The Cairo Jazz Festival is a music festival held in Cairo, Egypt. It first took place in 2009. The festival takes place at El Sawi Cultural Centre in Zamalek and at the Cairo Jazz Club. In 2009 the first annual Cairo Jazz Festival (CJF) was founded by 3 Egyptian Jazz musicians, bassist Samer George, Pianist Amro Salah and Vocalist, Ahmed Harfoush driven by the passion to celebrate Jazz and paying tribute to one of the unique forms of music that magically diffuses and overwhelms humans all over the planet from Alaska to New zealand. Jazz has become a global phenomena and has affected humanity due to its being a human experience rather than a music genre. Cairo Jazz Festival aims to widespread the mission of Jazz to reach more people. CJF presents many Jazz activities in addition to the musical performances, activities such as Jam sessions, Workshops and Master classes.The kids programs "Jazzinino" has proven success to introduce Jazz to pupils and experience the feel of "being on stage" together with professional artists in a warm family atmosphere.

E-mail: info@agwaproductions.com

El Dor El Awal performing at the Cairo Jazz Festival

Organized by the Egyptian Association of Film Writers and Critics since 1979, the Alexandria International Film Festival aims to broaden film culture and strengthen the relationships between filmmakers. Mediterranean productions are in the spotlight, although films from all countries are welcome. Entries are organised into two main sections: Competition and Out of Competition, with the former solely dedicated to feature films from Mediterranean countries.

The Cairo International Book Fair is the largest and oldest book fair in the Arab world, held every year in the last week of January in Cairo, Egypt, at the Cairo International Fair Grounds in Madinat Nasr, near Al-Azhar University, it is organised by the General Egyptian Book Organisation. The Fair is considered the most important event in the Arabic publishing world, drawing hundreds of book sellers from around the world and about 2 million visitors each year. The fair features booths and speakers from private publishers and government agencies from around the world, as well as retailers of books, video, and other media. Lectures, readings, and other public events take place during the almost three weeks over which the book fair runs, and material is presented in Arabic, English, and other languages. The Cairo International Book Fair stands as one of such popular platforms which assumed the responsibility of bringing peoples together and concurrently granting them the opportunity of dialogue and the exchange of viewpoints in all areas.

Cairo International Book Fair
Photograph: Mohd Tarmizi

Under the auspices of The Egyptian Tourist Authority, The First Luxor Festival for Egyptian and European Cinema is taking place in Luxor from 17th to 22nd of September 2012. Noon Organization for Culture and Arts is organizing this annual festival which aims to open channels for cultural and artistic exchange among Egypt and the other countries. This Festival aims to strengthen film awareness in Egypt and Europe and to encourage Egyptian and European film makers through monetary value and discretionary prizes. The festival will show about 50 films and hosts about 125 directors, actors, producers, and media from Egypt and Europe ( Belgium, Croatia , Estonia, Finland, France , Germany, Greece, Holland , Macedonia, Poland, portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain , Serbia, Switzerland, and The United Kingdom).

The Dahab International Festival of watersports, culture and desert adventure is going to be even better and bigger than the first one in 2011. Highly supported by the Egyptian Tourism Authority, the festival shows the whole range of activities the beautiful holiday-destination Dahab at the Red Sea has to offer. The heart of town changes into a big festival area with Bedouin tents, food from all over the world (made by Dahab-residents), an art-corner, a quiet tent for all kinds of yoga, massage, healing and lectures as well as a huge stage for concerts. The festival has free workshops and taster all day long in tents and outside on the festival ground. At four in the afternoon the bay becomes home to many boats. The raft race is always a highlight of the festival. This year all of the concerts will be bigger and better, with more parties and more live music. This years closing party will have a bigger stage, bigger bar, and bigger location. The concert will start at 16:00 and end late with an intermission at 20:00 where prizes will be given out for diving and watersports.

E-mail: dahabfestival@gmail.com

Wind surfing at the Dahab International Festival

Ramses II built his temple at Abu Simbel so that the internal chamber would light up two times a year: once on the anniversary of his ascension to the throne (in February, around the 22nd), and once on his birthday (in October, around the 22nd). Every year on the Sun Festival, crowds gather before sunrise to observe the stream of light gradually sneaking through the stone and enlightening the statuettes of Ramses, Ra and Amun in the central chamber. Only the statue of Ptah – the god of darkness – remains in the shade even on these two special days of the year! Prepare to be blown away by the magnificence of these temples. They are undisputedly one of the world's most breathtaking monuments.