Events in the Maq'ad of Sultan Qaitbey  cultural hub

First Sultan's Fair

8 July 2015

The first Sultan’s Fair on 8 July 2015 marked the completion by ARCHiNOS of the EU-funded project in the hawd of Sultan Qaitbey in the ‘City of the Dead’ in Cairo. On the eve of the fair, a group of heralds marched through the neighbourhood playing loud music and announcing the event. The fair was an opportunity for traditional craftspeople of the neighbourhood to present and directly sell their products.

On the stage erected in front of the magnificent mosque of Sultan Qaitbey, the Minister of Antiquities, the Governor of Cairo, and the Ambassador of the European Union gave speeches marking the completion of the conservation and adaptation project by ARCHiNOS and handed honorary certificates to local craftsmen. This was followed by a musical performance and the traditional tannura dance, while an ARCHiNOS-produced documentary about the local crafts was screened. The square was bustling with activity well into the night.