Author: Amany Ebrahim
The National Music Band of the Sohag Culture Branch has faced many challenges since its establishment in the 1990s, which almost led to its dissolution before it was revived through personal efforts in 2014. Despite its local and international successes, the band currently suffers from a lack of financial and logistical support from the Ministry of Culture. Members receive a nominal fee of no more than 200 pounds per month and use their own instruments, without official uniforms or a permanent headquarters.
The Darb 1718 Contemporary Art Foundation launched an exceptional artistic initiative in the form of a 10-day art auction at the Tarathuna Foundation with the aim of raising the necessary funds to purchase a new headquarters after its main headquarters in the Fustat district of Old Cairo was demolished in January 2024 due to expansion work in the area. Support for Darb 1718 Contemporary Arts Moataz Nasr El-Din, founder of Darb 1718, said that the idea for the auction came as part of the foundation’s attempts to return to the cultural and artistic scene after a period of limited activity…
The Central Ramses building has witnessed the city’s transformations since its construction at the beginning of the last century. Since then, three main buildings have emerged, led by the historic Central Ramses building, which represented a turning point in call management. The oldest of these buildings is the Diwan Building, followed by the Auto Building, and then the third and newest building, which recently suffered a major fire, highlighting the historical value and impact of the fire on the modern building, as well as its potential repercussions on its historical counterpart.
The collapse of the minaret of the historic Sidi Salama Mosque in the city of Samannoud, in the Gharbia governorate, despite its restoration more than 30 years ago, has once again highlighted the crisis surrounding the protection and maintenance of Islamic and Coptic monuments in Egypt. The incident came as no surprise to archaeologists and experts, who said it was the result of a lack of coordination between the relevant authorities, pointing out that there are seven other Islamic archaeological sites in Samannoud alone, some of which are in urgent need of restoration. Sheikh Salama Mosque in Samannoud The Sheikh…
The archaeological site of Abu Mina in Borg Al Arab, Alexandria, one of the holiest Coptic shrines in the world, has been removed from UNESCO’s “List of World Heritage in Danger” during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee at the organization’s headquarters in Paris. This comes after years of threats, neglect, and concern over the fate of the historic city, nicknamed “the marble city,” which was once the second most important pilgrimage site after Jerusalem and a destination for healing. In an exclusive interview with Bab Al-Masr, Father Tadaos Afamina, head of antiquities at the Monastery of St.…
Manipulation of ownership documents allows European criminal ring to traffic Egyptian antiquities This investigation reveals how forged export licences and fictitious ownership documents have been used in the trafficking of smuggled Egyptian antiquities in both Europe and the US. Back in 2018, French Egyptologist Marc Gabolde had already spent more than a year studying an ancient granite tombstone to try and determine its origin. The tombstone – or stele – was unlike any other artifact. It consisted of a royal decree written on a tablet and attributed to that most famous of Egyptian kings, Tutankhamun. Gabolde was suspicious of the…
More than three months after Bab Masr investigated the activities at Masalla Park in Zamalek—under the headline “Soil Excavation and Concrete Bricks… What Is Happening Inside the Heritage Masalla Park?”—the park’s fate remains uncertain. Construction continues within the park using heavy machinery, without any official announcement regarding the details of the project. Several heritage-focused organizations have noted multiple issues in the park, including excavations in various areas—two along the park’s eastern edge and another near the on-site studio—as well as the laying of foundations for pouring concrete.
Cairo’s historic cemeteries witnessed yet another demolition on 6 February 2025 of the mausoleum of poet and former minister of Education and Religious Endowments respectively, Mahmoud Sami al-Baroudi, a structure dating back to more than 120 years. Considered part of the historical fabric of Cairo, its destruction has raised numerous questions regarding the roles of the Ministries of Endowments and Culture in preserving heritage.