The iconic Tahrir campus of the American University in Cairo (AUC) will host the second annual AUC Tahrir 2025 CultureFest, commencing Thursday, April 10, and continuing through April 12.
Cultural wonders
This three-day cultural event will explore Cairo’s identity as a global metropolis— a truly dynamic confluence of African, Mediterranean, and Arab cultures.
The festival – open to all – will host a lively selection of activities encompassing book talks, shows, panel discussions, exhibitions, a bazaar, children’s programs, and a food fair that embodies Cairo’s multicultural essence.
A variety of guests, ranging from ambassadors and partners to cultural representatives, public figures, authors, and members of the AUC community, will attend the launch event.
Among the program’s highlights is the unveiling of the historic Armenian Room, where attendees can view the newly redesigned 38 Armenian Alphabet letters in a tribute to Armenian cultural legacy.
The program further includes the debut of the senior student art exhibition “Heels Over Head Exhibition” from AUC’s visual arts program, the “Van-Leo Exhibition: Portraits of a Golden Age” honoring the renowned photographer.
It also features the distinctive “A CaPop: From Cairo with Harmony” musical performance by an Egyptian semi-a cappella choir, under the direction of AUC alumna and celebrated singer Nesma Mahgoub .offers up captivating renditions of popular music infused with cultural harmonies.
Enlightening panels
This year’s AUC Tahrir CultureFest offers a compelling lineup of talks, panels, and book discussions on April 11th and 12th, tackling various cultural subjects and contemporary topics.
Notably, writer Mahmoud al-Tamimi, the mind behind the “Cairo My Address” project, will lead a panel titled “Foreign Egyptians and Egyptian Foreigners,” delving into the influence of foreign individuals on Egyptian society.
Through his renowned “Arwah fel Madina” series (Spirits in the City), al-Tamimi highlights interplay of cultures between Egypt and foreign communities – spanning the French invasion to the 1926 Egyptian Nationality Law.
Another featured panel, “Cairo’s Architecture: A Cosmopolitan Canvas,” tackles 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 prominent plethora of speakers, including professor of architecture at Cairo University and dean of the School of Engineering at Newgiza University, Aly Gabr; the associate professor in the Sultan Al-Qasimi Department of History, AUC, Pascale Ghazaleh; the professor of architecture and founder of Science of BioGeometry, Ibrahim Karim, and the assistant lecturer at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Mai Aboul-Dahab.
The panel will be moderated by the assistant professor of architecture and founder of Urban Studies Lab at AUC, Momen al-Husseini.
“Reflections on the Nile: Sustainability, Innovation and Action” offers an engaging interactive discussion that sheds light on the power of ingenuity in confronting plastic waste, underscoring how students are repurposing recycled materials to create impactful solutions.
This insightful session, hosted by the AUC Urban Studies Lab, will showcase the work of Enactus AUC, a student-led innovator in sustainable solutions.
The panel of speakers comprises mechanical engineering students and dedicated Enactus AUC members Badr Kotb, Noureldin Amrousi, and Farah Ghonaim. Guiding the conversation will be Momen al-Husseini.
The festival will also present two captivating book discussions.
The initial one, “Bilhana: A Journey Through Middle Eastern Cuisine,” will examine Yasmine Elgharably’s “Bilhana: Wholefood Recipes from Egypt, Lebanon, and Morocco,” with visual contributions by photographer Yehia El-Alaily.
The second book discussion, “Children’s Picture Books: Mirrors of Contemporary English Society,” will scrutinize Yasmine Motawy’s Children’s Picture Books and Contemporary Egyptian Society, revealing how children’s stories mirror two decades of Egyptian neoliberalism.
Author Yasmine Motawy will join moderator Hebatalla Salem, a senior instructor II within AUC’s Department of Arabic Language Instruction, for an engaging conversation during the session.
Cairo, a global city
Furthermore, the festival actively embodies its theme of Cairo as a global city through a variety of engaging activities.
Among the highlights is an immersive downtown Cairo food tour, presenting eight international culinary traditions that showcase the rich tapestry of Cairo’s diverse communities.
Further cultural enrichment comes in the form of yoga sessions guided by Indian instructors, an Indian dance workshop culminating in a performance, and a traditional Japanese calligraphy session.
Attendees can also enjoy a performance by the Cairo American College Varsity Dance Team, and a musical collaboration between Egyptian singer-songwriter Nadya Shanab and Kenyan singer-songwriter Fadhilee Itulya, representing the musical heritage of North and East Africa.
More poignantly, the festival will feature “Salute to Gaza,” a performance by the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music dedicated to the resilience and heritage of Gaza, expressed through music.
The opening events began on Thursday at 5:00 pm with the reveal of the Armenian Room Alphabet within the Armenian Room. This is followed by a reception at 5:30 pm in the Oriental Hall.
At 6:00 pm, the Senior Student Art Exhibition is inaugurated at the Margo Veillon Gallery.
The evening’s opening concludes with a performance by the A CaPop Choir at 6:30 pm in Ewart Memorial Hall.
Following the first day of opening, the AUC Tahrir CultureFest will continue its vibrant program on Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12.
Both days of the festival will take place at AUC Tahrir Square, running from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm. Check out the CultureFest agenda for the specific timings of all events.
