Ati Metwaly, editor of Ahram Online’s Arts and Culture section, has been named as a finalist in this year’s CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards.

The announcement was made by Ferial Haffajee, Chair of the award’s independent judging panel, on 18 July.

Metwaly is one of 38 finalists from 14 countries. She is the only journalist from Egypt, and one of two journalists from North Africa, to have made it to this year’s list.

Metwaly joined Ahram Online’s Arts and Culture section as an editor in May 2010, prior to the website’s launch later the same year.

She has also written about music for Al-Ahram Weekly since 2009.

Prior to joining Al-Ahram, Metwaly was the editorial director and one of three founders of The Art Review (2005-2008), the first English-language bi-monthly publication about arts in Egypt.

Metwaly embarked on her journalistic vocation still during her university years, writing for an array of different local and regional publications including Al-Ahram Hebdo, Community Times magazine, Daily News Egypt, Al Ebdaa quarterly magazine, The Art Review, UAE-based Contemporary Practices magazine, and the UK-based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat and the Majalla magazine.  

In 2010, Metwaly was awarded the Cultural Leadership International grant from the British Council in Egypt.

Metwaly, who was born-into an artistic family of whom all members are engaged in different art mediums, graduated from Cairo University’s Faculty of Arts, French Literature and Language, in 1997.

According to the press release, over 1,600 entries from 38 countries across the African continent were submitted to this year’s edition in English, French and Portuguese.

In October, Metwaly, along with the other finalists, will fly to Johanessberg to attend the gala award ceremony scheduled for 15 October.

Other journalists from Egypt who won the award in previous years include Passant Rabie (Sports Award, Egypt Today, 2013), Manar Attiya (Francophone General News Award, Al Ahram Hebdo, 2012), Lamia Hassan (Environmental Award, 2011), Ethar El-Katatney (Economics and Business Award, 2009) as well as finalist Shahinaz Samir (General News, 2015, Al Ahram Hebdo)

The award was established in 1995 and has since grown to include 14 categories with the objective of “reinforc(ing) the importance of the role of journalists in Africa's development and to reward, recognise and encourage journalistic talent across all media disciplines.”

The award was founded by Edward Boateng, then Regional Director of Turner Broadcasting (CNN's parent company), Gary Streiker, then CNN Nairobi Bureau Chief, late photographer Mohamed Amin, and late Esom Alintah, then Secretary General of the African Business Roundtable.

 For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture