El Gezira Arts Center officially added to Arab Architectural Heritage Register
The Al Jazeera Arts Center building is officially listed in the Arab Architectural Heritage Register
In the context of the Arab and international trend towards preserving cultural heritage, the inclusion of the Gezira Arts Center building – which houses the Museum of Islamic Ceramics – in the architectural and urban register of Arab heritage, reflects Egypt’s efforts to protect the cultural heritage, which is one of the pillars of cultural identity, and one of the engines of sustainable development based on culture and heritage.
In this sense,Earth Guardsin the following lines sheds light on this news as a qualitative step towards integrating culture and arts within the sustainable development system and its seventeen goals. This discussion confirms the importance of protecting cultural heritage as suchأحدَ روافد الهدف الحادي عشر من أهداف التنمية المستدامة -مدن ومجتمعات محلية مستدامة- الذي يعزز جهود حماية التراث الثقافي والطبيعي، بما يضمن توازنًا بين الحداثة واحترام جذور الهوية.
Gezira Arts Center Egyptian Heritage
Preserving historical buildings and activating their role contributes to revitalizing the local economy, supporting artistic creativity, and enhancing community affiliation, which is what the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development encourages, and this is most clearly expressed by the news of the inclusion of the Gezira Arts Center building – officially – in the architectural and urban register of Arab heritage, according to what the Egyptian Ministry of Culture announced, at the conclusion of the tenth meeting of the Urban Observatory of the ALECSO (Arab Educational Organization) Culture and Science), which was held in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, during the period from 28Until July 30, 2025.
Landmarks of Khedivial Cairo
The Gezira Arts Center building is located in the heart of Zamalek Island, one of the areas classified by the National Authority for Urban Harmony as an architecturally distinct area, due to it containing a number of heritage buildings with unique architectural diversity, in addition to its prominent geographical location and ease of access.
The building – which was originally built as a palace for Prince Amr Ibrahim before it was converted into a museum in 1999 – represents one of the most prominent architectural landmarks of the Mamluk Islamic style, which combines the aesthetic value of historical architecture with modern cultural employment, as an artistic center and museum of Islamic arts.
It includes the museum, which is affiliated with the arts sectorThe Fine Arts Center, headed by Dr. Walid Qanoush, has several specialized halls displaying rare ceramic collectibles. Among the most prominent are: the Fatimid Ceramics Hall – the Hall of Turkish, Egyptian, Mamluk and Iranian ceramics – pieces of Syrian and Iraqi ceramics – a group of artistic antiques of high historical value.
Heritage preservation is at the heart of sustainable development
Protecting architectural and cultural heritage is an essential element in the path ofsustainable development; Historical buildings are not only evidence of the past, but also living resources that contribute to building the present and the future. Preserving this heritage contributes to strengthening national identity, achieving cultural diversity, supporting creative industries, and strengthening the local economy through cultural tourism and investment in the arts.
and confirmsThe Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – especially Goal No. (11) – highlight the importance of integrating culture into urban planning in a way that ensures the sustainability of cities without excluding the memory of place. لأنَّ بقاء هذه المعالم التاريخية جزءًا من النسيج العمراني هو ضمان للعدالة الثقافية عبر الأجيال، ورسالة حضارية بأنَّ المستقبل لا يُبنى إلّا على أسس راسخة من الإدراك والاعتراف بالماضي.
Protecting the Arab cultural heritage
It is worth noting that the tenth meeting of the Urban Observatory of ALECSO – in which Egypt participated – discussed ways to protect the cultural heritage in the Arab region, based on the increasing challenges in recent years, which include natural disasters, armed conflicts, and random urban expansion.
The meeting concluded – on Wednesday – with the official announcement of the list of sites,Which was approved in the Arab Architectural and Urban Heritage Register, prepared by the Economic and Social Council of the League of Arab States, and the building of the Gezira Arts Center and the Museum of Islamic Ceramics were among the most prominent sites representing Egypt in this honorable register.
Commenting on this Egyptian Arab achievement, Dr. Ahmed Fouad Hanno, Minister of Culture, congratulated the head of the National Apparatus for Urban Coordination, praising the vital role that the agency plays in protecting the architectural identity of Egypt. He stressed that the inclusion of the Gezira Arts Center building in the register represents a qualitative addition to the Egyptian cultural and architectural heritage, and this at the regional and Arab levels.
Therefore, the inclusion of the Al Jazeera Arts Center building in the Arab Architectural and Urban Heritage Register is not merely a tribute to a prominent artistic landmark, but rather represents a strategic step that reflects growing awareness of the importance of preserving memory.Architecture and documenting the aesthetics that shaped the conscience of Arab societies; Because buildings are tributaries that tell generations about the stories of cities, and mirrors that reflect their cultural, social and political transformations.
Therefore,FoundationEarth GuardsAt the conclusion of this article, the preservation of architectural heritage does not conflict with urban progress, but rather complements and enriches it; Registering heritage buildings is an investment in awareness and identity, and an effective contribution to promoting sustainable development paths, which place people at the heart of all urban planning.
