Saving Cairo’s Soul: How Heritage Journalism Fights to Protect a City’s Living Past
CAIRO, Egypt – In the historic Al-Darb Al-Ahmar district, within the beautifully restored walls of the 18th-century Al-Razzaz House, an urgent conversation is taking place. It’s not just about preserving old stones; it’s about saving the living, breathing heritage of one of the world’s oldest cities.
Last week, the Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation, in collaboration with the cultural platform “Bab Masr,” hosted a dialogue session titled “Heritage Between the Lines.” The discussion brought together journalists and community activists to tackle a critical question: What is the role of the media in protecting Egypt’s vast, and often vulnerable, cultural heritage?
What is “Heritage Journalism”?
The session opened by exploring a niche but growing field: heritage journalism. Shehab Tariq, a Bab Masr journalist specialising in heritage and urbanism, explained that at its core, it’s about telling the full story behind the monuments.
“When we talk about a place like this house,” Tariq said, gesturing to the ornate surroundings, “heritage journalism isn’t just noting its existence. It’s investigating what it looked like a decade ago, on the brink of collapse. It’s reporting on how civil society saved it and transformed it into a vibrant cultural hub. It’s about showing how that process creates awareness within the local community.”
He distinguishes this deeply researched work from superficial “trend” reporting. “Real journalism presents a problem and investigates it. Heritage journalism began in earnest in Egypt with the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, which first sparked public interest. But later, the focus shifted to economics—commodifying heritage for tourism. Now, we are fighting to show that heritage is about people and identity, not just ticket sales.”
A History of Advocacy
This advocacy has deep roots. Tariq recalled a pivotal 1976 campaign by writer Ne’mat Ahmed Fouad, who successfully challenged plans to build a hotel and golf course near the Pyramids. This marked a turning point, creating the first wave of public heritage defenders.
He also credited celebrated novelist Gamal Al-Ghitani with revolutionizing the field. “Through his writings on Cairo’s alleys, minarets, and historic homes, he made people see the beauty and fragility of their own city. He essentially laid the groundwork for heritage journalism.”
The Threat of “Dead Heritage”
A key concern raised was the state’s approach to preservation, which sometimes prioritizes “social prestige” over community. Tariq posed a critical question: Does fencing people off from monuments actually protect them?
“When you remove the local community from a historic site, it becomes a sterile, forgotten relic,” he argued. “Sites from ancient Egyptian civilization often suffer this fate; the local population has no interaction with them, knows nothing about them. They become ‘dead heritage.’ Human presence gives a place its soul. Our goal is to protect the living heritage of Old Cairo.”
Investigative Triumphs and Tragedies
The discussion turned to the gritty reality of investigative work. Sherine Abdullah, of the Rescue Foundation, asked how journalists uncover stories of neglect, such as the case of the Abdel Wahab El-Fassi house in the Al-Muski district.
Tariq revealed he received internal documents from sources within the Ministry of Antiquities. “The house was historic, but like so many, it was neglected. The state paid 33 million Egyptian pounds for its restoration in 2008, but the work was never done. Years later, the authorities moved to simply de-list it as a heritage site to erase the failure.”
While their campaign could only save part of the building, it set a precedent. Similar battles have been lost like the complete demolition of an Ottoman bathhouse in Qena but others have been won, such as the successful campaign to save Cairo’s historic Fish Garden.
The Challenges: Funding and Ethics
The path for heritage journalists remains steep. Tariq pointed to a severe lack of dedicated platforms and journalists, placing the field still in its “early stages.”
Funding is another major hurdle. “Most media institutions don’t prioritize heritage stories,” he said. “Funding for these journalistic projects is extremely limited.”
This leads to complex ethical dilemmas. Tariq stated that a journalist must operate with integrity, but sometimes, the political environment imposes restrictions. “If you see a historic building being wrongly demolished in a neighborhood like Al-Sayyida Aisha, but you cannot write about it freely, it is better to remain silent than to be forced to defend the demolition. Your role is to provide information that truly serves the people.”
A Call for a Deeper Narrative
Ultimately, Tariq sees a broader mission for heritage journalism: to correct a popular narrative that reduces ancient Egypt to gold and treasure.
“We have allowed a focus on pharaohs and aliens to overshadow the truth—that this was a human civilisation, and their daily lives were not so different from our own,” he concluded. “It is the job of journalism to reconnect people with that humanity, and in doing so, build a future that honours its past.”
