Hathor & Russian Cultural Center Celebrate Ibrahim Abdel Meguid at 80

The Hathor Association for Culture and Arts, in collaboration with the Russian Cultural Center in Cairo, organized an evening titled “From the Classics to the Drama of a New Generation” to celebrate renowned Egyptian novelist Ibrahim Abdel Meguid on the occasion of his 80th birthday. The event was attended by leading critics, intellectuals, media figures, and filmmakers, and was moderated by journalist Ehab El-Hadary.

In his opening remarks, El-Hadary highlighted Abdel Meguid’s significant contribution to the Egyptian and Arab cultural landscape, describing his work as distinguished by compelling documentation, clarity of vision, and deep engagement with social realities. He noted that celebrating such a literary figure represents a meaningful addition to the contemporary cultural scene.

Ahmed Rashwan, Chairman of Hathor Association, expressed pride in honoring Abdel Meguid as one of the association’s first major activities, emphasizing its commitment to promoting cultural diversity and dialogue across generations.

Sherif Gad, Cultural Activities Director at the Russian Cultural Center, described Abdel Meguid as “a politician, a philosopher, and a man of the people,” noting that this unique blend shaped a writer with remarkable global resonance, particularly in Russia. He expressed confidence that more of the author’s works will soon be translated into Russian, given their human depth and social commitment.

Journalist Sayed Mahmoud reflected on the Russian Cultural Center’s historical role in shaping generations of Egyptian intellectuals. He praised Abdel Meguid’s continuous support for young writers, whether through his involvement in the Cairo International Book Fair’s cultural café or his supervision of the “New Writings” series, which introduced prominent contemporary voices.

Egyptian novelist Ibrahim Abdel Meguid

During the discussion, Abdel Meguid spoke about cinema as his earliest artistic inspiration. “Cinema taught me brevity and the search for the image,” he said, explaining how film adaptations of literary works encouraged him to read novels and influenced his narrative style through visual economy.

Addressing unproduced adaptations of some of his works, he expressed satisfaction with his literary journey, affirming that the title “novelist” remains closer to his heart than “screenwriter.” He also praised actress Menna Shalaby’s performance in the series Fi Kol Osbou’ Youm Gomaa, adapted from one of his works.

The evening concluded with Gad presenting the celebrated author with a traditional Russian Matryoshka doll, alongside Hathor’s commemorative shield, in a warm and heartfelt tribute ahead of his official birthday in December.