Bookmarks (389)

25 January, Eid El Shorta (Police Day), of 2011 fell on a Tuesday. I was sitting next to my mom in – the newly opened at the time – Tivoli Dome in Heliopolis, happy I had a day off school. I had just turned ten a couple of months earlier and I listened while my […] The post 11 Years Later, I Recollect My...

  “From my mother, I inherited a stone cake, and, from my father, a prison cell.” – From Graffiti for Two, by Alaa Abdel Fattah and Ahmed Douma Known to many political activists across the Middle East, Alaa Abdel Fattah is an Egyptian political activist, software developer, and blogger. Alaa first rose to prominence during […] The post Book Review: Alaa Abdel Fattah’s Intimate...

On the 11th anniversary of Egypt’s January 25 revolution, emotional tides that are often buried with the mundane busyness of time resurface again. Between feelings of anger, frustration, pride, and longing remain one unwavering emotion, remembrance. The revolution, led by the desire to bring hope, freedom, and justice, was a watershed in the history of […] The post In Photos: The Remembrance of Art...

One of Egypt’s most popular attractions, the Cairo book fair, is returning this year with management regulations in line with the Omicron surge worldwide. Although the fair’s management announced that all visitors would be allowed to enter without proof of vaccination, it also indicated that there would be opportunities to get vaccinated in situ. Vaccination […] The post Perusing Books Amidst a Pandemic: the...

Egypt’s earliest memories were printed on papyrus, and its more modern ones, woven into tapestry. Tapestry-making has directed stories in Egypt for well over nine centuries, becoming elemental to both beauty and storytelling, warm homes and craftsmanship. By fickle, flickering lamplight early Copts redefined tapestry-making on the Mediterranean, their skill sets dissolving into masterworks that […] The post Woven Storytelling: Coptic Tapestries first appeared...

Big changes start with small beginnings. Greta Thunberg gained the world’s attention when she first turned up at the Swedish parliament in 2018 to protest against climate change. Since then, ‘the Greta effect’ quickly took effect around the world – leading to the FridaysForFuture, a youth-led global climate strike movement Now, her generation is poised […] The post 3 Ways Egypt’s World Youth Forum...

The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) announced on 20 January that remittances coming from Egyptians working abroad from the first ten months of 2021 saw a steady increase, reaching USD 26.4 billion. A growth of USD 1.9 billion, or 7.8 percent in comparison to the same period in 2020. However, the Deputy Governor of the […] The post Surge in Egyptian Expat Remittances Offer...

On the sidelines of the fourth edition of the World Youth Forum (WYF), Egyptian Streets caught up with His Excellency, US Ambassador, Jonathan Cohen, to chat about his participation in the event, as well as his role and experience in Egypt thus far. As his second time at the WYF after 2019, His Excellency recounts […] The post ‘We’ve Been Strategic Partners for the...

Controversy erupted on social media following the release of Netflix’s first Arabic original film ‘Ashab wala A’azz’ (‘Perfect Strangers’ in English). The movie, starring Egyptian superstar Mona Zaki, Jordanian actor Eyad Nassar, Lebanese actor and director Nadine Labaki, and a number of  other Arab actors, was released on Netflix on 20 January, 2022 and has […] The post ‘Perfect Strangers’ Sparks Viral Controversy Among...

Very few things are as vulnerable as the things we keep on our phones. Fearful of all things untold, our phones, locked, are clenched into our hands. Netflix’s first-ever Arabic original film, Ashab Wala A’azz (‘Perfect Strangers’ in English), intriguingly portrays this distinctly intense modern fear while setting the stage for more representation in the […] The post Perfect Strangers: Netflix’s Bold First Arabic...

Born and bred French pâtisserie, Ladurée, has arrived in Egypt’s Arkan Plaza in El Sheikh Zayed and The Waterway in New Cairo. Famously known for its colorful double-decker macarons, Ladurée traces its origin back to 1862. Wrapped in history, the refined atmosphere of Ladurée is chic and classy. The green hues of the café and […] The post Review: Paris’ Little Mint Green Pâtisserie...

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi announced that Egypt is raising the minimum wage to EGP 2,700 for public sector employees for the fiscal year 2022/23, which is up from EGP 2,400 by a 12.5 percent increase.  Due to shortages in finding teachers, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi also ordered to appoint 30,000 teachers annually for […] The post President Sisi Orders Bonuses for Teachers,...

A year after the Sheikh Jarrah events gripped public attention, its residents are still experiencing threats of demolition and displacement from the Israeli military forces. In the early morning of 19 January, at 3 A.M, a fleet of police cars belonging to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stormed the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in Palestine and […] The post Israeli Forces Demolish the Salhiya Family...

German University in Cairo alumna, Faculty of Pharmacy & Biotechnology, Egyptian researcher Sara Hegy Ahmed, was awarded the 2021 “Richtzenhain Doctoral Prize” for the best research on cancer in Germany. The Richtzenhain Doctoral Prize is awarded for exceptional dissertations in the cancer research field at Heidelberg University. Ahmed carried out her Ph.D. research at the […] The post Egyptian Researcher Wins Award for Best...

There is no Nile horizon in Egypt undotted by felucca: light and swift sailboats, used in the transport of goods and people. The breeze marries the current and rocks them gently down stream. Some sit anchored to the shore, tethered by rope and the strong sailors who knotted it. For over a millennia, felucca have […] The post Felucca Culture: Egypt’s Sailing Legacy first...

The 53rd edition of Cairo’s International Book Fair will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly at Egypt’s International Exhibition Center (EIEC) on 26 January. Under the title ‘Egypt’s Identity – Culture & the Question of the Future,’ the book fair will be held for 13 consecutive days until 7 February 2022. The 53rd edition […] The post Cairo’s International Book Fair Returns for...

Bread has a long and arduous history of being the trigger for uprisings and revolutions across the globe. It has been featured in most slogans of revolutions in the last few centuries, some of them transnational, having spread across imaginary borders. In Egypt, when we think of bread, it is usually in reference to one […] The post 45 Years On: Remembering the Egyptian...

The Aswan International Women Film Festival (AIWFF) announced artist Sawsan Badr as the recipient of the Isis Achievement Award during the opening of the festival’s upcoming sixth edition on 23 February. The AIWFF honored veteran artist Sawsan Badr with the Isis Achievement Award for her long and impactful contribution to the Egyptian and Arab cinema […] The post Sawsan Badr to Recieve Award at...

Political activist and mother of Youssef Sameh Al-Arabi, Marwa Kenawy, announced through her Facebook page that two of those accused of shooting her son dead – a dismissed officer and the son of a parliamentarian – received a release from the presidency 15 days ago. The announcement was made on social media channels on January […] The post Activist Marwa Kenawy Petitions Against Pardoning...

Egyptians like to say that the cold in Egypt “goes all the way into your bones,” — a phrase that may seem laughable to anyone from a country that is actually cold. But, while the statement is not remotely scientific, there is a reason why Egyptians feel this way about their winters. Being a country […] The post 5 Hearty Soup Recipes to Help...

There is a famous metaphor, of lobsters, used by Israeli-American Hasidic rabbi and psychiatrist, Dr. Abraham Twerski, that captures the core of personal development. The story is as follows: when lobsters outgrow their shell, they cannot simply and automatically adopt a new shell like other crustaceans. Instead, they have to search for a rock crevice […] The post Why This Egyptian Life Coach Wants...

South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in will arrive in Cairo for the first visit of a South Korean President to Egypt in 16 years on Wednesday, 20 January as part of his Middle East tour. President Abdel-Fatah Al Sisi’s invitation was extended for the two presidents to discuss bilateral cooperation in sustainable growth and bolstering future […] The post South Korea’s President to visit Egypt...

At only 12 years old, Egyptian-American Sawsan Ahmed earned an associate degree with a concentration in biological science from Broward College, South Florida, in December of 2021, report Egypt Independent and the Daily Mail. She graduated with a perfect grade point average of 4.0, and is set to begin her graduate studies this month at […] The post At 12 Years Old, Egyptian-American Sawsan...

Social media, globalization, lack of mental health support, and even the recent COVID-19 pandemic, have all been contributing to a significant rise in divorce and separation rates in Egypt. However, in the past few years, more and more couples have started seeking couple therapy to find solutions for their arguments and conflicts. President Abdel Fattah […] The post Is Couple Therapy in Egypt Contributing...

The 32nd Youth Salon, taking place at the Palace of Arts at the Cairo Opera House is set to open on Sunday,16 January 2022. The event will showcase a total of 210 artworks created by 196 rising artists in different artistic fields such as sculpture, ceramics, photography, space installation, as well as media and digital […] The post The Cairo Palace of Arts Hosts...

Nour, a quarterly review of books by and about Arab women published from 1994 to 2004, has been digitized by the Centre for Arab Unity Studies.  Sharing a wide range of works by Arab women in literature, research and translations, the quarterly review presents brief biographies of Arab women researchers, writers, scientists and artists to […] The post ‘Nour’ Journal by Arab Women Writers...

Egypt is no stranger to unrest – rather, it seems to embrace the instability with enough grace to remain standing after upwards of three revolutions in the past half-century alone. Those at the forefront of these movements, however, are not always loved; from death threats to feminism, from socialist agendas to anarchy, Egyptian revolutionaries have […] The post Egypt’s Controversial Revolutionaries first appeared on...

After a series of underwhelming early matches in this year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Egypt kicks off its first match of the tournament against Nigeria on 11 January. Historically, AFCON has been Egypt’s favourite tournament. Out of all of Africa’s national football teams, Egypt is the record-holder with seven titles, starting with the very […] The post AFCON 2022: Dazzling Past and Shaky...

After COVID-19 heath complications, Egyptian media icon Wael al-Ibrashi passed away on Sunday, 10 January 2022. His death was corroborated by several media houses including Akhbar al-Youm and al-Watan. According to Gulf Today, al-Ibrashi suffered pulmonary fibrosis after retaining COVID-19 at the end of 2020. He was hospitalized on several occasions afterwards in a grapple […] The post Prominent Public Figures Wael al-Ibrashi and...

The second edition of the avidly-awaited Film My Design (FMD) film festival has been scheduled to run from 27 January through 30 January 2022 at Zawya Cinema, located in Cinema Karim (15 Emad el-Din, Downtown Cairo). Dovetailing the worlds of design and cinematography, FMD 2022 promises to unite creative professionals and enthusiasts from across the […] The post Film My Design Festival Returns for...

Small in size, dog-like in only appearance: Egypt’s prized scavenger is a staple of many histories and a symbol of countless cultures. The jackal is prolific in the region, nosing into bedouin tents when the nights drag and unearthing bones with a devil-may-care expertise. Despite their sweet face, jackals are hardly harmless – which comes […] The post Gravediggers: Symbology of Egypt’s Jackal first...

Egyptian media and business CEO Mohamed Al-Amin was detained on Friday, 7 January, after being accused of human trafficking and assaulting underage girls at an orphanage he owns in Upper Egypt. The Egyptian Public Prosecution released a statement on Saturday, 8 January, stating that it had decided to arrest Al-Amin, the owner and founder of […] The post Egyptian Media CEO Detained for ‘Assaulting...

It’s 1967, and Laila Pence is shelled out of her home by warfare. She’d had “every luxury,” a home embellished with nuances of wealth and warmth, and a family with a profound sense of integrity. In a single moment – a bombshell dropping in the context of the Six Day War with Israel – Pence […] The post From Egypt to the American Dream:...

It is easy to see the buzz expressions “mental health” and “ways to cope with stress/anxiety” appear regularly on social media, but it’s even harder to directly interact with someone who struggles from anxiety. Not only is it often misunderstood, but it is also underestimated. The truth is that understanding the role and impact of […] The post A Guide: Recognizing and Alleviating Anxiety...

Netflix released on Wednesday, January 5, the official teaser for Tunisian actress Hend Sabry’s new six-episode series “Al Bahth An Ola” (“Finding Ola”), reprising her role as Ola Abdel-Sabour in the 2010 comedy series “Ayza Atgawez” (“I Want to Get Married”). This is the latest Egyptian Original on Netflix, after Paranormal and Abla Fahita: Drama […] The post Netflix Releases Teaser for Popular Egyptian...

Prosecution in Egypt’s Gharbiya governorate detained two men Tuesday 4 January, after allegations of blackmailing a minor with explicit, doctored images. Basant Khaled, a 16-year-old from Kafr El Zayat village, took her own life as a result of these actions. Family and friends hold that the images were distributed by both men after Khaled refused […] The post Two Arrested for Blackmailing Egyptian Girl...

The story of 17-year-old Basant Khaled from Kafr El Zayat village in Egypt’s Gharbia governorate, who committed suicide after she was blackmailed with photoshopped pictures online, has caused a ripple of outrage on social media According to Al Arabiya, residents from Kafr El Zayat stated that Khaled’s blackmailer published fake photos of Basant after she […] The post Young Egyptian Girl Dies by Suicide...

As someone who aspired to become a writer from a very young age, I’ve always pondered as a child why I never studied many women writers in literature classes – so much so that, due to the little exposure I had to women voices, my writing started to adopt a masculine character, tone and voice. […] The post Women Writers in the Middle East...

In the heart of Cairo’s crowded streets lies Ataba Square, a space of various essences in sculpturing the historical, cultural, geographical, and economic situation in Egypt. Egypt’s main post office is located near it, and it is the starting point of Cairo where all distances of cities are measured, according to the book “History of […] The post Ataba Square: Cairo’s Famed Historical and...

In January 2022, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization is scheduled to host the largest international contemporary art event, the World Art Forum (WAF). The WAF is the first of its kind, and adopts Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the centerpoint of its mission. The event will take place from 15 January through 19 January, […] The post National Museum of Egyptian Civilization to...

“El zaman el gameel” (the beautiful time) or Egypt’s Golden Age: This is how we often hear our parents and grandparents describing Egypt in the last few decades before the introduction of technology and the revolutionary 2000s. Scrolling through Instagram, we came across Egypt Archive, a platform posting pictures of Egypt’s streets, buildings, and people, […] The post In Photos: Vintage Archive of Egypt’s...

It’s Friday: an Egyptian home is with ripe sunlight, the morning catching on furniture and slanting across rooms. Beyond the scene, a call to prayer can be heard – an athan, ceremonial bells falling together, or the gentle worship of slow morning traffic. In that home, an attar burner sits in the corner, a lit […] The post Egypt’s History of Burning Incense first...

An advertisement by French automobile brand Citroen has attracted criticism for its apparent promotion of sexual harassment in Egypt. The advertisement, released by Citroen Egypt in the first week of December, has become the subject of social media debate after being reshared by women’s rights activists in Egypt who say the advertisement promotes sexual harassment. […] The post Citroen Ad Slammed in Egypt for...

Over the centuries, Egypt has been home to many cultures and many civilizations, has housed religions and renegades, lovers and unlovables. As a result, Egypt has become a pinwheel of diversity, city names ranging from Latin to Arabic, Greek to English. Whether it’s a tongue of antiquity or one we still use today, Egypt remembers […] The post Behind the Name of Six Cairo’s...

  It often feels like we are living in an era held together by curiosity. In a time marked by climate change, epidemics, and uncertainty, curiosity infuses life into our world and sparks new ideas, new tastes, and new knowledge. For far too long, scrolling aimlessly through a phone screen has made me feel deprived […] The post Cultivating a Culture of Curiosity: Egypt’s...

Minister of Emigration and Expatriate Affairs Nabila Makram announced Egypt’s first-ever international insurance policy in a press conference on Monday 27 December. “The Egyptian citizen, at home and abroad, tops the list of priorities of the Egyptian state in the new republic,” she stated in the presence of a number of members of the House […] The post Egypt Announces First-Ever Insurance Coverage for...

The Coptic Orthodox Church announced a tree-planting competition on Saturday 25 December, as an initiative to reduce the impact of climate change in Egypt. The initiative is directed at all of Egypt’s churches in different governorates and dioceses. The competition stipulates several rules, including planting the trees inside the church area or in the area […] The post Coptic Church Launches Nation-Wide Tree-Planting Initiative...

Ibrahim Ashmawi, First Assistant Minister of Supply and Head of the Internal Trade Development Authority, said in a television interview with TV anchor Amr Adib that Egypt is on a path to reform its subsidy system, echoing global sentiments to reform social protection systems to provide more targeted protection to those that are most in […] The post Reforming Egypt’s Subsidy System? Assistant Minister...

During the pandemic, catapulted by a general ennui and reminders that I was somehow thrown into further isolation through a lack of using social media, I finally downloaded Instagram. A few weeks in, I started noticing posts by a specific account in which narcissism, in an Egyptian context, was the focus point. Intrigued, I opened […] The post ‘Escaping the Egyptian Narcissist’: A Critical...

Ending a relationship can bring a heavy emotional backpack. Often, it is not so much about the ending itself, but about how and why the relationship ended. Through text? Threats? A dramatic turn of events? Or a sudden 25 second call? Even in the entertainment industry, the breakup has always been the subject of the […] The post Egyptians Share Their Worst Breakup Stories...