The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

For Egypt’s buzzing creative crowd, this one was worth watching. The Creative Industry Summit, one of the region’s most dynamic platforms for creative minds, joined forces with the Athar Festival of Creativity 2025 in a bold partnership that united creative communities across the Middle East. Together, they sparked a movement that celebrated innovation, transformation, and the power of creativity to inspire meaningful change.

About Creative Industry Summit

The Creative Industry Summit has long been a cornerstone of the region’s creative landscape. Known for championing innovation across marketing, advertising, and design, the Summit has spent years building bridges between talent, ideas, and industries. Through its annual festivals and year-round activations, it has continued to connect creatives, entrepreneurs, and thinkers who are reshaping the MENA region’s cultural and creative economy. From its home base in Cairo to collaborations across borders, the Creative Industry Summit has built a reputation for inspiring conversations that drive the industry forward.

Spotlight on the Athar Awards

As part of this inspiring collaboration, the Creative Industry Summit took centre stage at the Athar Awards on 22 October 2025 in Riyadh, where it proudly presented the Best Transformation Campaign Award. The award recognised campaigns that pushed creative boundaries, embraced innovation, and redefined the art of storytelling across the Kingdom and beyond.

This year’s Gold Winner was VML for its “stc – Blind Seats” campaign, a groundbreaking initiative that turned empty stadium seats into a symbol of inclusivity and accessibility, transforming audience engagement through empathy and innovation. Silver went to VML again for “Hungerstation – The Shaded Route”, while Bronze was awarded to Consulum for the Ministry of Culture Saudi Pavilion – Expo 2025 Osaka. Each winner showcased the region’s growing strength in creative storytelling and strategic transformation.

Bridging Borders, Building Opportunities

What made this collaboration stand out was its regional impact. By linking Saudi Arabia’s growing creative community with Egypt’s thriving scene and neighbouring markets, the partnership fostered cross-border innovation and opened up new opportunities for collaboration. It became an actual meeting of creative minds, where designers, entrepreneurs, and cultural pioneers came together to share experiences, learn from one another, and craft the next chapter of the region’s creative story.

Driving Transformation Through Creativity

At its core, the partnership between the Creative Industry Summit and Athar Festival embodied transformation—the ability to adapt, evolve, and think differently. It reflected how creativity drives progress, whether through a groundbreaking campaign, a bold design, or a new way of connecting with audiences. The collaboration celebrated that very spirit: courage, reinvention, and the constant pursuit of what’s next.

The alliance between these two creative powerhouses marked an exciting milestone for the region’s creative industry. As the Arab world continues to rise as a global hub for innovation and design, collaborations like this one play a vital role in shaping its future. With a shared vision rooted in connection, transformation, and creative excellence, Creative Industry Summit and Athar Festival 2025 didn’t just join forces; they lit the way for the next generation of creatives to shine.