Cairo Governor Galal Saeed announced the launch of a new campaign for the development and renovation of heritage sites in Old Cairo on Saturday, according to governorate spokesperson Khaled Mostafa.
The campaign will include the Old Cairo districts of Al-Darb Al-Ahmar, Al-Gamaliya, Al-Helmiya, Al-Sayeda Zeinab and Al-Sayed Nafisa, Mostafa told Ahram Online .
International development organization the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), known for its support in the creation of Cairo's Al-Azhar Park, will also contribute to the renovation project alongside the governorate.
The campaign's main goal will be to renovate streets and not entire districts, according to Mostafa. An example of that is working on Haram Rabea and part of Khan El-Khalili in the district of Al-Darb Al-Ahmar.
The campaign aims to renovate heritage buildings, develop the area's infrastructure by paving streets and sidewalks and maintain the area's street lighting.
Mostafa added that in addition to the renovation process, the governorate will also try to find alternate activities for shop owners in the area that suit its historical significance.
"If a shop owner works on tires, we will convince him to change his current job in order to work on something that suits the heritage of the street, such as working on aluminum, glass, copper or even pottery," Mostafa said.
"It is a long process, as we have to study the area very carefully. However, within a month we plan to finish a part in Darb Al-Ahmar, in order to have a general overview of what we can fix or work on more," said Mostafa
The Cairo governorate has been recently working on other renovation projects, including the renovation of parts of Downtown Cairo which were built in the 19th century. However, Mostafa said that the project would not clash with the new campaign.
Old Cairo, which contains the remnants of the old capitals that predate Fatimid Cairo, is home to some of the most historically significant sites in Egypt. It includes parts of Islamic Cairo, which contain prominent historical mosques such as Mosque of Amr ibn al-As, and parts of Coptic Cairo, which contain prominent historical churches and ruins of Roman fortifications.