Farouk Hosny Donates Nile Award Cash Prize to Abu El Rish Hospital

Former Minister of Culture and artist Farouk Hosny has announced that he will donate the EGP 500,000 cash prize accompanying the 2026 Nile Award in Arts to Abu El Rish Children's Hospital after being named this year's recipient by the Supreme Council of Culture.

The Nile Award is Egypt's highest state honour in the cultural field, recognising outstanding lifetime contributions to the arts, literature and social sciences. In addition to a gold medal and certificate, the award carries a cash prize of EGP 500,000.

Hosny said he was honoured to receive the award and thanked the institutions that nominated him, including Cairo University, the Academy of Arts, the Actors' Syndicate and the Society of Art Lovers. He added that while he would proudly retain the award's symbolic value, its financial value would be donated in full to Abu El Rish Children's Hospital, saying that the impact of culture and art is complete only when it serves society and humanity.

An abstract painter, Hosny served as Egypt's Minister of Culture from 1987 to 2011, overseeing major cultural initiatives including the establishment of museums, galleries and cultural centres across the country, as well as the launch of the Grand Egyptian Museum project. In 2009, he was Egypt's candidate for the post of Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Since leaving office, Hosny has continued his artistic career and founded the Farouk Hosny Foundation for Culture and Arts in 2019, which organises annual awards across disciplines including painting, sculpture, photography, architecture and art criticism. Earlier this year, the foundation also inaugurated the Farouk Hosny Museum of Arts in Zamalek, showcasing the artist's work alongside pieces from his personal collection.