Under the patronage of Professor Dr. Mohamed Sami Abdel-Sadeq, President of Cairo University, and Professor Dr. Souraya Al-Badoui, Dean of the Faculty of Mass Communication, and under the supervision of Professor Dr. Laila Abdel-Meguid and Professor Dr. Amal El-Sayed Daraz, both professors in the Journalism Department, the Faculty of Mass Communication at Cairo University organized a grand celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the prestigious Al-Musawwar magazine—one of the most prominent journalism magazines in Egyptian and Arab history.

The celebration, titled "The Centennial of Al-Musawwar: A Journey Through Time," began with a moment of silence in memory of Professor Dr. Sami Abdel-Aziz, who played a significant role in the field of media and journalism. The event was hosted by Dr. Mohamed Mansour Hiba, a professor in the Journalism Department, who emphasized in his speech the historical and cultural role played by Al-Musawwar throughout its long history. He noted that the magazine had witnessed and documented Egypt’s most significant political, social, and cultural events.

Photography Exhibition: Egypt’s Visual Memory
The celebration included the inauguration of a photography exhibition showcasing some of the most iconic historical images published by Al-Musawwar over the past century. This exhibition served as a visual journey through Egypt’s history, embodying "a century of journalistic practice and half a century of academic study," as noted by Dr. Mohamed Mansour Hiba. He highlighted that Al-Musawwar functioned as a historical record, documenting major events from Orabi’s Revolution and the 1919 Revolution to the 1952 Revolution, the January 25 Revolution, and the June 30 Revolution.

Honoring Speeches and Praise for the Magazine’s Historical Role
During the celebration, Mr. Omar Sami, Chairman of Dar Al-Hilal Publishing House, delivered a speech in which he praised Al-Musawwar as a distinguished media and journalistic beacon that chronicled Egypt’s history with integrity. He also expressed gratitude to Cairo University and the Faculty of Mass Communication for sponsoring the event and extended special appreciation to the renowned novelist Youssef Al-Qa’id, who was honored during the ceremony.

In his remarks, Mr. Abdel-Latif Hamed, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Musawwar, spoke about the special commemorative issue released in honor of the magazine’s centennial. He emphasized that this issue was a tribute to Al-Musawwar`s rich legacy, noting that it was the first illustrated magazine in the Arab world. He revealed that its archives contain over 2 million photographs, including rare images documenting Egypt’s history. Additionally, he announced the upcoming launch of a new digital platform for the magazine, affirming that Al-Musawwar would continue to be the magazine of Egypt’s civil society.

Panel Discussions on Journalism’s Role in Documenting History
The event featured several panel discussions attended by media and history scholars, as well as prominent journalists, who explored the role of Al-Musawwar and journalism in general in documenting history. Participants emphasized the need to keep pace with technological advancements in the digital media age while maintaining the role of print journalism in historical documentation.

Among the speakers, Professor Dr. Mohamed Hossam El-Din Ismail pointed out that today`s generation is shifting away from reading towards visual culture, which requires media institutions to develop new methods for transmitting knowledge and history to future generations. Additionally, Mr. Ahmed Ayyoub, former Editor-in-Chief of Al-Musawwar, noted that print journalism is no longer competing to break news but should instead focus on fostering awareness, culture, and enlightenment.

Student Competition and Honoring Pioneers
As part of the event, the Faculty of Mass Communication organized a student competition to select the best journalistic works across several categories, including Best Written Report, Best Infographic, Best Videographic, Best Photo Report, and Best Podcast. More than 200 entries were submitted, and a judging panel was formed to select the winning pieces.

Additionally, several pioneering journalists and former Editors-in-Chief of Al-Musawwar were honored in recognition of their contributions to enriching Egyptian journalism.

Al-Musawwar: A Witness to History
The celebration concluded with attendees reaffirming that Al-Musawwar will remain a landmark in Egyptian journalism, serving as a witness to the nation’s historical developments. Since its establishment in 1924, the magazine has been dedicated to capturing events through both imagery and writing. It will continue to serve as a guiding light for future generations, preserving Egypt’s memory and spirit within its pages.

Photography By: Merna Ashraf 

EMCCU TODAY Team:
Fatma Abdel Aziz
Habiba Waleed
Joumana Khaled
Malak Abdelfattah
Malak Shaaban
Merna Ashraf
Sama Mohamed