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

‘We are
dedicated to put music above fighting, dialogue above judgement, bread above bombs
and creation above destruction.’

We’ve
heard this before, so what makes this initiative any different? Well it’s
difficult to say. There are no new sentiments and no truly original approaches. But for whatever reason, MasterPeace has managed to hit
many a nerve around the globe.

Supported by NGOs, companies, cities,
social entrepreneurs and the public, MasterPeace is a global peace project
that promotes international peace and cooperation.

Cairo will adopt the MasterPeace
ethos in celebrating the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, which
every year falls on September 21st. The campaign will launch in Cairo as well as Utrecht, under the motto ‘Creating Peace.Together’. From that day on, a planned three years of positive
actions, web activities, neighbourhood initiatives, art projects in conflict
areas, and TV shows will evolve towards a very
special concert in Cairo on Peace Day 2014, where artists
from the world’s major conflict areas will perform to promote togetherness and
international collaboration.

The week that bounds this day will host a
number of different cultural activities and events that aim to introduce the
spirit that Masterpeace champions so vehemently.

The celebration will start with an Arts
Festival on September 16th, and will feature a host of street
performers, workshops and a huge exhibition of graffiti art on the cross
section of Nadi El Seid Street and Batal Ahmed Abdel Aziz Street.

This will be followed the next day on the
17th with ‘Mind, Body and Soul’; a day of pilates, meditation and aerobics
workshops. What could be more inducing of positive vibes? The workshops were planned on being held in Orman Gardens in Dokki before it was partially damaged. A new venue will be announced soon.

A movie night will be held on September 18th at 6PM at El Sawy Culturewheel. After a day off, ‘Stories from Hiroshima’ at El
Sawy Culturewheel on the 20th will be dedicated to the Hiroshima
bombings and a seminar will feature a web conference with one of its survivors. 

This will lead up to the 21st;
the official launch of Masterpeace. The
fun and games will begin with a gathering on the streets of Dokki at the
beginning of Shooting Club Street, and will move onto Saad Zaghloul Museum in
the evening for a reception.

The 22nd will give kids their
own day over in Stabl Antar in Old Cairo. Kid’s Corner will be full of art workshops
that aim to help children better express themselves through art. On September 23rd,
a peace march beginning at Abdeen Sqaure will take place. Participants will
wear blue to symbolise the Nile in order to highlight the increasing danger
this important source is falling into.

The last day ( September 24th) will amass
people to Wadi Degla Club in Maadi for Peace Day; a day of hiking, outdoor games and
other activities.

This three-year project is a huge task, and
maintaining it will be a challenge. From what we see thus far, it might just
have the desired effect. By looking at local issues and relating them to the
international community, ‘Cairo, the Peace Village’ has made everything
relevant.