Ashraf AboArafe
100 Turkish Photographers Visit Cairo for Tourism and Capture the City’s Most Beautiful Landmarks and Natural Scener
A hundred Turkish photographers visited Cairo with the purpose of tourism, capturing stunning images of the city’s historical landmarks, cultural sites, and natural scenery.
The best photographs taken by the Turkish photographers were honored during a special award ceremony.
The Awards Ceremony for “Photographs of Cairo Captured by Turkish Photographers” was held at the residence of the Turkish Ambassador in Cairo.
Under the patronage of His Excellency Ambassador Salih Mutlu Şen and organized by the Photon Photography Association, a group of 100 Turkish tourists spent two days photographing Cairo’s most iconic historical and cultural sites, alongside several Egyptian photographers.
The awards ceremony, hosted at the Turkish Ambassador’s residence, celebrated the photographers whose images stood out in the fields of daily life and historical heritage.
More than 100 Turkish photographers, members of the Photon Photography Association, and over 50 Egyptian photography enthusiasts attended the event, along with a large number of Egyptian figures from the artistic and cultural sectors.
In his speech during the event, Ambassador Salih Mutlu Şen stated that the visit of Turkish tourists and photographers interested in photography to Cairo for tourism purposes would resonate widely across television screens and social media, significantly contributing to promoting Egypt’s rich cultural heritage — especially Cairo — in Turkey.
He emphasized that Cairo is an ideal destination for Turkish students and retirees to visit and experience its historical and cultural landmarks. He noted that the upcoming launch of AnadoluJet (AJet) flights between Ankara and Cairo, beginning June 1st, would encourage even more students and retirees to travel to Cairo for cultural tourism.
In this context, the Ambassador highlighted the must-visit sites including Salah El-Din Citadel, Mohamed Ali Pasha Mosque, Süleyman Pasha Mosque, and the Mamluk mosques and tombs. Ambassador Şen specifically stressed the importance of visiting the Imam Al-Shafi’i Mosque and Mausoleum, noting that the surrounding cemetery holds deep spiritual meaning, containing graves of prominent figures and architectural marvels from the shared Turkish-Egyptian history. He strongly recommended Turkish tourists to explore this historically rich area.
Ambassador Şen also pointed out that this photography activity aims primarily to voluntarily promote Egypt’s cultural and historical wealth and expressed hope that the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism would support similar activities in the future.
He further mentioned his long-standing acquaintance with Coşkun Aral, the founding president of the Photon Photography Association, praising him as an outstanding television and documentary filmmaker for over 30 years, and later joined him in presenting awards for the best photographs of Cairo selected by the judging panel.
In the Life Category, the awards were as follows:
Third place: Mostafa El-Shorbagy
Second place: Rabia Güven
First place: Yara Mohamed
In the History Category, the awards went to:
Third place: Doaa Adel
Second place: Youssef Nasser
First place: Nurettin Boydak
The Ambassador also remarked that the event coincided with the centennial anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Egypt. He added that young Turkish students are particularly eager to visit the Pyramids, and highlighted the significance of the Grand Egyptian Museum, set to open with a major global ceremony in July, as an unparalleled repository of Ancient Egyptian artifacts.
In his speech, Coşkun Aral, founding president of the Photon Association, said that Egypt was his second stop in the Middle East after Lebanon. He shared that Egypt allowed him to dive deep into history, and that these historical depths were rooted in the beginnings of civilization, dating back millions of years.
Aral continued:
“A civilization began in the Nile Valley. I have followed the development of this civilization, and Egypt today has preserved it in the best possible way. Especially with the new museum — it is extraordinary.
There is nothing like it anywhere in the world. Egypt deserved this. I hope the same happens elsewhere, because a society that does not protect its history will eventually vanish.
Egypt may have experienced periods of difficulty, but that is another matter. When such a heritage is passed down to the new generation, it means their future is secured.”
He concluded by emphasizing that science, technology, and culture must all work together, saying:
“People must love and appreciate their homeland. Egypt has succeeded in achieving that.”
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