Dr. Sherif Fahkry Mohamed Abd-el-NabY, President of the Egyptian Russian University (ERU), announced that students of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the university organized the second edition of “Creative Interaction Forum,” whose activities this year were characterized by a multiplicity of fields, cultural diversity, and cognitive dialogue, combining the fragrance of heritage with the spirit of modernity. This comes within the framework of enhancing integration between theoretical knowledge and technical practice, and building genuine bridges between students and the community. Dr. Sherif stated that the forum was organized with the support of Dr. Mohamed Kamal Mustafa, Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees, and that the forum conforms to the university’s strategy to develop students’ academic and practical skills in order to qualify them for joining the labor market at local, regional and international levels.

Dr. Mohamed Oraby, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the ERU, explained that the second edition of the “Creative Interaction Forum” was the culmination of educational and research efforts spanning the semester, which aimed at enabling students to approach societal and aesthetic issues through contemporary art tools. He added that the students produced integrated outcomes, characterized by the ability to: “think critically, visually plan, and employ multiple media in artistic expression,” thus reinforcing the concept of “art as a social practice.”

The Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the ERU highlighted that among the most outstanding projects that were presented by the students was one about developing and re-visualizing the visual identity of Wadi Degla Natural Reserve. This presentation brought the “natural reserve” experience to the university campus, including a simulation of its natural environment and its awareness-raising and recreational activities, within an innovative visual framework that strikes a balance between environmental protection and aesthetic perception.

Dr. Mohamed Oraby added that another group of students presented a project for raising awareness on the dangers of environmental pollution in water bodies. They designed interactive awareness media that reflected the danger of environmental degradation, and presented innovative visual solutions based on environmental data and social analysis. He pinpointed that, within the framework of community murals, the students submitted a project that addressed the relationship between mural art and urban fabric, through proposals for artistic interventions in public spaces based on an understanding of the local community’s visual identity and embodying the principle of “Art for All.”

The Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the ERU stated that, on the sidelines of the forum, religious celebrations and festivals were revived with a contemporary vision. A group of students presented a project that blended traditional symbolism with contemporary techniques, organizing a celebration on campus that included Sufi groups and interactive artistic installations, re-introducing the concept of “celebration” as an aesthetic and social ritual.

Dr. Mohamed Oraby pointed out that some students have presented a pilot project to establish a student audio platform that is based on cultural, artistic, and media content produced within the faculty’s equipped studios, with the goal of creating a lively dialogue between the university and the surrounding community.

It is worth mentioning that the projects presented at the second edition of “Creative Interaction Forum” were supervised by Dr. Shaymaa Baghdady, Lecturer at the Visual Communication Department at the Faculty, with the active participation of the support team: Mohamed Gamal, Assistant Lecturer at Department of Visual Arts, Nadeem Oraby, Teaching Assistant at Department of Visual Arts, Kirollos Victor, Teaching Assistant at Department of Visual Arts, Amira Abd-el-Rahman, Teaching Assistant at Department of Visual Communication Arts, Zeyad El- Gamal, Teaching Assistant at Department of Visual Communication Arts and Aly Hatem, Teaching Assistant at Department of Visual Communication Arts.

It is worth noting as well that the activities of the second edition of “Creative Interaction Forum” were attended by an elite group of the university leaders, including: Dr. Al-Tahera, Dean of the Faculty of Management, Economics and Business Technology, Dr. Hanaa Abd-el-Rahman, Advisor to the President of the University for Student Activities, Dr. Mohamed Badary, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Dr. Soha Samir, Director of the Social Solidarity Unit at the University, Brigadier General / Mohamed Al-Sharqawy, Director of University Security, Artist / Ahmed Hussein, Dr. Medhat Se’oudi, Assistant Professor of Photography at Alexandria University, Media Professional / Ms. Noha Mohamed, and a group of faculty members, assisting staff and administrative staff members.