The celebration was attended by senior government officials and public figures, including Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Finance Ahmed Kouchouk, Minister of Public Business Sector Mohamed Shimi, and Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Sherif Farouk. Also present were Presidential Adviser for Health and Prevention Affairs Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din, Cairo Governor Ibrahim Saber, Chairman of the National Press Authority Abdel Sadek El-Shorbagy, and Chairman of the National Media Authority Ahmed El-Muslimani.
Chairman of Al-Ahram Foundation Mohamed Fayez Farahat and Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ahram newspaper Maged Mounir attended the event alongside a select group of officials, writers, intellectuals, and media professionals.
Speaking at the celebration, Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar praised Al-Ahram’s journey of more than 150 years, describing it as the living memory of the nation and a faithful record of modern Egypt’s history. He stressed that Al-Ahram has never been merely a newspaper, but a national archive documenting pivotal political, social, and cultural moments, and a trusted witness to Egypt’s transformations and those of the wider region.
Abdel Ghaffar highlighted the newspaper’s long-standing role as a platform for Arab intellectual life, hosting figures such as Taha Hussein, Abbas Al-Aqqad, Tawfiq Al-Hakim, Ahmad Lutfi Al-Sayyid, Bint Al-Shati, Yusuf Idris, Louis Awad, and Anis Mansour. These contributors, he noted, helped shape public awareness across generations and consolidated Al-Ahram’s enlightenment mission.
He emphasized that the institution’s age has not hindered its development. On the contrary, Al-Ahram has embraced technological change as a fundamental transformation, expanding beyond print into a comprehensive media organization operating across digital platforms, social media, and multimedia formats. This transition, he said, has broadened its reach, particularly among younger audiences.
The minister added that Al-Ahram’s digital expansion reinforces its responsibility to provide reliable, professional content capable of strengthening national awareness and countering misinformation. In an era of rapid rumor circulation and information warfare, he argued, responsible media remains essential to building an informed public able to distinguish fact from falsehood.
Abdel Ghaffar concluded by noting that Al-Ahram’s founding coincided with the emergence of the modern Egyptian state. Since then, it has chronicled national transformations and served as a bridge between fact and opinion, and between citizens and decision-makers, continuing to play a central role in safeguarding collective awareness.
Public Business Sector Minister Mohamed Shimi expressed pride in his affiliation with Al-Ahram, describing it as a living conscience of society and reaffirming the importance of national journalism in raising awareness and clarifying facts.
Cairo Governor Ibrahim Saber similarly described Al-Ahram as a responsible national voice that keeps pace with events and contributes to shaping public consciousness, in line with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s emphasis on responsible discourse.
Presidential Adviser Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din highlighted Al-Ahram’s professional standards, particularly in scientific reporting, noting that its commitment to accuracy and objectivity has earned lasting public trust.
National Press Authority Chairman Abdel Sadek El-Shorbagy, quoted in a cabinet statement, described the celebration as a tribute to Egyptian journalism as a form of soft power that has endured through professional discipline and digital development.
Al-Ahram Foundation Chairman Mohamed Fayez Farahat thanked those who have supported the institution’s continuity, emphasizing its success in building national partnerships and sustaining its mission through institutional reform and digital modernization.
Editor-in-Chief Maged Mounir concluded by describing the occasion as a reflection of a national journey spanning more than a century and a half, marked by resilience, professionalism, and commitment to the national interest.
Founded in Alexandria in 1875 by Lebanese brothers Saleem and Beshara Takla, Al-Ahram is Egypt’s second-oldest newspaper after Al-Waqai Al-Misriya, established in 1828 as the official gazette.
Originally a weekly publication, it became a daily newspaper in 1881, later relocating to Cairo and eventually becoming a state-owned institution.
In October 2023, Al-Ahram marked the publication of its 50,000th issue.
Over more than 150 years, it has played a central role in shaping public opinion and documenting Egypt’s political, cultural, and social history, while hosting veteran writers and publishing a range of titles, including the English-language Al-Ahram Weekly and the French-language Al-Ahram Hebdo.
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