Stop the Destruction of Cairo’s Historic Cemeteries: Our Heritage is More Than Just Stones (An Urgent Call to Action)
For the past four years, Cairo’s historic cemeteries have faced systematic waves of destruction, carried out in successive stages. These demolition activities are temporarily suspended when public outrage escalates, driven by widespread shock at the sight of bulldozers tearing down stones over a thousand years old and violently crushing the bones of the deceased, with no regard for history, human decency, or religious sanctity.
The sight of bulldozers attacking these sacred heritage sites—revered by Egyptians of all backgrounds and affiliations—spreading ruin and devastation, evokes profound sorrow, as if witnessing a battlefield.
The harrowing scenes we have documented show unique domes collapsing in moments, gravestones inscribed with Quranic verses, sayings, and poetry scattered on the ground amid rubble and tree trunks stretching as far as the eye can see. These cemeteries, which once served as the final resting places of our ancestors and stood elegantly, will remain in the collective memory of future generations as a grim reminder of an era in which some destroyed a heritage preserved by both natives and conquerors alike for centuries.
Over the past few years, dozens of cemeteries with architectural and historical significance have been demolished. These cemeteries are part of a cohesive fabric that has retained its distinctive identity for the past two centuries. In the face of growing public outrage over the loss of this unique Egyptian heritage and to prevent the erasure of crucial periods of Egypt’s funerary architecture and the memory of notable figures buried within these historic cemeteries, a tactical pause is now being implemented, as seen in previous instances. However, this pause comes without any justification for the widespread destruction that has affected key cemeteries, particularly those listed by the National Organization for Urban Harmony last year. This raises questions about the true motive behind this deliberate targeting and persistence, and why half of the registered cemeteries have been removed from the organization’s list in preparation for their demolition.
This assault on Cairo’s historic cemeteries lacks any logical justification, especially given the existence of viable alternatives to demolition proposed by a committee formed by the Cabinet in 2003, comprised of urban planning and heritage conservation experts and headed by the Minister of Higher Education. The committee conducted a feasibility study on the government’s proposed roads and bridges project, initiated in 2020, and found it to be unfeasible as it saves only two minutes of travel time. The committee presented an alternative plan based on utilizing the existing and newly developed road network without impacting the historic cemeteries.
The committee confirmed that its proposal for resolving traffic issues would remain effective for the next ten years, and it even provided a vision for leveraging the site for religious and cultural tourism by creating pathways and addressing the issue of rising groundwater levels, among other considerations.
At a time when Egypt is seeking to nominate a candidate for the leadership of UNESCO, the world’s largest organization dedicated to culture and heritage, it must first demonstrate to the world its commitment to preserving its own heritage.
Therefore, we demand the following:
1. The reinstatement of the previously established committee to begin implementing its proposed and approved project, taking into account the unfortunate changes that occurred last year.
2. The cancellation of the current road project and its replacement with the alternative plan proposed by the committee.
3. The abandonment of the proposed demolition of Cairo’s historic cemeteries within the framework of the Cairo Strategic Plan.
4. The reinstatement of the delisted cemeteries, which have not yet been demolished, to the National Organization for Urban Harmony’s list.
5. The reinstallation of the four minarets dismantled in the Sayyuti cemetery, namely:
Al-Ghouri Minaret
Al-Masih Pasha Minaret
Al-Sultaniyya Minaret
Qusun Al-Saqi Minaret
6. The prevention of theft of valuable architectural elements from historic cemeteries and the imposition of maximum penalties on traffickers of unique gravestones and structures of all kinds.
We, the undersigned organizations, associations, and individuals, call upon all honorable citizens to stand against this crime targeting a cherished and sacred part of our cultural heritage and demand a complete halt to the demolition of Cairo’s historic cemeteries.
Signatories:
Organizations and Entities:
Initiative to Save Cairo’s Historic Cemeteries
Egyptian Socialist Party
Popular Socialist Alliance Party
Al-Dostour Party
Egyptian Social Democratic Party
Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights
Bayt Fatim Foundation for Development and Culture
Public Figures and Individuals:
1. Ibtihal Younes, University Professor
2. Ibrahim Al-Madani, Architect
3. Ibrahim Tayea, Notary and Historian of Cemeteries
4. Abiya Al-Banhawi, Egyptian Citizen
5. Ahmed Ibrahim, Egyptian Citizen
6. Ahmed Adham, Assistant Teacher and PhD Researcher at the School of Architecture, University of Portsmouth, England
7. Ahmed El-Gamal, Tour Guide
8. Ahmed El-Khamisi, Journalist
9. Ahmed Al-Sabroot, Architect and Egyptian Citizen
10. Ahmed Ayman, Agricultural Engineer and Archaeological Notary
11. Ahmed Bahaa El-Din Shaaban, Secretary-General of the Egyptian Socialist Party
12. Ahmed Gomaa Saad, Egyptian Citizen
13. Ahmed Hashish, Egyptian Citizen
14. Ahmed Khadr, Accountan
15. Ahmed Desouki, Architect
16. Ahmed Rashid, Loading and Unloading Worker
17. Ahmed Shehata, Writer and Accountant
18. Ahmed Ashour Ahmed Ameen, Interior Designer
19. Ahmed Abdel-Gawad, Architect
20. Ahmed Abdel-Wadood, Egyptian Citizen
21. Ahmed Ezzat, Lawyer and Academic
22. Ahmed Farag Mahmoud, Architect
23. Ahmed Fawzy, Cassation Lawyer
24. Ahmed Karim, Egyptian Citizen
25. Ahmed Magdy, Egyptian Citizen
26. Ahmed Mohamed Adel, Civil Engineer
27. Ahmed Mahmoud Ibrahim El-Eissawy, Egyptian Architect
28. Ahmed Mokhtar Abdel-Rahim, Urology Consultant – Assiut University
29. Ahmed Mosaad El-Naggar, Architect
30. Ahmed Mostafa, Egyptian Citizen
31. Ahmed Hani El-Muhailmi, Egyptian Citizen
32. Ahmed Yahya, Architect
33. Ahmed Yousri, Professor of Urban Planning at the Regional and Urban Planning School, Cairo University
34. Osama Amer Mohy El-Din, Archaeological Inspector
35. Israa Hamid, Architect
36. Israa Salim, Dentist
37. Israa Ali Ghazi, Egyptian Citizen
38. Israa Karim, Citizen
39. Islam Ismail, Doctor and Lecturer at the University of Cairo
40. Islam Ali Abu Akasha, Lawyer
41. Islam Emad Abdel-Tawab, PhD in Islamic Tourism Guidance
42. Asmaa El-Degwi, Designer
43. Asmaa Hatem Maysara, Digital Marketer
44. Asmaa Zidan, Journalist
45. Asmaa Shukri, Egyptian Journalist
46. Asmaa Mahmoud, Industrial Designer
47. Asmaa Mostafa, Dentist
48. Ismail Abbas Taha, Architectural Consultant
49. Ashraf Aslan, Journalist
50. Ashraf Jaafar, Professor of Architecture and Digital Design at the Faculty of Engineering, Shubra – Benha University
51. Ashraf Jaafar, Professor of Architecture and Digital Design at the Faculty of Engineering, Shubra – Benha University
52. Esalah Gad, University Professor
53. Iqbal Al-Zarqani, Egyptian Citizen
54. Akram Ismail, Engineer
55. Akram Youssef, Teacher of Architecture and Urban Planning – Minya University
56. Alaa Tharwat, Egyptian Citizen
57. Ilham Eidaros, Translator
58. Ilhamy Al-Mirghani, Economic Researcher
59. Amal Abdou, Professor of Architecture, Faculty of Fine Arts, Helwan University
60. Amani Al-Qassas, Journalist
61. Amal Ali El-Din, Egyptian Citizen
62. Amina Shawkat, Painter
63. Omnia Ahmed, Citizen
64. Omnia Khalil, University Doctor
65. Omnia Abdel-Bar, Architect
66. Omnia Wahdan, English Teacher at Al-Azhar
67. Omnia Afifi, Architect
68. Ameera Ahmed Hassan, Clinical Pharmacist
69. Ameera Lashin, Egyptian Citizen
70. Ameera Yahya, Egyptian Citizen
71. Omaima Khalil, Egyptian Citizen
72. Omaima Amer, Egyptian Citizen
73. Omaima Emad El-Din, Researcher
74. Omaima Khalil, Egyptian Citizen
75. Omaima Ali, Egyptian Citizen
76. Amina Al-Nakach, Journalist
77. Amina Farouk Abdel-Moneim, General Director at the Ministry of Antiquities
78. Engy Mahmoud, Egyptian Citizen
79. Engy Abdel Aziz, Egyptian Citizen
80. Ansi Abu Saif, Film Set Designer
81. Ansi Abu Saif, Film Set Designer
82. Antonios Osama, Architect
83. Ayat Abdel-Daem, Egyptian Citizen
84. Aya Al-Jarbi, Visual Artist
85. Aya Khaled, Student at BIS
86. Aya Abdel-Moneim, Egyptian Citizen
87. Aya Alam El-Din, Architect
88. Aya Mahmoud, Egyptian Citizen
89. Evelyn Ashmalla Iskandar, Painter
90. Iman Al-Banna, PhD in Psychology, Egyptian Citizen
91. Iman Al-Qusini, Egyptian Citizen
92. Iman Khairi, Psychologist
93. Iman Ramadan, Interior Designer
94. Iman Saeed, Librarian
95. Iman Talat, Consulting Architect in Urban Design with a Master’s in Urban Planning
96. Iman Essam, Translator
97. Iman Mohamed Salah, Architect
98. Ayman Halim, Architect
99. Inas Ismail, Egyptian Citizen
100. Inas Al-Jazar, Architect
101. Inas Al-Qadi, Egyptian Citizen
102. Inas Saber Abdel, Egyptian Citizen
103. Inas Omar, Egyptian Citizen and Architect
104. Aya Abdel-Rahman Hassan, Architect
105. Aya Fathy, Lawyer
106. Ihab Fouad Mounir, Architect
107. Ihab Mohamed Suleiman, Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics
108. Baher Al-Jirsi, University Teacher in Britain
109. Baher Diaa El-Din Mohamed Fahmy, Egyptian Citizen
110. Bostan Ibrahim, Translator of Matty
111. Basma Al-Husseini, Cultural Director
112. Basma Al-Husseini, Cultural Director
113. Basma Al-Sheikh, Egyptian
114. Basma Abdel Rahman, Doctor
115. Basant Assem, Egyptian Citizen
116. Bahaa Fathy El-Sayed, Lawyer
117. Bahaa Mohamed Shaier, Egyptian Citizen
118. Bola Aboud, Engineer
119. Pierre, Egyptian Citizen
120. Tamer El-Feky, Egyptian Doctor
121. Tamer Hassan Sahab, Architect
122. Taghreed Saleh, Architect
123. Taqi Samah, Egyptian Citizen
124. Taysir Khairy, Architect and Urban Planner
125. Tharwat Al-Bahr, Artist
126. Jalal Abada, Professor of Architecture and Urban Design, Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University
127. Jalal Abdul-Qawy, Accounts Manager
128. Jamal Amer, Architect
129. Jamal Fahmy, Journalist
130. Janna Adel, Egyptian Citizen
131. Jihad Badawy, Chemist
132. Jihad Kamal, Egyptian Citizen
133. Jihad Mohamed, Student
134. Jihad Nasir, Consulting Engineer
135. Hatem Wajeeh, Egyptian Architect
136. Hazem Selim, Architect
137. Hamad Mohamed Hamad, Pharmacist
138. Hamad Nihad Osman Saad, Ambassador
139. Hossam Bakr, Professor of Architecture at the British University
140. Hossam Habashi, Architect
141. Hossam Zidan, Journalist
142. Hassan Hafiz, PhD Researcher in Islamic Egypt History and Egyptian Journalist
143. Hassan Ali Hassan, Lawyer
144. Hassan Eissa, Director
145. Hasnaa Abdel Rahman, Engineer
146. Hussein Abdel-Ghaffar, Retired Engineer
147. Hafsa Al-Sharqawi, Urban Planning Engineer
148. Hamada Zidan, Founder of Majrayah for Training and Cultural Development
149. Hamad Saad Ateq, Doctor
150. Hamdy Adel, Pharmacist, Egyptian Citizen
151. Hanan Hegazy, Journalist
152. Hanan Mabrouk, Egyptian Citizen
153. Khaled El-Balshi, Head of the Journalists’ Syndicate
154. Khaled Salah Hijab, Muslim Egyptian
155. Khaled Tarek Kilani, Appellate Lawyer
156. Khaled Ali, Cassation Lawyer and Former Presidential Candidate
157. Khaled Mansour, Writer and Journalist
158. Khaloud Salah, Visual Artist
159. Dr. Adel Bishay, Professor of Economics – American University in Cairo
160. Dr. Mohamed Abdel-Ghaffar, Member of the United Nations Association of Egypt, and member of the Egyptian Society for Political Economy and Statistics
161. Dr. Mansour Suleiman, Pediatric Consultant for Newborns
162. Dr. Zahour Al-Jafri, Doctor
163. Dr. Afaf Badran, Architect and Consultant, Founder of the Darb Al-Labana Center and Group
164. Dr. Alaa Yassin, Professor of Urban Preservation and Conservation, Faculty of Urban Planning – Cairo University
165. Dr. Magid Mohamed Sami Zaghou, Assistant Professor and Director of the Digital Architecture Program at Galala University
166. Dr. Mohamed Al-Beltagui, Doctor Engineer and Consultant, Egyptian Citizen
167. Dr. Mohamed Maher Sharif – Expert in Restoration and Cultural Heritage Site Management
168. Dr. Mai Atiyah Gamal El-Din – Consultant in Educational Systems and Governance
169. Dr. Nariman Saad Youssef – Former Diplomat
170. Dr. Hala Ghanem – Assistant Professor of Art History and Heritage Conservation at Dresden University, Germany
171. Dr. Ahmed Abu Al-Qasim – Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Writer
172. Dr. Abir Mahmoud El-Tantawy – Tour Guide and PhD Holder
173. Dr. Amr Al-Shobky – Researcher and Former Parliamentarian
174. Dalia Ahmed Taha – Inspector of Antiquities at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
175. Dalia El-Segini – Academic and Photographer
176. Dalia El-Sharkawy – Professor of Applied Arts
177. Dalia Shams – Journalist
178. Dalia Mostafa Mantoor – Architect
179. Doaa Talima – Pharmacist
180. Doaa Ramadan – Egyptian Citizen
181. Doaa Sami Ramadan – Egyptian Citizen
182. Dawatif Abdul Rahman – University Professor
183. Dr. Adel Ismail El-Faqi – Professor and Expert in Urban Planning and Architectural Heritage
184. Dr. Murad Abdul Qadir – Professor of Architecture at Ain Shams University
185. Dalal Bahiri – Egyptian Citizen
186. Dalila Al-Kurdani – Professor of Architecture at Cairo University
187. Dina El-Shahed – Egyptian Citizen
188. Dina El-Masri – Egyptian Citizen and Visual Artist
189. Dina Alaa – Administrative Manager
190. Dina Moharram – Tour Guide
191. Dina Mostafa – Doctor
192. Ragia Said – Egyptian Citizen
193. Ramez Azmy – Architectural Consultant
194. Rami Waseem – Engineer
195. Rania El-Gamal – Egyptian Citizen
196. Rawya Kershah – Egyptian Citizen
197. Rabab Ali – Urban Planning Engineer
198. Regina Abdul-Sayed – Medical Student
199. Rehab Rafat – Head of Decoration Department at Egyptian TV, Maspero
200. Rehab Mohi – Translator
201. Rahma Rabi – Specialist in Architectural Restoration and Project Coordinator
202. Rahma Walid – Egyptian Artist
203. Rasha Hussein – Egyptian Citizen
204. Rasha Amer – Egyptian Citizen
205. Radwa Ashraf – Architect
206. Ra’uf Mohamed – Financial Manager and Egyptian Citizen
207. Ramadan Hosny – Computer Engineer
208. Rana El-Tounsi – Egyptian Writer
209. Rana El-Nemr – Visual Artist
210. Rana Imam – Designer
211. Rana Samir – Writer
212. Rawnah Mahmoud Abdel-Nabi – Egyptian Citizen
213. Ru’aa Ibrahim Gharib – Egyptian Citizen
214. Rejan Nash’at – Researcher in Islamic History and Archaeology
215. Reem Abu Zahra – Lawyer
216. Reem Hijab – Actress and Director
217. Reem Rashad – Housewife
218. Reem Saad – Anthropological Researcher
219. Reem Waseem – Historian
220. Riham El-Masri – Egyptian Citizen
221. Zahdi Al-Shami – Economic Researcher
222. Zaid Issam Al-Kawaz – Preservation Architect
223. Zainab Talaat – Egyptian Citizen
224. Zainab Mohamed Ibrahim Kurkhan – Egyptian Citizen
225. Sara Abu Al-Makarem – Urban Planning Engineer
226. Sara Osama – Marketer
227. Sara Ismail – Egyptian Student
228. Sara Hazem – Journalist
229. Sara Hamdy – Researcher and Visual Artist
230. Sara Rafat – Affected Citizen
231. Sara Sidrak – Egyptian Citizen
232. Sara Rabi – Antiquities Inspector
233. Sara Yousri – Teacher at Al-Azhar
234. Sally El-Khodari – Environmental Activist
235. Sally Gomaa – Teacher at the Faculty of Arts – Cairo University
236. Sameh Al-Alailli – Emeritus Professor of Urban Development
237. Sameh Al-Ghamri – Accountant
238. Sameh Saad – Egyptian Citizen
239. Samia El-Sayed – Teacher
240. Samia Amin – Egyptian Citizen
241. Samia Rizq – Egyptian Citizen
242. Saad Zaghloul – Egyptian Citizen
243. Salma Mubarak – University Professor
244. Salma Abdel-Ghani – Egyptian Citizen
245. Salwa Farouk – Architect
246. Suleiman Shafik – Journalist Researcher
247. Samah Hamed – Egyptian Citizen and Tourism Guidance Student
248. Samar Ali Sabahi – Architect
249. Samar Fayez Tawfiq – Architect
250. Samar Nour – Writer
251. Sameeha Fadel – Egyptian Citizen
252. Sundus Abdul Rahman Ahmed
253. Sonia El-Faqi – Journalist and Researcher
254. Sonia Fathy Ali – PhD Researcher in Islamic Antiquities
255. Suha Al-Naqqash – Media Personality
256. Suhair Hassan – Egyptian Citizen
257. Suhair Riyad – Researcher
258. Suhair Sabry – Translator and Writer
259. Susan Kamal El-Din Salem Suleiman – PhD in Applied Arts, General Authority for Printing Presses
260. Susan Nagy Arabi – Business Management at Labor University, Egyptian Citizen
261. Susan Nada – Lawyer
262. Susan Amro – Architect
263. Al-Sayed Al-Badri – Student
264. Al-Sayed Adel Abdel-Aziz – Journalist, Member of the Journalists’ Syndicate
265. Al-Sayed Abdul-Qadir Al-Sayed – Supervisor at Al-Azhar
266. Sylvia Ya’qub – Egyptian Citizen
267. Shalimar Mahsoub – Doctor
268. Shahinaz Adel – Lawyer
269. Sharaf Saad – Egyptian Citizen
270. Shorouk Mohamed – Student
271. Sharif Ramadan – Egyptian
272. Sharif Tamoum – Egyptian Engineer
273. Sharif Ayad – Civil Engineer
274. Sharif Hashem – Master’s Researcher in Islamic Civilization
275. Sherin Ihsan Salah El-Din – Journalist and Member of the Journalists’ Syndicate
276. Shahab Tarek Hafiz – Journalist
277. Shahd Mohamed – Egyptian Citizen
278. Shufieh Al-Kurdi – Accountant (Pension)
279. Sherin Khalil – Community Medicine Specialist
280. Sherin Fawzi Abu Al-Wafa – Pharmacist
281. Shaima El-Sharkawy – Egyptian Citizen
282. Shaima Hamza – Architect
283. Shaima Said – Egyptian Citizen
284. Shaima Abdul-Hafiz – Egyptian Citizen
285. Shaima Izz Al-Din Khattab – Medical Doctor
286. Shaima Mohamed – Egyptian Citizen
287. Shaima Matar – Museum Keeper
288. Shaima Younis Habib – Clinical Pharmacist
289. Saleh Saad Mamoun – Egyptian Citizen
290. Sabah Salem – Visual Artist
291. Sakhr Al-Hawari Ahmed – Commercial and Legal Consultant
292. Sadiq Al-Qasir – Researcher
293. Safaa Al-Sweifi – Accountant
294. Salah Abu Al-Lail – Architect
295. Salah Abu Nar – Researcher and Translator
296. Salah Al-Samman – Lawyer
297. Dhi Rahmi – Translator
298. Tarek Abu Zikri – Architectural Consultant
299. Tarek Hussein – Egyptian Engineer
300. Tarek Khatir – Lawyer
301. Tarek Said – Architect
302. Tarek Kamal El-Din – Egyptian Citizen
303. Taher Kamal Abdo – Doctor
304. Talaat Shaheen – Egyptian Citizen
305. Tony Slaib – Accountant
306. Adel Sultan – Factory Manager
307. Adel Yes – Professor at Ain Shams University, specializing in Islamic Architecture
308. Alya Qassem – Graduate of the Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University
309. Aida Seif El-Dawla – Retired University Professor
310. Abdel Hamid Sharaf – Specialist in Restoration
311. Abdel Hamid Qassem – Egyptian Citizen
312. Abdel Aziz Al-Gizi – Egyptian Citizen
313. Abdel Moneim Imam – Member of the House of Representatives
314. Abdul Rahman Ibrahim Gharib Mohamed – Mechanical Engineer
315. Abdul Rahman Tharwat – Urban Planning Engineer
316. Abdul Rahman Izz Al-Din Imam – Egyptian Citizen
317. Abdul Rahman Moharram – University Student
318. Abdul Rahman Mohamed Zahab – Architect
319. Abdul Rahman Mustafa – Journalist and Media Personality, Owner of Media and Social Media Outlets
320. Abdul Fattah El-Banna – Professor of Archaeological Restoration
321. Abdul Fattah Farag – [Information Missing]
322. Abdullah Ashraf – Data Analyst
323. Abdullah Al-Senawi – Journalist
324. Abla El-Rouini – Writer
325. Abir Zaki Abdel-Tawab – Egyptian Poet
326. Abir Abbas – Egyptian Citizen
327. Abir Qamarah – Senior History Teacher in Education
328. Abir Mohamed – Egyptian Citizen
329. Arab Lotfi – Film Director
330. Arabi Kamal – Writer
331. Azza Ibrahim – Journalist
332. Azza Suleiman – Lawyer
333. Azza Suleiman – Cassation Lawyer
334. Azza Shaaban – Egyptian Citizen
335. Azza Taher Matar – Egyptian Citizen