Ikhwanweb :: The Muslim Brotherhood Official English Website

In a statement to Ikhwanweb, Dr. Mahmoud Ghozlan, Muslim Brotherhood spokesman, expressed surprise at the British newspaper ‘The Guardian’ which stated (in a June 5 article) that the Brotherhood sought “to impose conservative religious agenda on cultural life”, saying that: "This is not true at all.

"We are not against creativity and art that elevate and enhance ideas, morals and people, and uphold the values ​​of society."

Dr. Ghozlan added: "There is a war waged against the new Minister of Culture, who is not connected to the Muslim Brotherhood, by dubious individuals who have long monopolized Egypt’s culture, although Egypt’s diverse culture has thousands of creative talents that had been prevented by Mubarak and his elites and cronies from appearing or showing their artistic works.

"The Brotherhood will continue to support the policy of any minister of culture who faces up to corruption at Mubarak’s Ministry of Culture, and seeks to end the monopoly imposed by some elites against the majority of Egyptian intellectuals. Those do not want in the cultural scene anyone except themselves, and do not accept any vision other than their own – which slowly killed Egyptian culture over the past few decades."

Dr. Ghozlan wondered, "Does it make sense that cultured, civilized or enlightened artists, whose tools are art and creativity, storm the Ministry of Culture where an honorable minister is endeavoring to put an end to wasting public funds? Does it make sense for such ‘intellectuals’ to claim they uphold the state’s status and the culture of Egypt as they storm the Ministry?"