The scheme is focused on publishing, but has spaces for art production, including filmmaking, workshops, and intellectual gatherings.
Al-Maraya literally translates to "The Mirrors". The idea was to do exactly that: put out books, films, and talks that "mirror" the reality of society, with a specific interest in the often-overlooked parts of reality.
“Our commitment has always been and will always be about those in the dark spots; the people and things that do not get the due attention either because they are on the margins or because they are not attractive enough to catch the eye,” Fekri said.
In line with this thought, Al-Maraya has been at the forefront of putting out books about the segments of society that are at the forefront of facing economic hardships: labourers and farmers in particular. It was also at the forefront of digging into the archives of minorities, the history of communities, and all types of stories that relate to social injustice or political marginalization.
Equally, Al-Maraya has been truly invested in publishing the literary works of new writers whose chances are really limited when it comes to getting their manuscripts tabled for the attention of more affluent publishing businesses.
Fekri adds that this commitment has not prohibited Al-Maraya from making space to recall the histories of prominent and influential artists, politicians and economists or to publish books by established authors.
“I think if one goes through the over 250 or maybe close to 300 titles that we have put out since we started publishing in the autumn of 2016, one would find quite a diverse and truly representative selection, both in fiction and nonfiction,” Fekri said.
“For Al-Maraya, the criteria have always been very clear in terms of publishing; we go for books that offer new ideas, promote critical thinking, embrace the values of democracy and liberty and are always mindful of the interests of the majority of the population,” he stated. “The purpose is to contribute alternative views on the most pressing and significant issues for our society,” he added.
This has translated into titles, including translations and edited volumes, including Egyptian Economy in the 21st Century, When Will Inflation Come to an End?, Class Dynamics and Agrarian Change, The Egyptian Peasant Rebellion in 1919, The Passion of Judas, Educating Egypt: Civil Values and Ideological Struggles, and Cinematic Cairo.
Fekri particularly takes pride in three projects that included several titles and edited volumes on the 1919 Revolution, in honour of its centenary, the June 1967 War and the October 1973 War on the 50th anniversary of each.
He is also "really proud and happy" about an ambitious project to put out the complete texts written by prominent 20th-century Egyptian thespian Naguib Al-Rihani, of which two volumes have already been published while three are still to be published.
“For Al-Maraya, history is a priority, particularly cultural history, and we are always on the lookout for manuscripts of this genre that are worth publishing,” he said. “When we look at our political history, we actually need to be very attentive to the cultural element therein; I personally think that the plays of Naguib Al-Rihani were somehow crucial, especially in Cairo, in paving the way for the 1919 Revolution.”
These selections have been complemented with articles that were published by Al-Maraya Magazine, which first came out in print and then went online, essentially due to a lack of resources for distribution and licensing. Going online, however, granted the magazine a much wider readership and allowed space for a series of podcasts on the same issues.
“Looking back at the path of 10 years, I think, as a team, we are very proud of our work; the cinema production, limited as it has been, the magazine, the workshops that allowed space for interaction with younger people, who are a big part of our audience, and certainly the books,” Fekri said. Not an easy journey, however, he added.
Hiccups on the road have included the exorbitant rise in production costs as a result of devaluation, issues of distribution and promotion as a result of budget limitations, and the failed attempts during 2025 and 2026 to be registered for participation in the Cairo International Book Fair (CIBF) "for no clear reason [...] the latter being very devastating because, with Egypt being the core issue for our publications, the CIBF is a lot more crucial to us than any other book fair".
However, this July, Al-Maraya was awarded the International Publishers Association Prix Voltaire "for courage and upholding the freedom to publish".
“It was heartwarming for all the members of the team; we are happy and proud, and we remain as committed as ever,” Fekri said.
Al-Maraya's task for the next decade, he added, is the same as it has been throughout the past 10 years: helping people see things from a wider lens and defending progressive ideas.
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