Egyptian Poet Zein El Abidin Fouad Honored at Russian House in Cairo

The Russian House in Cairo, in cooperation with the Egyptian Russian Friendship Association, hosted a special celebration honoring the renowned Egyptian poet Zein El Abidin Fouad.

The event marked 52 years since his first poetry performance at the same venue, then known as the Soviet Cultural Center.

The evening was moderated by Sherif Gad, Secretary General of the Egyptian Russian Friendship Association and Director of Cultural Activities at the Russian House. Gad described Fouad, originally from Aswan, as one of Egypt’s leading national poets.

Zein El Abidin Mohamed.

He explained that the celebration aimed not only to revisit Fouad’s patriotic poems written in Egyptian colloquial Arabic but also to showcase his passion for photography.

Each photograph captured by Amm Zein, as his admirers affectionately call him, stands as a vivid record of cultural, social, and national moments, as well as tributes to prominent thinkers and artists.

Gad expressed his pride in hosting the event, describing it as one of the most memorable moments in his 37-year career at the Russian Center, alongside past encounters with Egyptian icons such as Youssef Chahine, Salah Abu Seif, Abdel Rahman El Abnudi, and Ahmed Fouad Negm.

Through his poetry, Fouad has expressed the dreams and struggles of Egyptians and Arabs alike. His works have resonated in cities including Beirut, Sana’a, and Damascus, earning him the title Poet of Arabism.

He has also written songs for children, including one performed by Safaa Abu El Saud in her youth, and founded both the Coffee Theatre troupe and the Art is a Square festival, which opened public spaces for free artistic performances in music, theatre, cinema, and poetry.

During the event, Fouad reflected on his long association with the Russian Cultural Center, recalling a memorable performance in October 1973 when singer Adly Fakhry performed his poem The War Is Just Beginning on the Tchaikovsky Theatre stage. He noted with nostalgia that 52 years had passed since that evening.

Fouad recited several of his best-known works from collections including Wesh Masr, Morning Coffee, and Who Can Stop Egypt for an Hour. He also presented rare archival photographs he had taken himself, featuring cultural and national figures such as Sheikh Imam, Ahmed Fouad Negm, and other celebrated Egyptian and Arab icons.

The evening concluded with a musical performance by Alexandrian singer and oud player Mahmoud Youssef, accompanied by percussionist Zein El Abidin Mohamed.

The event was hosted by Palestinian poet Osama Al Ashqar, who spent 23 years in Israeli prisons. The audience responded warmly, celebrating a memorable night that revived the timeless spirit of Egypt’s golden artistic era.