Narratives of downtown Egypt go digital with Howeya platform and book - Heritage special

Al-Ahram Weekly

30-07-2025

The man whose face was featured on the Egyptian pound, the first ice cream in Egypt, and the audience's narratives about downtown were all presented at the downtown premises of AUC this July.
The Museum of the People of Downtown initiative is one of the projects of the iCulture association, focusing on digital creativity and heritage preservation.
'We started one year ago when we launched The Museum of People of Downtown, where we came across so many who lived there and passed through it. We started to document their narratives and the oral heritage of downtown," explained Professor Riham Arram, founder of iCulture, in her opening speech.
According to Arram, this initiative was launched under the umbrella of the iCulture association, which her partner, Professor Heba Saaid, launched.
The two-day event unfolded into many intangible cultural elements of Egypt. It began with talented storytellers sharing real, enchanting stories of downtown, followed by the launch of the Howeya (Identity) platform for heritage and tourism studies.
The platform provides educational content about the heritage of Egypt and the region.
The event featured an interactive intangible heritage map, allowing participants to share their memories of downtown places. These additions will be published in a book on downtown narratives and the Howeya platform.
The former dean of The High Institute for Folk Arts held an online seminar on the heritage of local cafes in downtown.
Man on the Egyptian pound
Talented storyteller Mohamed Kamel, a member of the Museum of the People of Downtown initiative, shared a story about Edris, the man whose face was featured on the Egyptian One Pound note.
According to Kamel, Edris was a dedicated gardener at the royal palace, the residence of Prince Fouad, located at the current premises of Al Bustan Garage in downtown.
The local story goes that Edris once dreamt that the prince would be Egypt's king, which was impossible at that time because, according to royal protocol, the next in line to be crowned were the successors of Sultan Hussein Kamel.
However, when Edris told Prince Fouad about his dream, he laughed in disbelief and promised to print his face on the Egyptian pound if it ever came true.
Time flew by, and when Sultan Hussein Kamel passed away, his relatives lost control of Egypt. As a result, Fouad became the king of Egypt, and he printed the face of Edris on the One Pound Egyptian note in a special edition.
Egypt's 1st ice cream and iconic chocolaterie
Talented storyteller Professor Alaa Khairy, a member of the Museum of the People of Downtown initiative, shared with us the story of Groppi, a renowned patisserie, Chocolaterie, and tea room in downtown Cairo, which was also the first to introduce ice cream to Egypt.
According to Khairy, Groppi was the most prestigious café downtown. It was so famous that it appeared in a quote of the German General Rommel during WWII, saying: 'I will have tea in Groppi,' before losing the battle to the British. Groppi was also a cultural hub.
Cultural figures and icons were often seen there. A special table was dedicated to the renowned singer Asmahan. It was also the place where famous Egyptian director Youssef Chahine met iconic movie star Omar El-Sharief, making him a star in his movie and soon an international actor.
Swiss chocolatier Giacomo Groppi founded Groppi in the late 1800s. King Farouk used to send the chocolate they made as royal gifts representing Egypt abroad.
Groppi was also the first to introduce ice cream in Egypt. He was also the first to introduce the concept of ice-cream bicycles that would roam across the streets of Cairo, equipped with a mobile icebox to sell ice-cream in the neighbourhoods of Cairo.
At the coffee shop
Professor Mostafa Gad, former dean of the High Institute for Folk Arts, took us on an enchanting journey through time, revealing the social role of local coffee shops in downtown.
The Um Kalthoum Café downtown showcases her photographs and plays only her songs. The Zahrat Al Bustan street café is known to attract young artists and intellectuals.
Al Tigara (Trade) was a local café that served as the hub for musicians and artists, where numerous music rehearsals took place. Many artists, including Tahia Carioka, Naaima Akef, and Karem Mahmoud, were often spotted there.
Café Riche was the cultural hub of all intellectuals and artistic figures of Egypt at the beginning of the 20th century. Taha Hussein and Naguib Mahfouz were among its customers.
'This initiative is meant to show the importance of the people of downtown. We always see initiatives that document the architectural heritage; however, the people of downtown and their stories are very important too,' concluded Arram.
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