Questions posed included “Who is Idris whose photo was printed on the Egyptian pound?” “Was Downtown Cairo really Paris of the Orient?” and “What is the real name of Omar Effendi store?”
“The Museum of the people of downtown initiative is one of the projects of ICulture association for digital creativity and safeguarding heritage,” explained Riham Arram, founder of ICulture, to Ahram Online.
“Downtown Cairo is very special to Egyptians who live inside or outside Cairo, as it is central and held lots of embassies and retail stores, giving it enriched heritage," she added.
“The initiative is about gathering oral heritage narratives affiliated with Downtown from Egyptians or foreigners, from all walks of life, in their own style,” she explained.
Arram noted that the initiative's idea is that globalization, technology, modernity, and urbanization can change many urban traits.
However, it is difficult to change the collective memory of the people of such a place and their sense of belonging to this place, she added.
The idea was to collect and publish such narratives on digital platforms, making it more of a digital museum than an actual exhibition.
How it all started?
Arram and her partner Heba El Saaid started their initiative around seven months ago with two or three people.
Now, there are an average of 10 to 15 people (Egyptians and foreigners between 15 and 70 years old), and each has their own narrative of Downtown Cairo. Each month, they pick a theme to work on, such as buildings, books, films, and fashion.
The event, which was held at the Near East Armenian Cultural Club in Downtown Cairo, was quite enchanting.
It kicked off with a story on Idris, the man whose face was printed on the Egyptian Pound in a memorial edition celebrating the Peasant Festival during the reign of King Fouad.

Idris, the only man on Egyptian Pound
The eloquent storyteller Mohamed Kamel narrated Idris’s story. He said that Idris worked as a gardener for the royal family, who attained the gardens of King Fouad’s family premises in Downtown Cairo (currently Garage Al Bustan).
Fouad eyed the throne of Egypt. However, this seemed far-fetched because, back then, Sultan Hussien and his descendants would inherit it after him.
Idris then dreamed that Fouad would be king of Egypt, and Idris's face would be printed on Egyptian Pounds. Idris shared his vision with Fouad, who found it impossible.
However, shortly, it all came true! After Fouad was proclaimed King of Egypt, he rewarded Idris and his family.
He put Idris’s face on the memorial Egyptian Pound edition, celebrating the Peasant Festival.
‘Paris of the Orient’

Heba El-Saaid, co-founder of ICulture, explained in a very enchanting way why Downtown Cairo was dubbed Paris of the Orient during the first half of the 21st century.
Visuals and thorough research supported that narrative, showing that Paris and Cairo’s runways simultaneously displayed the latest fashion models. Moreover, stores like Shamla, which opened in 1907, carried Paris's latest fashionable clothes.
“Dawood Ads was a Jewish-Syrian merchant who literally introduced the Manifatoura (Mortgage) system in Egypt and invented the Imsakyat Ramadan (Ramadan Islamic Calendar) so that people would remember to buy the Feast clothes from his stores,” explained El-Saaid.
Who is Omar Effendi? Why were Batta shoes enlisted in Guinness Records?



The original name of Omar Effendi, the iconic retail store and the first-of-its-kind shopping centre that Egypt knew, is Orosdi Back. He was an officer in the Hungarian army but settled in Egypt and opened his retail business.
Among his staff was a brilliant and eloquent Egyptian seller called Omar, whom he promoted as the store’s manager. Due to his good reputation among clients, the store was known among the locals after Omar; hence, it became Omar Effendi, she explained.
She explained how the Syrian brothers of Sednaoui created the first local tailoring stores in Cairo and how Batta footwear revolutionized the industry by introducing the first sports shoes in Egypt and the world.
“Due to the popular demand on such shoes in Egypt, the sales of Batta skyrocketed to the extent that it reached millions of pairs, enlisting it in Guinness Records, based on popular demand,” she noted.
El-Chabrawichi perfume fountain

El-Chabrawichi is one of the oldest, if not the first, shops for local perfume in Egypt. You can still find it with its mirror-shaped entrance in downtown Cairo.
Egypt’s first local perfume brand started with Chabrawichi, who planted jasmine and flowers in the Dakahlia governorate. He used to export them.
When he decided to manufacture some local brands, he opened his first shop in Al Hussien district and opened his first factory.
He created memorable scents, such as Talat Khamsat (Triple 5). Every Mother’s Day, he held a big party at his house in Maadi, where he had a perfume fountain.
From Christin’s mother's closet

Christin Francies, a young Egyptian girl who participated in the initiative, shared with us items that belonged to her mother, who bought them from downtown over 40 years ago.
Surprisingly, they did not lose their touch or quality. Francies shared clothes, silverware, and old magazines of that time.
“We even organize trips to iconic monuments of Downtown such as the geography association,” Arram concluded.

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