a crucial component of Egypt’s economic reform.
    [Show full text]
  • What Is Belly Dance?
    What Is Belly Dance? THE PYRAMID DANCE CO. INC. was originally founded in Memphis 1987. With over 30 years Experience in Middle Eastern Dance, we are known for producing professional Dancers and Instructors in belly dancing! The company’s purpose is to teach, promote, study, and perform belly dance. Phone: 901.628.1788 E-mail: [email protected] PAGE 2 CONTACT: 901.628.1788 WHAT IS BELLY DANCE? PAGE 11 What is the belly dance? Sadiia is committed to further- ing belly dance in its various The dance form we call "belly dancing" is derived from forms (folk, modern, fusion , traditional women's dances of the Middle East and interpretive) by increasing pub- North Africa. Women have always belly danced, at lic awareness, appreciation parties, at family gatherings, and during rites of pas- and education through per- sage. A woman's social dancing eventually evolved formances, classes and litera- into belly dancing as entertainment ("Dans Oryantal " in ture, and by continuing to Turkish and "Raqs Sharqi" in Arabic). Although the his- study all aspects of belly tory of belly dancing is clouded prior to the late 1800s, dance and producing meaning- many experts believe its roots go back to the temple ful work. She offers her stu- rites of India. Probably the greatest misconception dents a fun, positive and nur- about belly dance is that it is intended to entertain men. turing atmosphere to explore Because segregation of the sexes was common in the movement and the proper part of the world that produced belly dancing, men of- techniques of belly dance, giv- ten were not allowed to be present.
    [Show full text]