Hey there,

We’re thrilled to share a sneak peek of our new project, dedicated to supporting independent artists in Egypt and helping them continue creating their beautiful works of art. Find all the details below.

Also, did you know nature actually talks back? For the Bedouins in Sinai, they believe nature is always in conversation with them, whispering through the wind, the sand, the stars. And because of that, they created their own “laws of respect”, which are ancient rules that honor both the land and the people who live on it. One of these beautiful traditions is called al-Helf, meaning “the pact” in Arabic.

When a helf was declared, every family in the tribe agreed to give a certain patch of land a break for a season. The earth was left alone to rest, to heal, to breathe. And when the herbs and wildflowers started blooming again, it felt like the land was saying, “See what happens when you respect me? I give it all right back.” 

We hope you enjoy reading!

Warm regards,

Mirna Abdulaal

The time and effort behind this newsletter come from the Egyptian Streets team of independent, grassroots journalists. By subscribing for just USD 1.66 per month (EGP 80), or as little as USD 0.84 per month (EGP 40) for students (paid annually), you’re directly supporting the creation of content like this and helping sustain independent media in Egypt.

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Spotlight

^{Meet Faten Abu Bakr}

There’s so much to say about Faten’s art that squeezing it into one paragraph just wouldn’t do it justice. What’s instantly clear, though, is that her work feels like a conversation with the past; it carries the spirit of ancient art in a way we rarely see today. She draws on old-world motifs and the kind of sacred geometry that ancient cultures held dear, yet somehow, it all feels fresh and alive. Her art has this quiet spirituality to it, the same kind the ancient Egyptians found in creation itself. Faten Abu Bakr, a self-taught artist from Cairo, weaves heritage, symbolism, and storytelling into every piece. With nods to traditional Egyptian motifs, calligraphy, and mythology, she bridges time, turning history into something deeply personal and beautifully modern. Discover her work here.

Speaking to Egyptian Streets, Faten shared more about her cultural picks and work below:

What routines or rituals help spark your creativity?

I don’t create every single day, but I try to stay connected to my thoughts and emotions by documenting them in words or sketches whenever they come. I don’t usually work with pre-drawn sketches , my process is intuitive, and I rely on the initial feeling or idea that calls me to paint. My routine shifts depending on my emotional state and the atmosphere around me.

Sometimes it all starts with a feeling I want to translate into form. Other times, especially when a piece touches on memory, identity, or heritage, it requires more reading, reflection, and research before I even begin. So it’s not always about repetition, it’s about staying attuned to what needs to come out, and finding the right rhythm to let it surface.

How did you come to develop your unique artistic style?

My style wasn’t something I consciously planned, it evolved slowly, through years of exploration, layering, and letting myself make mistakes. Being self-taught gave me the freedom to break the rules before even knowing them. I started by painting intuitively, almost like a release, and over time, I noticed recurring symbols, figures, and rhythms appearing in my work.

A big part of my style is rooted in my heritage Egyptian motifs, calligraphy, and mythological fragments naturally made their way into my compositions. But I also borrow freely from other cultures and histories that resonate with me. I think my style is still evolving, but at its core, it’s driven by a deep need to connect past and present, memory and identity, into something personal and visual.

Are there particular emotions that guide or influence you while painting?

Definitely. Emotions are often the starting point for my work. Sometimes it’s something very subtle nostalgia, a passing memory, or a feeling I can’t quite name. Other times, it’s more intense, like grief, love, or longing. I don’t try to control the emotion , I let it guide me. There are moments when I begin painting without fully understanding what I’m feeling, and the process helps reveal it. It’s a form of emotional mapping , what starts as a vague sensation becomes clearer through color, form, and repetition. I think painting, for me, is a way to process emotions that don’t always have words.

How is Egypt reflected in your work?

I feel like my work says I’m Egyptian without me having to state it. My identity and culture are the driving force behind everything I create. I often draw from ancient Egyptian mythology, language, our history, but I don’t aim to replicate them. I reimagine them through a personal lens mixing memory, emotion, and contemporary reflection. Sometimes Egypt shows up through calligraphy, sometimes through imagined figures, and often simply through the atmosphere of the piece.

Art Drop

Feature

^{Sinai’s Hiking Tourism}

In the heart of Sinai, a new generation of Bedouins is redefining what it means to walk the desert. Guided by people like Ahmed Mousa of the Jebeleya tribe, hiking here has become an invitation to rediscover the dialogue between humans and nature. Through Sinai Hikes, Mousa and his community are opening trails that carry stories, rituals, and a wisdom passed down for centuries.

The land is treated as a companion; one that needs rest, care, and respect. Practices like al-Helf, where tribes let the earth breathe by leaving it untouched for a season, reveal an ancient understanding of balance and sustainability that feels startlingly relevant today.

Across Sinai, Bedouin women are also shaping change with the same grounded grace, through craft, education, and entrepreneurship. Figures like Selema Gabaly, whose handicraft initiative empowers hundreds of women, show how tradition can evolve without losing its soul.

There’s a sense that in walking these mountains, something inside us realigns. Away from noise and distraction, every step feels like a return to simplicity, to silence, to gratitude.

Read the article here.

What to Read

^{Brooklyn Heights}

Miral al-Tahawy has always stood out as a voice of honesty. Coming from a Bedouin background, she writes about her culture and her lived realities with such rawness and vulnerability that you find yourself completely drawn into her world, even if you’ve never known anything like it.

Her novel follows Hind, who arrives in New York with her eight-year-old son, a few suitcases stuffed with unfinished manuscripts, and barely a word of English. In a small Brooklyn apartment filled with other dreamers hoping to become writers, she begins to rebuild her life. Every new corner of her world, from a flea market to a dance studio, stirs memories of her childhood in a Bedouin village in the Nile Delta.

An old woman selling shoes reminds her of Zeinab, who once worked for her grandfather. The mirror where she watches herself dance tango brings back her complicated relationship with her own body. And the story of Lilette, an Egyptian bourgeois woman who’s lost her memory, forces her to hold on tightly to her own.

Read more here.

What to Listen to

^{El Hob Gany}

After teasing it at several live shows, Tul8te has finally dropped his long-awaited track “El Hob Gany.” Think of it as your perfect midweek reset, the antidote to endless chill techno playlists and your coworker’s nonstop Taylor Swift phase. It’s the kind of track that pulls you right back to your Egyptian roots, with a groove that feels both nostalgic and new.

Listen here.

What to Watch

^{Happy Birthday}

Some stories don’t follow a clear plot, they start from a single feeling, a fleeting moment, and somehow open a whole world of questions about class, privilege, and belonging. Happy Birthday is one of those films.

It follows eight-year-old Toha, a young maid who goes to great lengths to make sure her best friend Nelly, the daughter of her wealthy employer, has the perfect birthday party. Through this simple act of care, the film quietly unravels the deep, everyday layers of classism in modern Cairo, making its debut as both tender and strikingly honest.

Find out more.

^{A'la Nesbet Moshahda}

Everyone remembers how this series took over Ramadan last year. But it wasn’t just popular, it was polarizing. While it gained huge traction online, it also sparked heated debates about how it portrayed class in Egypt, especially the way women from lower backgrounds are judged far more harshly than those from the upper class.

At its heart, the series explores the world of TikTok through the story of Shaimaa, a young woman chasing visibility in a society that barely sees her. For her, and for many like her, TikTok becomes an escape hatch, a place where likes, followers, and fleeting fame can momentarily replace the invisibility of daily life.

Ignored by her family, dismissed by society, and noticed by the man she loves only after her videos go viral, Shaimaa’s story reveals a brutal truth: social media can be both a refuge and a mirror. In this digital world, the poor can outshine the privileged, and those without access to education can rise higher than those who had every advantage.

Watch it in Egypt here and in the US here. 

What to Eat

^{Dabke Aljabal}

When you think of Alexandria, your mind probably goes straight to the city’s famous seafood spots, and fair enough, they’re classics. But it doesn’t always have to be about fish by the sea. Lebanese cuisine has long shared that same Mediterranean soul: fresh, organic, and full of flavor.

That’s where Dabke Al Jabal comes in. With locations in both Alexandria and Egypt’s North Coast, the restaurant brings a true taste of Lebanon to the shore. From warm manakish straight from the oven to colorful mezzes, and hearty breakfasts that make you want to linger a little longer, it is the place to be.

The original branch sits right on Fouad Street, a historic gem in the heart of Alexandria, while another welcomes travelers up north, near Amwaj’s Gate 1. It’s Lebanese comfort food, perfectly at home by the sea.

Find out more here.

What to Visit

^{Book Discussion}

Mario and Abu l-Abbas is a historical novel that tells the tale of spiritual defiance, forbidden love, and impossible friendships that transcend time. Set between the fallen splendor of Andalusia and the rising soul of Cairo, it follows the mystical connection between a modern architect and Abu l-Abbas al-Mursi, the Andalusian Sufi who escaped the Christian conquest to transform Egypt’s spiritual life. Join Layal Al-Rustom for a book discussion at Diwan Bookstore to delve deeper into this captivating story.

Find out more here.

Saudi Spotlight

^{AI Chat for Arabic Speakers}

Saudi company Humain has launched Humain Chat, an Arabic-language AI chat application built on its proprietary model Allam 34B, designed to better serve the 350 million Arabic speakers worldwide. Developed by a team of over 120 AI experts, including 35 PhD researchers based in Saudi Arabia, the platform is trained on high-quality Arabic datasets to understand both Modern Standard Arabic and regional dialects such as Saudi, Egyptian, Jordanian, and Lebanese. Available for free on iOS, Android, and web browsers, Humain Chat marks what CEO Tareq Amin calls “the beginning of a journey” to drive Arabic-led innovation and make AI more culturally and linguistically inclusive across the Arab world.

Read more here.