A feast of unity: Thousands gather for grand annual Ramadan iftar in Matariya
Thousands gather for the grand annual Ramadan iftar of Matariya - Egypt Today
CAIRO – 15 March 2025: Celebrating togetherness, thousands of citizens gathered for the Matariya iftar, marking Egypt's largest communal feast held in the heart of Cairo.
Now in its eleventh year, this beloved event has become a hallmark of Ramadan festivities, drawing people from all walks of life to share in the joy and warmth of the season.
This year's iftar attracted ministers, officials, celebrities, sports stars, and even foreign ambassadors, all united in the joy of this communal meal.
Since its inception in 2013, the Matariya iftar has been funded by the collective efforts of the locals, evolving into the most renowned Ramadan gathering in Egypt over the past decade.
Celebrated every 15th of Ramadan, this event fosters a sense of unity and goodwill among the neighborhood, with the only interruptions occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
All photos were handed out by Youm7 to Egypt Today.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CairoScene
2 days ago
- CairoScene
This French Tattoo Artist is Inking Cairo's Architecture
This French Tattoo Artist is Inking Cairo's Architecture When you come across Miss Lulu's work online, it's hard not to fall down the rabbit hole. The French tattoo artists feed is a dreamy love letter to Cairo, filled with balconies, rusting staircases, and iron gates that look like they're keeping secrets. Her tattoos feel like portals, each one capturing something fleeting and familiar. And just when you think you've pinned her aesthetic down, you find out she also makes music. Of course she does. Having already been entranced by her work, I volunteered to interview her. And when she walked in, it all made sense. She arrived like a vision, dripped out beyond anything the heatwave had ever seen. Her bag was exploding with keychains, charms, and plush toys. Her arms were a patchwork of colourful, playful tattoos. Her nails? Freshly done and screaming IT girl. Her shirt? A tribute to the Egyptian national football team. I was obsessed already. We sat in a garden, where our phones were buzzing with that extreme temperature alert, but we were too busy yapping and having fun to care. 'I'm Miss Lulu, but my real name's Sarilou,' she said with a smile. 'I'm from Paris. I moved here four months ago.' She started tattooing four years ago during the COVID-19 lockdown. 'I was bored,' she laughed. 'So I started practicing on myself. And here we are.' Her journey to Cairo started as a visit. Her boyfriend was already living here, and she made him promise he'd show her the city. She came once in February, came back again in November, and by January… they were packing. 'We just said, okay, let's do this. Let's move.' Now, she splits her time between two studios: Tappin Tatts in Maadi and Dina Maghawry's space in New Cairo. 'Totally different vibes, totally different people,' she said. 'But both feel like home.' And then there's her tattoos. If you've seen her work on Instagram or TikTok, you already know: gates, windows, staircases, balconies, archways, all inspired by Cairo. 'I live in Maadi, and when I first moved here I was like, what is this magical place? The houses felt like they were out of a fairytale.' But it wasn't Maadi that sparked her gate obsession. It was an Uber ride to the airport. 'I saw this gate from the car window. It shocked me. I took blurry photos but I knew I had to draw it.' That led to what's now become a whole aesthetic universe. Her reels are dreamy tributes to Zamalek palaces and Maadi villas, and she takes her runs like scavenger hunts. 'I stop every five seconds to take a photo of a gate. I ruin my workouts,' she laughs. 'But then I'll think, I've seen every gate in Maadi, and the next day, I find ten more.' Zamalek, she says, was all about community. 'My friends were there. The warmth. The energy. That's what pulled me in.' But tattooing isn't just about visuals for her, it's deeply personal. 'My goal is to empower women. When someone tells me they feel better about their body after I tattoo them, I cry. That's why I do this.' Her favourite thing to tattoo? Gates, of course. 'They're this metaphor. They represent history, but also the future. They're a threshold. I've always been drawn to doors.' She tells me about one in particular, near her gym in Maadi. 'I took so many pictures of it, the security guard came over like, what are you doing? I showed him the sketches and he was like, go for it.' And yes, she's noticed how people in Cairo relate to tattoos differently. 'Here, people choose tattoos with real meaning. Like, this is the balcony where I fell in love, or this is the gate I pass by every night. In New York, it's more about aesthetics, which is cool too, but here, it's emotional. Intimate.' And then there's the creativity. 'The placements here are wild. People want chest pieces, shoulder-to-shoulder tattoos, designs that feel personal. Not just arms and legs. It's inspiring.' Her dream tattoo? To recreate that gate she saw in the Uber. And maybe one day, to wander through Alexandria and let its sea-worn architecture speak to her. 'I want people to leave with a piece of Cairo on them,' she said. 'To carry the magic of this city. To be hooked by it. Forever.'
Identity
7 days ago
- Identity
A Step In the Right Direction: Egyptians to Face Fine for Returning a Sponsored Child to a Foster Home
News of a new policy introduced by the Ministry of Social Solidarity, which imposes a 20,000 EGP fine on any family that decides to return a sponsored child to a state-run foster home, is going viral. This announcement comes following the release of one of Ramadan's most talked-about shows, Welad El Shams, prompting many to draw a direct link between the drama's storyline and the timing of this policy. The goal is clearly to ensure that the decision to sponsor a child under the kafala system is not taken lightly but rather treated with deep seriousness and long-term commitment from the foster families. However, public opinion has been divided, with some questioning the impact of enforcing such policy. Could the fear of a fine force foster families to keep children they're not emotionally invested in, leaving those children to suffer in environments lacking love and genuine care? So, what do you think about this new policy? Will it truly make a difference, or does it need to be complemented with stronger first-stage assessments, ensuring that only families who are psychologically and emotionally prepared for fostering are allowed to take that step?
See - Sada Elbalad
01-06-2025
- See - Sada Elbalad
HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal Appoints Hoda El-Bakr
Pasant Elzaitony Dr. Hassan Al-Bilawi, Secretary General of the Arab Council for Childhood and Development (ACCD), stated that HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, President of ACCD, has issued a decision to appoint Ms. Hoda El-Bakr as Deputy Secretary General of ACCD, commencing June 1, 2025. Ms. Hoda El-Bakr studied Political Science at Cairo University and has extensive experience in sustainable development, enhancing the role of civil society and capacity building. Since 2022, she has led the Arab Network for NGOs (ANNGO) as its Executive Director. Throughout her leadership at ANNGO, she has also driven the coordination of the Arab Land and Climate Forum, supervised 'Green in Arabic' (a media platform specializing in environmental journalism), the 'Arab Climate Adaptation Lab,' and the 'Arab Sustainable Development Blog'. Ms. Hoda El-Bakr Previously, Ms. Hoda El-Bakr worked as a researcher at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies and as a researcher at the Arab Organization Against Discrimination. She has numerous published studies, research papers, and translations. She is also a member of the NGO Forum at the National Council for Women and a member of the Arab Network for Gender and Development (ANGED) read more 2 Most Inspirational Green Projects in Egypt AEW Dynamite, WWE NXT to Strive over Viewership Tonight Egypt Marks 70th Anniv. of 2011 Revolution, National Police Day In Depth: WWE NXT Halloween Havoc In Depth: AEW Dynamite, WWE NXT Tuesday Viewership Strive Videos & Features WATCH: Egyptians Break Ramadan Fasts in Matariya Videos & Features GrEEk Campus Hosts Jobzella Fifth Career Fair Videos & Features 3 Iconic Ramadan Songs of All Times Videos & Features Top 4 Destinations to Visit in Upper Egypt News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan
