{"id":42134,"date":"2025-12-04T20:27:27","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T18:27:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/?p=42134"},"modified":"2025-12-05T08:32:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T06:32:14","slug":"ink-between-two-shores-ambassador-salih-sen-opens-the-turkish-egyptian-calligraphy-exhibition-in-cairo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/?p=42134","title":{"rendered":"INK Between Two SHORES&#8230; Ambassador Salih \u015een Opens the Turkish\u2013Egyptian CALLIGRAPHY Exhibition in Cairo"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Ashraf AboArafe<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Turkish\u2013Egyptian joint exhibition of <em>Husn al-Khatt<\/em> (the Art of Fine Calligraphy) has opened to the public at the Egyptian Geographic Society in Cairo, celebrating a shared artistic heritage that spans centuries and civilizations.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Organized in cooperation with the Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Turkey\u2014home to the largest collection of Arabic calligraphy in Turkey\u2014and with contributions from renowned Turkish and Egyptian calligraphers, the exhibition brings together masterpieces that illuminate the soul of Islamic art.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-42143 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0016.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0016.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0016-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0016-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0016-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0016-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Supported by the Turkish Embassy in Cairo and the Egyptian Geographic Society, the exhibition features selected works from the vast calligraphy collection of the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs, an institution responsible for printing the Holy Qur\u2019an, issuing religious publications, guiding religious activities, and preserving Turkey\u2019s mosque heritage. Alongside these pieces, works by distinguished artists from Egypt and Turkey reflect the timeless elegance of Islamic aesthetics.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-42138 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0013.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0013.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0013-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0013-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0013-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0013-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">During his opening remarks, <strong>Ambassador Salih Mutlu \u015een<\/strong>, T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s Ambassador to Cairo, emphasized a truth widely acknowledged across the Islamic world: <em>\u201cThe Qur\u2019an was revealed in Mecca, recited in Egypt, and written in Istanbul.\u201d<\/em><br \/>\nHe highlighted the unique place calligraphy holds in Turkish culture, noting that since the Ottoman era, the most beautiful renderings of the Qur\u2019an\u2014regarded as the pinnacle of Islamic art\u2014have been known simply as \u201cthe art of calligraphy.\u201d<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-42139 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0014.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0014.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0014-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0014-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0014-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0014-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ambassador \u015een explained that Turks have long cherished the Qur\u2019an, the Arabic language, and every surah, verse, and letter inscribed within it. Their devotion fused sanctity with aesthetic brilliance, giving rise to some of the finest scripts in Islamic history\u2014masterpieces born on paper, walls, mosques, and illuminated pages. Istanbul, he said, naturally became the cradle of the world&#8217;s most exquisite scripts.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-42137 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0015.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0015.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0015-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0015-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0015-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0015-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He further noted that both Ottoman and Seljuk mosques of Istanbul are adorned entirely with Arabic calligraphy. Ottoman calligraphers refined the art to unprecedented heights, developing and perfecting scripts such as <em>Naskh<\/em>, <em>Thuluth<\/em>, <em>Jali<\/em>, <em>Ta\u2018liq<\/em>, <em>Diwani<\/em>, <em>Riq\u2018a<\/em>, and <em>Tughra<\/em>.<br \/>\nTheir work extended beyond penmanship: they wrote the Qur\u2019an with precise proportions, illuminated each page with intricate ornamentation, and transformed every manuscript into a breathtaking masterpiece. This artistic spirit, \u015een affirmed, continues to flourish among contemporary Turkish calligraphers.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-42140 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0018.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"597\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0018.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0018-300x140.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0018-1024x478.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0018-150x70.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0018-768x358.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Around <strong>40 artworks<\/strong> by leading calligraphers from both countries\u2014exhibited today\u2014embody this rich, intertwined artistic legacy.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The opening ceremony also featured remarks by <strong>Prof. Dr. Mohamed Zaki El-Sedimy<\/strong>, President of the Egyptian Geographic Society; <strong>Prof. Dr. Ismail Youssef<\/strong>, its Secretary-General; and <strong>Maryam Dalg\u0131\u00e7<\/strong>, Head of Turkish-Islamic Arts at the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-42141 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0017.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0017.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0017-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0017-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0017-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0017-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A masterclass in calligraphy was delivered by the eminent Turkish calligrapher <strong>Prof. Dr. Mehmet Memi\u015f<\/strong>, followed by a panel discussion titled <em>\u201cCalligraphy in Turkey: From the Ottoman Empire to Today.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Friday, 5 December 2025, another workshop and panel will be conducted by Egyptian calligrapher <strong>Mohamed Soufi Zada<\/strong>, a descendant of a distinguished Ankara calligraphy lineage.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-42142 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0019.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0019.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0019-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0019-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0019-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG-20251205-WA0019-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Approximately 300 guests\u2014including journalists, cultural figures, and artists\u2014attended the opening ceremony.<br \/>\nThe exhibition runs from <strong>4 to 6 December 2025<\/strong> and remains open to visitors at the Egyptian Geographic Society until <strong>6:00 PM on Saturday<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ashraf AboArafe \u00a0 The Turkish\u2013Egyptian joint exhibition of Husn al-Khatt (the Art of Fine Calligraphy) has opened to the public at the Egyptian Geographic Society in Cairo, celebrating a shared artistic heritage that spans centuries and civilizations. Organized in cooperation with the Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Turkey\u2014home to the largest collection &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42136,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,388],"tags":[1814,2413,22442,2984,3115,11427,4506,17725,17830,22441,22329],"class_list":["post-42134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-slide","tag-ambassador","tag-between","tag-calligraphy","tag-exhibition","tag-in-cairo","tag-ink","tag-opens","tag-salih","tag-sen","tag-the-turkish-egyptian","tag-two-shores"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=42134"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42134\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42146,"href":"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42134\/revisions\/42146"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/42136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=42134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=42134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aldiplomasy.com\/en\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=42134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}