Author: Asmaa Elsharkawy
In the heart of Luxor, the Faculty of Fine Arts unveils a striking dialogue between heritage and modernity, featuring a reimagined “Seventh Voyage of Sinbad” and innovative student works blending classical motifs with AI design.
In Minya governorate, families still gather to make Eid cookies by hand, firing up traditional village ovens and passing recipes through generations. The cookies are shared, the stories are told, and a centuries-old tradition survives.
In Qena governorate, families mark the end of Ramadan with a unique tradition: gathering to make baladi kunafa by hand over traditional clay ovens. Grandmothers teach granddaughters, neighbours share the workload, and the golden strands become gifts for everyone.
Before electricity, before processed drinks, before supermarkets—how did Egyptians experience Ramadan? In the village of Qus, elders remember a time of handmade cannons, clay lanterns, and gatherings that lasted until dawn.
In Qus, Qena, the Tramsy family has been making sprouted fava beans (fool nabet) for over 700 years. Discover the story of this ancient trade, their 100-year-old clay pot, and how Ramadan keeps the tradition alive.
The Dendera Cultural Conference in Qena showcased three days of Nubian heritage, from traditional cuisine and crafts to music and folk games, celebrating the concept of neighbourliness and cultural preservation. For three days, the village of Dendera in Qena Governorate became a window into authentic Nubian culture. The Dendera Cultural Conference, held under the theme of “Neighborliness” (Al-Jiwar), brought together traditional Nubian cuisine, music, attire, and folk games alongside dialogue sessions exploring culture, arts, and community bonds. Attendees witnessed firsthand how Nubian identity is carefully preserved and passed down through generations. Opening Ceremonies and Dialogue Hashem Al-Dandarawy opened the conference…
Dr Ahmed Mohi Hamza on bridging Luxor’s ancient heritage with Contemporary global art networks
Ancient rituals and modern celebrations blend in Upper Egypt’s Coptic Christmas observances
While much of the world marks December with Christmas preparations, Egypt’s Coptic Christians observe Kiahk, a month-long convergence of Marian devotion and agricultural blessing rooted in Pharaonic civilisation.
On the west bank of the Nile, across from modern Qena, lies Naqada, a city that predates the Pharaohs themselves. This is not merely a town, but the namesake of the Naqada cultures that laid the foundation for ancient Egypt’s dynastic glory. Here, history doesn’t whisper; it speaks from the very walls. The language is written in the mud-brick of ancient palaces, the intricate carvings of mashrabiya screens, and the symbols adorning doorways: stuffed crocodiles and ram horns placed by generations past to ward off envy and protect the home. Quranic verses and Coptic prayers both adorn house facades, a unique harmony…