AUC TO LAUNCH THE SECOND EDITIONOF AUC TAHRIR2025 CULTUREFEST TOMORROW

The American University in Cairo (AUC) will launch tomorrow, Thursday, April 10, the
second edition of AUC Tahrir2025 CultureFest, which will run through April 12, 2025, at AUC
Tahrir’s iconic campus. The three-day cultural event will focus on Cairo as a global city — a
vibrant mix of cultures that bridges Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Arab world.
Open to the public, the festival will offer a vibrant array of activities, including book talks,
panel discussions, performances, exhibitions, a bazaar, children’s programs, and a food fair
that reflects Cairo’s rich multicultural flavor.
The launch event on Thursday, April 10, will be attended by distinguished guests,
ambassadors, partners, cultural representatives, public figures, writers, and members of the
AUC community. The program features a variety of highlights, including the unveiling of the
historic Armenian Room, which showcases the newly redesigned 38 Armenian Alphabet
letters in tribute to Armenian cultural heritage. The event also marks the opening of the
senior student art exhibition “Heels Over Head Exhibition” of AUC’s visual arts program
senior students; Van-Leo Exhibition: Portraits of a Golden Age, an exhibition celebrating the
legendary photographer; and a music performance titled “A CaPop: From Cairo with
Harmony,” by an Egyptian semi-a capella choir that transforms popular music with
captivating performances inspired by a blend of cultural traditions. The performance is led by
AUC alumna and acclaimed singer Nesma Mahgoub.
This year, AUC Tahrir CultureFest will feature a series of talks, panels and book discussions
on April 11 and 12, addressing a range of cultural topics and contemporary issues. Among
the highlights is a panel by writer Mahmoud El-Tamimi, founder of the Cairo My Address
project, titled “Foreign Egyptian and Egyptian Foreigners,” which explores the profound
influence of foreigners on Egyptian society. Through his renowned Arwah fel Madina series
(Spirits in the City), El-Tamimi sheds light on the cultural exchange between Egypt and
foreign communities – from the time of the French invasion to the enactment of the 1926
Egyptian Nationality Law. 
Another featured panel “Cairo’s Architecture: A Cosmopolitan Canvas,” explores the
manifestations of the colonial, postcolonial and neoliberal eras in re-making the urban fabric
and architectural styles of Cairo. The discussion brings together a distinguished group of
speakers, including Aly Gabr, professor of architecture at Cairo University and dean of the
School of Engineering at Newgiza University; Pascale Ghazaleh, associate professor in the
Sultan Al-Qasimi Department of History, AUC; Ibrahim Karim, professor of architecture and
founder of Science of BioGeometry and Mai Aboul-Dahab, assistant lecturer at the Arab
Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport. The panel will be moderated by

Momen El-Husseini, assistant professor of architecture and founder of Urban Studies Lab at
AUC.
“Reflections on the Nile: Sustainability, Innovation and Action,” is an interactive discussion
exploring the power of innovation in tackling plastic waste, highlighting how students are
transforming recycled materials into impactful solutions. Hosted by AUC Urban Studies Lab,
the session features members of Enactus AUC, a student-led organization pioneering
sustainable solutions. Speakers include mechanical engineering students and Enactus AUC
members Badr Kotb, Noureldin Amrousi and Farah Ghonaim. The session will be moderated
by Momen El-Husseini, assistant professor of architecture and founder of Urban Studies Lab
at AUC.
The festival will also feature two engaging book discussions. The first, “Bilhana: A Journey
Through Middle Eastern Cuisine,” will tackle Yasmine Elgharably’s book Bilhana: Wholefood
Recipes from Egypt, Lebanon, and Morocco, with contributions from photographer Yehia El-
Alaily. The second discussion, “Children’s Picture Books: Mirrors of Contemporary English
Society,” will explore Yasmine Motawy’s book Children’s Picture Books and Contemporary
Egyptian Society, examining how children’s literature reflects two decades of Egyptian
neoliberalism. The session will feature author Yasmine Motawy in conversation with
moderator Hebatalla Salem, senior instructor II, Department of Arabic Language Instruction,
AUC.
Moreover, the festival offers a variety of activities that actively engage with the theme of
Cairo as a global city. Highlights include a city food tour in downtown Cairo featuring eight
international cuisines representing the diverse communities living in Cairo. Additional
activities include Yoga sessions led by instructors from India, an Indian dance workshop and
performance and a traditional Japanese calligraphy session. The Cairo American College
Varsity Dance Team will present a performance celebrating cultural diversity through dance,
while singer-songwriters Nadya Shanab from Egypt and Fadhilee Itulya from Kenya, will
offer a musical performance representing North and Eastern Africa. The festival will also
feature “Salute to Gaza” a performance by the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music,
paying tribute to resilience and heritage through song.
WHEN AND WHERE
Opening- Thursday, April 10 AUC Tahrir Square
5:00 pm Reveal of the Armenian Room Alphabet, Armenian Room
5:30 pm Reception, Oriental Hall
6:00 pm Opening of the Senior Student Art Exhibition, Margo Veillon Gallery
6:30 pm A CaPop Choir, Ewart Memorial Hall
Festival Continues
Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12, 2025
Location: AUC Tahrir Square
Time: 11:00 am to 8:00 pm
Please check out the CultureFest agenda for the specific timings of all events.
To attend, RSVP today, Wednesday at 3:00 pm to