For Part 1 of Ard Egypt Nour El Safoury of Esmat Publishing hosted a study session in Cairo and Sinai with Jessica El Mal and Elodie El Hossaini-Sacher of A.MAL, local artists and anthropologists Esraa Elfeky, Marwan El Gamal and Nada El Kouny and Dina of Be.do.Egypt with Ragab, Farhan and not forgetting our desert guide dog Ramla.
The idea behind the study group was to open a space to interrogate relationships to land, soil, food, seeds, and regenerative agricultural practices through the lens of artists, publishers, and community organizers.
The session started in St. Catherine, because of the ancient flora and fauna, the specificities of agricultural practices in mountains, and the significance of Sinai in mapping routes of internal migration in Egypt. We walked together in the mountains, learning about the food we ate, herbal and water practices from the Jabaliya people who have been living and working the land as protectors of the monastery in St. Catherine since it was built in the 5th century AD.
Ard was an exchange project from Sept 22 - Dec 23 between Esmat Publishing (Egypt) L'Blend (Morocco), and A.MAL to explore the meaning of land across three geographical territories, share skills and knowledge, and build international networks.
Supported by the EU funded Thoulathy
program All Around Culture