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

Under the patronage of Prof. Dr. Mohamed Sami Abdel Sadeq, President of Cairo University, and Prof. Dr. Souraya El-Badoui, Dean of the Faculty of Mass Communication, and under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Laila Abdel Meguid, Professor in the Journalism Department, and Prof. Dr. Amal El-Sayed Daraz, Professor of Journalism at the faculty, the Journalism Department at the Faculty of Mass Communication, Cairo University, organized a celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the esteemed "Al-Musawwar" magazine.

The celebration began with a minute of silence in honor of Prof. Dr. Sami Abdel Aziz, followed by an introduction by Dr. Mohamed Mansour Heiba, Professor in the Journalism Department. The event highlighted the historical and cultural role that "Al-Musawwar" magazine has played throughout its history and included the opening of a photographic exhibition showcasing the magazine`s historical images.

In his speech, Dr. Mohamed Mansour Heiba emphasized that this occasion is an opportunity to discuss Egypt`s history as documented by "Al-Musawwar" magazine, which serves as a living memory of Egyptian history since its inception. He pointed out the role of journalism in documenting major events, such as rejecting the British occupation and supporting the Egyptian resistance, as well as documenting Egyptian revolutions from the Orabi Revolution to the June 30 Revolution.

The celebration, titled "Centenary of Al-Musawwar Magazine: A Journey Through Time, Egyptian Stories and Tales," highlighted the magazine`s coverage of various historical events and its profiling of writers, intellectuals, and influential figures such as Naguib Mahfouz, Gamal Hamdan, and Magdi Yacoub. A documentary film about the history of "Al-Musawwar" was also screened, featuring Mr. Abdel Latif Hamed, the Editor-in-Chief, and several of the magazine`s journalists discussing the preparation of the special centenary issue.

Mr. Omar Sami, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dar Al-Hilal, expressed his gratitude to Cairo University and the Faculty of Mass Communication for organizing the celebration. He affirmed that "Al-Musawwar" is a distinguished media and journalistic beacon that has participated in documenting Egyptian history without distortion and has remained a witness to its developments. He also praised the efforts of the magazine`s journalists, writers, and staff, considering that "Al-Musawwar" will remain a milestone in the history of Egyptian journalism.

For his part, Mr. Abdel Latif Hamed, Editor-in-Chief of "Al-Musawwar," stated that the special issue is a tribute to the magazine`s rich history and commended the Faculty of Mass Communication for hosting this cultural event. He emphasized the importance of evolution and modernization in journalism to keep pace with the times, noting that "Al-Musawwar" has integrated print journalism with digital media and announced the upcoming launch of a new website for the magazine.

Prof. Dr. Souraya El-Badoui, Dean of the Faculty of Mass Communication, highlighted the magazine`s role in promoting transparency and governance, praising its efforts to adapt to digital media.

Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Laila Abdel Meguid discussed the history of Dar Al-Hilal and its enlightening role, considering that the magazine has always been at the forefront of Egypt`s intellectual and cultural scene. She noted that Dar Al-Hilal played a pivotal role in resisting occupation and advocating for women`s liberation and was pioneering in introducing women`s journalism by appointing Ms. Amina El-Said as the first female editor-in-chief of a political magazine.

Prof. Dr. Laila Abdel Meguid added that supporting national press institutions and major journalistic entities is essential to preserving cultural identity, emphasizing the importance of utilizing social media to disseminate journalistic content and reach younger generations.

As part of the celebration, the Faculty of Mass Communication organized a student competition to select the best written report, best infographic, best videograph, best photo report, and best podcast, with more than 200 entries. A committee was formed to select the winners.

The celebration also included sessions and panel discussions on the role of "Al-Musawwar" magazine and journalism throughout history, with the participation of media and history professors and prominent journalists, including Prof. Dr. Iman Amer and Prof. Dr. Rami Atta, chaired by Prof. Dr. Laila Abdel Meguid and Prof. Dr. Mohamed Hossam El-Din Ismail, and attended by faculty members such as Prof. Dr. Nagwa Kamel, Prof. Dr. Sahar Mostafa, and Dr. Sherine Salama.

During the session, Dr. Mohamed Hossam El-Din Ismail noted that the current generation tends to prefer visual culture over traditional reading, which necessitates the development of print journalism to keep up with the times. Meanwhile, Mr. Ahmed Ayyoub, former Editor-in-Chief of "Al-Musawwar," emphasized that print journalism should focus on providing awareness, culture, deep analysis, and new ideas rather than competing for the speed of news dissemination. He stressed that social media can be a false memory, while print journalism preserves historical facts.

At the conclusion of the celebration, several journalism pioneers and former editors-in-chief of "Al-Musawwar" magazine were honored, along with the esteemed writer Youssef El-Qaeed, in recognition of his literary and journalistic contributions.

Photography by: Merna Ashraf