For the first time in Egypt, Creative Dialogues arrives during Cairo Design Week 2025, exploring “Uncharted Territories: Rethinking Creative Futures” with leading regional creatives and cultural practitioners.
Powered by YVT Consultancy, the two-day event will be held on 23–24 November at the beautifully restored Tamara Haus in Downtown Cairo, a project by Alchemy Experience and a building owned by Al-Ismaelia for Real Estate Investment.
Co-curated with Lamees Abdelaziz, Curator and Cultural Manager at Alchemy Experience, the edition brings together regional creative leaders, cultural practitioners, and emerging voices for immersive experiences, inspiring dialogue, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
In partnership with Cairo Design Week and Alchemy Experience, the Cairo edition marks a key step in Creative Dialogues’ regional journey. It emphasizes collaboration across borders and sectors, showing how creativity can bridge heritage and innovation, experimentation and tradition, and people and place. This edition builds on the success of the acclaimed Beirut edition earlier this year, expanding the platform’s mission to foster meaningful conversations across the region.
The two-day program explores how creativity shapes communities and drives collaboration, with Day One: “Human-Centered Creativity” focusing on engaging with Cairo’s urban identity and heritage through design and art, and Day Two: “Collaboration and Co-Creation” examining how shared creativity and cross-disciplinary exchange can inspire innovation and inclusive growth across the MENA region. The Cairo edition will also include live recordings of Creative Chats, hosted by Alaa Sawaf, featuring 20-minute conversations with leading regional voices.
Key speakers include: Waleed Arafa, Founder & Principal of Dar Arafa Architecture (Egypt); Karim Shafei, Chairman of Al-Ismaelia for Real Estate Investment (Egypt); Omar Nagati, Principal and Co-founder of CLUSTER (Egypt); Nawaf Nassar, Interior Architect and Public Speaker (Saudi Arabia); Karim Mekhtigian, CEO and Founder of Alchemy Group (Egypt); Mohamed Fares, Co-founder of Alchemy Group (Egypt); Emy Hussein, Art Director and Partner at Alchemy Group (Egypt); Aliaa Al Shamsi, Art Consultant and Writer (UAE); Tarfa Al Saud, Artist (Saudi Arabia); Mashael Al Yahya, Creative Director (Saudi Arabia); Gabriele Cavallaro, Founder of ISOLA Design (Italy); Mona El Hallak, architect, heritage preservation activist, and Director of the Neighborhood Initiative (Beirut); and Mona Helmy, architect, urbanist, educator, and founding director of the “Sustainable Public Spaces” unit (Egypt).
“Creative Dialogues is more than a platform; it is a regional movement empowering creatives to shape their own narrative,” said Yasmine Vanda Trofast, Executive Director of Creative Dialogues. “With the Cairo edition, we’re building bridges between heritage and forward-thinking creativity, celebrating Cairo’s cultural depth and vibrant energy.”
Karim Mekhtigian, Founder and CEO of Alchemy Group, added: “Partnering with Creative Dialogues and Cairo Design Week aligns with our vision for Tamara Haus, a living platform for collaboration and creative experimentation in the heart of Cairo.”
Lamees Abdelaziz, Curator and Cultural Manager at Alchemy Experience, said: “Tamara Haus was created as a space where design, art, and storytelling come together to spark meaningful dialogue. Partnering with Creative Dialogues for Cairo Design Week strengthens our mission to connect creative voices across Egypt and the wider region.”
Creative Dialogues Cairo 2025 is presented in collaboration with Cairo Design Week, Alchemy Experience, Tamara Haus, Al Ismaelia for Real Estate Investment, and Elevate Art School, bringing together key partners shaping Cairo’s creative and cultural landscape.
This edition welcomes the region’s creative community to connect in a curated, intimate environment. Attendance at Creative Dialogues is complimentary, with entry granted upon securing a district ticket to downtown.
