When Egypt nominated Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni to be UNESCO's next director-general all hell broke loose. Hosni's supporters argued he was uniquely qualified for the job, a man of refined taste, gentle manners and profound culture, a proponent of all the arts, a champion of archaeology and of the theatre, a balletomane and patron of the opera, a lover of literature and devotee of the popular arts. Others decried him as the most corrupt minister in the Cabinet, head of a cabal that specialises in bribes, pointing out that three of his advisors are now in jail, sentenced to 10 years of hard labour after being found guilty of attempting to solicit more than LE50 million in return for contracts to carry out restoration work. A painter by profession, Hosni is no stranger to criticism. During his 21-year tenure as minister of culture he has been a controversial figure, frequently locked in feuds with the NDP, Islamist politicians and left-leaning intellectuals. His latest battle, as a candidate for UNESCO's director-general, is being fought on an international front. Assem El-Kersh and Nevine El-Aref speak to him about his campaign

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