Following nationwide celebrations of Shady Abdel Salam, Shady Day, and Salah Jahin, Our Uncle… Salah Jahin, Egypt’s Ministry of Culture is back with the third installment in its cultural tribute series. This time, on April 16, it’s honoring the legendary novelist Naguib Mahfouz.
The initiative, titled Mahfouz in Our Hearts, is a clever play on his name (Mahfouz literally means “preserved”) and aims to celebrate the writer’s legacy as a guardian of Egyptian identity and storytelling.
Why This Matters
Launched under the patronage of Dr. Ahmed Fouad Heno, Minister of Culture, and led by the General Authority for Cultural Palaces, the campaign, Mahfouz Fi El Alb, is all about reminding younger generations why Mahfouz is still an icon.
The events will be held the whole day and will span Cairo and the governorates. They are meant to showcase his role in shaping Egyptian literature and capturing the soul of the nation through stories that mirror our history, society, and psyche.
Talks Across Egypt Explore the Legacy of Naguib Mahfouz
Mahfouz in Our Hearts isn’t your average celebration of literature. Sure, there are the classic lectures; in Cairo’s Heliopolis Culture Palace, there’s a session titled Formations of the Egyptian Alley in the Novels of Naguib Mahfouz, while Alexandria’s Anfoushi Palace is hosting Naguib Mahfouz’s Novels between Literary Text and Cinema.
But the topics vary greatly, like one in Sohag that dives into Mahfouz’s poetic language, and another in Luxor that frames him as a historical mirror, while another in Suez explores Mahfouz’s actual personality. It’s not just “here’s what he wrote,” but why it still hits.
Beyond Lectures: Films, Portraits, and Creative Workshops Celebrate Mahfouz
Moving beyond the lecture halls, Mahfouz in Our Hearts also includes documentary screenings (like Naguib Mahfouz: The Conscience of His Time), theater training workshops, creative design sessions for book covers and portraits, and storytelling workshops for kids.
There’s even a deep dive into how Mahfouz’s novels have been adapted into cinema. Basically, it’s not just reading—it’s living his work through different art forms.
Top Writers and Critics Lead In-Depth Panels on Mahfouz at the Opera House
The Egyptian Opera House is going all in with multi-session conferences. In Cairo, panels explore everything from Mahfouz’s narrative techniques to how his dialogues and even daily behavior reflected Egyptian identity.
Big names like Dr. Khairy Doma, Dr. Hussein Hamouda, and Youssef El-Qa’eed are part of the lineup. There’s also a book exhibition with the panel featuring Mahfouz’s work and critical studies on his legacy.
The Ministry Launches Mahfouz in Our Hearts Novel Competition
In the spirit of keeping the art of the novel alive, the Ministry is launching a Mahfouz in Our Hearts competition. Submissions will start on the same day of the celebration, April 16 and end on July 15. The prize? A hefty 75,000 EGP each for the best Egyptian and Arabic novels published in 2023 or 2024.
Whether you’re based in Cairo or abroad, if you’re Egyptian or Arab and your novel hits, you’re in. The award celebrates not just the past but the next wave of literary greatness—with Mahfouz as the North Star. It’s a push to keep Egyptian literature thriving globally in the Mahfouz tradition: thoughtful, sharp, and deeply rooted in local realities.
Naguib Mahfouz Museum Offers Free Entry
As part of the Mahfouz in Our Hearts initiative, the Naguib Mahfouz Museum is opening its doors to the public on April 16, totally free of charge. It’s the perfect excuse to step into the writer’s world and soak up his legacy. No ticket, no excuses.
Mahfouz’s Tribute Videos Air in Trains and Metros
In an effort to bring Mahfouz to the masses—literally—the Ministry rolled out a special tribute video on all Light Rail Transit (LRT) train screens and metro stations. Whether you’re commuting or killing time on a platform, you’ll catch interviews with the author and highlights from the cultural events, making it one of the more creative ways to keep literature relevant (and public-transport-approved).
From train screens to theater stages, lectures to live art, Mahfouz in Our Hearts proves the legend’s still got it. This day’s celebrations isn’t about nostalgia, it’s about keeping Mahfouz alive in the culture, in the convo, and yes, in the heart, too.
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