Egypt is set to open Turathna 2025, an annual handicrafts and heritage exhibition, on 4 October at the Egypt International Exhibitions Center in New Cairo. Held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, the weeklong fair will run through 11 October.
Turathna, Egypt’s largest annual showcase of handicrafts and traditional industries, brings together artisans from across the country. The exhibition, which was first launched in 2018, showcases an array of traditional crafts, from handwoven rugs and kilims to pottery, ceramics, embroidered fabrics, jewelry, baskets, and handcrafted furniture, celebrating cultural diversity and centuries-old craft traditions, often reimagined with a contemporary flair.
The fair offers free admission and a marketplace alive with color and craftsmanship. Visitors can browse thousands of handmade pieces, many offered at competitive prices and generous discounts, making the event as much a cultural celebration as it is a shopping destination.
Organized by the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA), the event has become one of the country’s most prominent showcases for traditional crafts and artisanal work, attracting participants from across Egypt, particularly Upper Egypt, Sinai, and border regions, as well as attracting thousands of local and international visitors.
The seventh edition will be a dedicated pavilion for artists from Halayeb and Shalateen, where dozens of young women will showcase handmade jewelry and crafts inspired by Egypt’s southern heritage.
These crafts are a traditional art form and provide sustainable livelihoods, which could open new marketing horizons in the domestic market as well as export opportunities, given that the exhibition attracts international visitors.
This year’s edition will bring together more than 1,000 exhibitors representing 32 craft sectors, including 56 non-governmental organizations, according to Rahmy. About 34 percent of participants are first-timers, with women accounting for 62 percent of all exhibitors, alongside a notable presence of differently abled artisans.
Rahmy stressed that President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s sponsorship of the exhibition signaled his commitment to small and medium enterprises, stressing the importance of state support to create stable jobs for young men and women, contributing, in turn, to the development of the national economy.
The exhibition also offers opportunities for those interested in marketing, training, and learning about MSMEDA’s services through its dedicated “Our Services” pavilion, helping new entrepreneurs launch their own ventures or supporting existing projects.
While revenue from previous years was not disclosed, the sixth edition of the Turathna exhibition in 2024 aimed to generate EGP 235 million (USD 4.9 million) in sales.
The Turathna exhibition continues to be one of Egypt’s most prominent cultural and economic events, combining the preservation of traditional crafts with new opportunities for artisans across the country.
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