Duchess of Cornwall visits sewing workshop of Siwa
24 Mar '06
2 min read
Duchess of Cornwall at Siwa sewing workshop
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited the desert oasis town of Siwa in Egypt to see examples of eco-tourism and sustainable development.
The Prince and The Duchess also met seamstresses at a sewing workshop in the town.
The Siwa Women's Native Artisanship Development Project was set up using seed money from the British Embassy in Cairo with the aim of encouraging local women to empower themselves by earning money for the first time by reviving the traditional Siwan skills of sewing and embroidery.
23.03.2006: The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall meet stallholders in the town of Siwa, Egypt. Their Royal Highnesses are on an official tour of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and India. Click here for the gallery
Seventy-two women sat on cushions resting on the rush mat floor, delicately embroidering stylish designer jeans, which sell for more than £150 each and are bound for the designer Ermanno Scervino who is based in Italy.
Their work has graced the European catwalks on four occasions, with shows in Rome, London and Paris.
Intrigued by their work, The Duchess sat between the women and chatted for several minutes as they responded to her in their local dialect.
Their Royal Highnesses also explored the Temple of the Oracle, which dates back to around 570BC and was built for the sun god Amun.
It became famous for the accuracy of its prophecies and was consulted by Alexander the Great in 332BC after he had liberated Egypt from Persian rule. The temples ruins comprise two main halls and a sanctuary.
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