Historic Cairo stands as a living testament to Egypt’s rich cultural and religious history, encompassing a distinguished array of monuments that span over 1,000 years. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to some of the region’s most iconic landmarks, showcasing a blend of Islamic, Coptic, and mediaeval architecture and reflecting the city’s complex past and its role as a crossroads of civilisations.
Visitors from around the world are drawn to Historic Cairo not only for its impressive structures but also for its vibrant neighbourhoods where tradition and modern life intertwine.
Beyond its architectural significance, Historic Cairo is crucial for preserving Egypt’s cultural identity and supporting its thriving tourism industry. The area reflects centuries of religious, intellectual, and social development, making it an invaluable asset for both locals and scholars alike.
Maintaining and restoring this urban heritage is vital to safeguarding the city’s unique character while fostering economic growth through cultural tourism. With ongoing preservation efforts, Historic Cairo continues to be a dynamic centre where history is actively preserved and celebrated, ensuring its legacy endures for future generations.
In a new step to safeguard and revitalise this area considered as one of the world’s most treasured urban landscapes, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities launched the “Historic Cairo Forum — An Integrated Vision for a Sustainable Future” this week in partnership with the UNESCO Regional Office in Cairo, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss ambitious projects aimed at restoring and developing Cairo’s historic districts.
The forum marks the culmination of a comprehensive two-year project led by the UNESCO Regional Office for Egypt and Sudan, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Cairo governorate, and key national institutions. It aims to preserve the historic urban landscape of Cairo and advance the finalisation of the World Heritage Management Plan for the city.
Over the course of the project, more than 85 students, researchers, and professionals were organised into seven thematic groups focusing on energy efficiency, urban planning, the creative industries, adaptive reuse, heritage documentation, climate hazard mitigation, and community engagement.
Working documents present innovative proposals for the Conservation and Management Plan (CMP) of Historic Cairo, representing a crucial step towards securing a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive future for this vital World Heritage Site. This milestone reaffirms the steadfast commitment of all partners to safeguard the Outstanding Universal Value of Historic Cairo through ongoing collaboration and a shared vision.
The forum convened prominent figures, including Cairo Governor Ibrahim Sabir, Khaled Seddik, chairman of the Urban Development Fund, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), and UNESCO Regional Director Nuria Sanz, alongside tourism professionals, academics, and heritage experts.
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy underscored the forum’s importance as a platform to exchange ideas and coordinate efforts among governmental bodies, heritage authorities, and local communities. “This initiative reflects our commitment to preserving Historic Cairo’s unique urban fabric while fostering sustainable tourism and economic development,” he said.
A focal point of the forum is the ministry’s strategic plan to support traditional crafts by allocating dedicated spaces within Historic Cairo for artisans to showcase and sell their heritage products, without any financial burdens, complemented by digital marketing to widen their reach.
The minister also highlighted plans for a comprehensive archaeological site map to streamline visitor experiences and the establishment of a fully integrated visitor centre designed to enhance tourism services and amplify the area’s cultural significance.
He affirmed that the coming period would see productive collaboration between the ministry, the Cairo governorate, and the Urban Development Fund to develop mechanisms for initiating project implementation based on established priorities, ensuring optimal execution. He also emphasised the need to prepare a comprehensive map of the archaeological sites within Historic Cairo to improve and regulate the flow of tourism.
Khaled underscored the critical importance of synchronising the various development projects underway in Historic Cairo. He stressed that simultaneous execution is essential to preserve the area’s distinctive historical and urban character, ensuring that the restoration efforts meet the high standards befitting such a culturally significant site.
Nuria Sanz praised the dedicated efforts of the working groups behind the proposed projects presented at the forum, which form an integral part of the preservation and rehabilitation plan for Historic Cairo. She highlighted that these initiatives represent a significant milestone in the longstanding collaboration between UNESCO and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, ensuring their effective and successful implementation.
Sanz emphasised that the projects are the culmination of two years of meticulous work, underscoring the historical and archaeological significance of Historic Cairo. She reaffirmed UNESCO’s commitment to providing ongoing support and valuable contributions towards realising these projects and expressed strong confidence in the working groups’ continued progress toward their successful execution.
During the forum, several members of the Chamber of Travel and Tourism Companies praised the projects presented and expressed their desire to finalise the programme for the proposed visiting routes in Historic Cairo discussed during the event. They called on the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority to coordinate with the chamber to organise tours for tourism companies and guides to familiarise themselves more deeply with these routes.
The seven key projects presented at the forum included:
Citadel Area: This project offers targeted strategies to reduce energy consumption and incorporate renewable energy sources within the existing structures of the Citadel. It also aims to enhance historical awareness by employing augmented and virtual reality technologies. Utilising advanced 3D systems and sensors installed throughout the archaeological site, it seeks to significantly improve environmental performance and reduce emissions, promoting sustainable preservation of this iconic heritage landmark.
Fustat archaeological area: This project seeks to actively involve the local community in everyday life, fostering the preservation of cultural heritage alongside promoting environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Through the development and management of both private and public green spaces, it aims to create a vibrant, sustainable urban environment that supports community engagement and heritage conservation.
Al-Gammaliya archaeological area: This seeks to integrate the creative industries with intangible cultural heritage within urban planning and Historic Cairo development. It addresses the challenges facing traditional crafts, preserves infrastructure and historical identity, and reimagines the tourist experience to offer an integrated cultural heritage site model combining preservation and economic development.
Al-Darb Al-Ahmar archaeological area: This project aims to capitalise on the historical and architectural significance of heritage buildings by developing multifunctional cultural, economic, and social centres. It promotes the adaptive reuse of historic structures to revitalise the district and empower local communities. Emphasising sustainable tourism, the initiative seeks to enhance the visitor experience through improved pedestrian access along key routes and the introduction of environmentally friendly transportation options. This approach underscores a strong commitment to environmental sustainability and cultural preservation while harnessing heritage assets to stimulate economic and cultural development.
East Cairo archaeological area: This project involves developing a comprehensive plan for a tourist path starting from the Prince Ibn Barqouq Complex, passing the Military Martyrs’ Tombs, and several unregistered but historically significant buildings, including Princess Shwikar’s tomb, ending again at the Ibn Barqouq Complex. It highlights the area’s diverse historical and architectural fabric. The project includes establishing a visitor centre equipped with a multimedia hall offering virtual tours simulating the proposed route, programmes to raise archaeological awareness in the local community, and the revival of heritage crafts such as metal and glass engraving, leatherwork, and others, supporting the local economy and preserving cultural heritage.
Imam Al-Shafie archaeological area: This project focuses on expanding green spaces to mitigate the impacts of climate change and address groundwater challenges. It proposes the use of these areas for urban agriculture and the creation of green buffers along major traffic corridors to reduce pollution affecting adjacent urban and archaeological zones. Additionally, the plan includes the potential development of a community garden serving as a welcoming gateway to the Imam Al-Shafie, Al-Laith, and Southern Cemetery districts, enhancing both environmental sustainability and community engagement.
Al-Azhar and Al-Ghouri archaeological area: This focuses on reopening and adaptively reusing archaeological and heritage buildings to become cultural centres for local residents, providing vocational training for craftsmen and artists and hosting cultural activities aimed at the local community.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 14 August, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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