The 7th Cultural Program “El Faggala Again and Again”

The project's goal is to activate civic engagement and active citizenship through arts and popular culture. The project activities aim to engage target groups from Cairo's Fagalla slums (including youth, children, artisans, craftsmen) in the civic and cultural life in order to empower them, give them the voice and the tools to express themselves. By doing so, the cultural program will engage marginalized groups in activities to increase their sense of citizenship and ownership of their neighborhood as well as to improve their socio-economic conditions by proposing solutions to their problems.

Specifically, the project objectives are to:

1)  Train diverse groups (with different social, religious and professional background) to work together through cultural and artistic activities, and to create a common space where they all can come together to better understand and to have a mutual respect of their diversities;

2)  Provide opportunities for those who usually do not participate in the cultural life of the urban slums (particularly youth, women, children and local craftsmen) to express their thoughts and experiences through different artistic means; 

3)  Activate civic engagement and heritage conservation through lectures and festivals providing deeper conception of the district’s rich history and unique culture, ultimately raise awareness among its residents in order to become active and cooperative citizens;

4)  Document tangible and intangible social and cultural heritage of El Faggala District of the past and the present, and thus fortify the local identity while contributing as a resource for historians and researchers.