Youm7
As part of the efforts of the Egyptian Trade Representation Office in Athens to support and strengthen economic and cultural ties between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Hellenic Republic of Greece, the office, headed by Commercial Counselor Marwa Abu El-Sadat, organized an extensive bilateral meeting between the Egyptian International Creativity Academy (ICA) and the Greek Hellenic Handicrafts Foundation, to explore opportunities for joint cooperation in the fields of crafts industries and artistic creativity.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Hani Barakat, representing the Egyptian International Creativity Academy (ICA), and Ms. Sofia Charokopou, Head of Business Development at the Foundation of the Hellenic World – Hellenic Cosmos Cultural Center, representing the Greek side.
During the meeting, both sides reviewed cooperation opportunities. Dr. Hani Barakat expressed the academy’s desire to establish an artistic and technical partnership with the Greek side aimed at exchanging expertise in design, handicraft production, and training, with a focus on supporting young Egyptian artisans and developing their skills to enhance innovation and marketing capabilities, while preserving the heritage identity of Egyptian products.
For her part, Sofia Charokopou welcomed cooperation with the academy, affirming the readiness of the Foundation of the Hellenic World to provide technical support and expertise to ensure the success of this cooperation, through expert exchanges and joint workshops. She also emphasized the foundation’s keenness to strengthen cultural and artistic ties between Egypt and Greece in support of the creative economy in both countries.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Commercial Counselor Marwa Abu El-Sadat, head of the Egyptian Trade Office in Greece, stressed the importance of this cooperation in enhancing the technical and artistic capacities of Egyptian artisans, affirming that the office will continue to support communication and coordination efforts between Egyptian and Greek entities with shared interests in cultural and creative fields, ensuring the sustainability of these partnerships and maximizing benefits for both sides.
In this context, Dr. Abdel Aziz El-Sherif, Minister Plenipotentiary for Trade and First Undersecretary of the Ministry, Head of the Egyptian Trade Representation Authority, highlighted the importance of the handicrafts sector between Egypt and Greece, noting that this sector represents a fundamental pillar of the creative economy and plays an active role in strengthening trade and cultural exchange.
He further pointed out that the trade volume between the two countries reached about $1.08 billion during 2024, including Egyptian exports worth about $516 million to Greece, while Egypt’s imports from Greece amounted to about $564 million. These imports included fuel and oils, fertilizers, vegetables and fruits, cotton, and other products.
Dr. El-Sherif emphasized the importance of activating bilateral cooperation through:
Joint training programs to qualify young artisans in design, innovation, and marketing.
Establishing a platform for exchanging technical expertise, organizing joint workshops, and field visits.
Implementing pilot projects to produce joint handicraft products marketable locally and in Europe.
Facilitating access to European markets through Greece and expanding marketing channels for Egyptian crafts.
Ensuring sustainable financing and technical support through cooperation between government entities, the private sector, and creative institutions.
