Background
Youssef Mohammed Al-Sibai was born on June 10, 1917.
politician social activist writer
Youssef Mohammed Al-Sibai was born on June 10, 1917.
Educated at the Military Academy and Cairo University where he first showed his talent for writing.
A lecturer in military history from 1943 to 1952, he was appointed director of the Military Museum at Cairo in 1952. In 1953 he entered journalism as editor-in-chief of “Arissala al Gadida”. After three years he left to become secretary-general of the Council for the Arts, Letters and Social Science. In 1957 he became secretary-general of the Afro-Asian Peoples Solidarity Organisation.
His Afro-Asian responsibilities allowed him the free time for his writing which attracted increasing praise as the work of one of the outstanding authors of his generation. “Rodda Qalbi” won the Ministry' of Culture’s prize for the best film story and another award for the best dialogue. Two of his plays drew particularly warm acclaim: “Behind the Curtain” and “Stronger than Time”. One of the most popular collections of short stories in Egypt has been his volume “A Nation that Laughed”. Some of his novels such as “Death of a Water Carrier”, “Land of Hypocrisy” and “Among the Ruins” have secured for him a special place in modem Egyptian literature.
His appointment as Minister of Culture was welcomed in literary and student circles. He had to adapt himself to the procedures of the Establishment but he soon showed how flexible a minister can be in listening to the critics from the colleges.
Secretary General of the Organization of Solidarity of Asian and African Peoples (1958) and the Permanent Bureau of the Association of Writers of Asia and Africa (1958). The head of the Union of Egyptian Writers.
Prize-winning literary figure brought into the cabinet as a left-winger to help bridge the gulf between students and the government. Gifted as a novelist, short story writer, playwright and film script writer. A man of great sensitivity whose political commitment was expressed in his long connection with the Afro-Asian Peoples Solidarity Organisation.
Yusuf al-Sibai - author of about 50 books on relevant topics, including a collection of critical essays "slap in the face and kisses" (1959), novels "we are not alone" (1969), "Life - it is a moment" (1973). Piece Al-Sibai "Stronger than Time" (1966) is devoted to the construction of the Aswan Dam.