Latest in Culture Highlight
Latest in Culture
In Pictures: Behind the scenes at Khan el-Kahlili
The streets of Khan el-Kahlili glitter with baubles – necklaces, rings, earrings, broaches – ready for bidding. Where did they come from? Some are imported from China. But others are polished, tooled and set in the winding allies behind the ancient market. Photos by Elizabeth Stuart
‘As if I brought it on myself’
Egyptian women share stories of gender discrimination, harassment, and abuse on BuSSy’s new blog
Exhibit celebrates mobile phone photography
Photopia selected the photos from more than 1,000 submitted by more than 450 contestants.
Breaking bread together
Christian Church is providing free dinner for fasting Muslims each Friday and Saturday during Ramadan
Post-Revolution, blasphemy convictions increase – and get more personal
Once reserved for public figures, blasphemy charges now levied between friends and neighbours out of “revenge” against “anyone who has different beliefs than that of the majority”, legal experts say
Putting a face on the ‘Humans of Cairo’
The photography project is one of hundreds inspired by “Humans of New York”, a Facebook page that features portraits of New Yorkers and personal stories from their lives
British museum’s plan to sell ancient Egyptian statue under fire
Egyptian ambassador in London condemns the sale, calling it “unethical”
From the scraps of violence, artist creates beauty
Ezzat Hamed, Egypt’s first scrap artist, uses ammunition collected during violent clashes between protesters and state security to make motorcycles, bikes, tanks, animals and vases
Al- Karama Party launches Ramadan cultural salon
By Youssef Aziz Each Thursday during Ramadan, Al-Karama Party will welcome guests to its Dokki headquarters for a cultural salon featuring Egyptian artists. “Our party is not all about politics,” said Tarek Said, head of Al Karama’s press office. “Any party should be involved in cultural and social issue due to the diversity of the …
The business of death
Book review: “Mrs Tsenhor: A Female Entrepreneur in Ancient Egypt”, by Koenraad Donker van Heel
Anti-FGM activists compromise in the face of cultural obstacles
72% of FGM procedures in Egypt are conducted by medical professionals, despite World Health Organization opposition
The cost of giving a street child a home
Following a controversial Al Masry Al Youm editorial about a Brazilian programme to kill street children, nonprofits share solutions to homelessness that don’t involve getting out the guns
Travelling exhibition celebrates prayer, religious tolerance
The six annual Caravan Exhibition, featuring work from 30 Egyptian artists and 18 international artists, seeks to promote religious tolerance and mutual understanding
Photojournalist captures life in Upper Egypt’s quarries
More than 20,000 unregistered workers risk life and limb to mine the mountain, often starting work as young as 9 years old
Mixed media exhibit leaves history open for interpretation
Artist Taha Belal detaches text and images from their original contexts in newspapers, magazines and books, proposing different narratives
Landslide leads to Sohag archaeological find
Well-preserved underground compartment features relief carvings about the first pharaoh of the Middle Kingdom, Mentuhotep II
Attempt to smuggle pages of ‘Description de l’Égypte’ thwarted: Interior ministry
Ministry of Interior coordinated with Customs Authority to prevent smuggling some series of the book to an Arab country
Young political cartoonists use symbols to fight ‘red lines’
Since the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi, cartoonist say it has become more taboo to draw the country’s leaders in an unflattering light
Tough topics, drawn out
Internet cartoonist Islam Gawish tackles critical public issues with satire and good humour
Street art goes highbrow
New downtown Cairo art space, Heytan, seeks to celebrate and propagate street art
Picture refugee life in Egypt
New photo exhibit illustrates the daily challenges facing refugees in Egypt
Handcrafting Ramadan
Sunrays filter through rows of glass Ramadan lanterns, spraying colour over the narrow alley in Al-Darb Al-Ahmar. People view the displayed lanterns with admiration as they walk by, but only a few negotiations with shop owners end in a sale. Using Lanterns in Ramadan celebrations is a tradition that goes back to the Fatimid …
Ramadan TV series: Political power and control
Two private TV channels decide to ban a TV series criticising a police officer, after showing promos
Napoleon’s sunken artillery recovered from Alexandria harbour
A Russian dive team stumbled upon dozens of 18th century rifles, pistols, and canons during a routine underwater survey
Stories of the streets
Book documents how the streets of Cairo were planned, built and adapted
Child marriage remains common, despite legal ban
AUC seminar examines causes and solutions to child marriage
Hollywood and the changing face of Cleopatra
Hollywood has been fascinated with Cleopatra since one of the fathers of cinema, Georges Melies, featured her in a short silent film in 1899.
Egyptian playwright to present at London International Festival Theatre
Playwright Laila Soliman directs a play on Egypt’s 1919 revolution to mark the 100th anniversary of World War I
Artist brings revolution to life with sand
Romany has been drawn to the arts since he was a child, when he liked to paint, draw, and experiment with different colour palettes.
Religious freedom contributes to better economic outcome: Study
“Religious regulations” negatively affected Egypt’s tourism industry in 2013