Under the motto "Our heritage is our identity… let's preserve it together" the National Organization for Urban Harmony organized the second "My Heritage" competition. The walls in Al-Hanager exhibition hall were this week adorned with more than 100 photographs depicting historical sites and edifices across Egypt: Al-Muizz Street in historic Cairo, Nubia houses festooned with colourful paintings and decorations, Suleiman Pasha square in downtown Cairo. There is the Iftar cannon on the Citadel, the Hanging Church in Old Cairo and the Cataract in Aswan. Plus more photos on the walls. "Here is part of our distinguished rich heritage," Mohamed Abu Saeeda, head of the National Organization for Urban Harmony (NOUH) told Al-Ahram Weekly. "My Heritage" (Torasi) is the largest photography competition for historical edifices and sites in Egypt which Abu Saeeda says strengthens the value of heritage in the hearts and minds of Egyptians by the standards of urban harmony. He said the aim of launching the competition was to raise historical awareness among Egyptians and draw their attention to the importance of such edifices and sites which formed their identity as well as highlight measures to preserve and protect them for future generations. "It is also the beginning of a photos archive for the NOUH of all the historical buildings all over the country." A total of 293 competitors from 14 Egyptian cities submitted 815 photographs. The photos were whittled down to 100 selected by a jury led by renowned cinema photographer Ramses Marzouk. They were displayed in the Al-Hanager theatre exhibition at the Cairo Opera House. First prize worth LE10,000 went to Hisham Abul Fatah for photographing a painter sitting in Al-Muizz Street drawing on the walls of one of his structures. Dherif Abdel-Fadil took second place and LE5,000 for an old man walking down a street outlined by the distinguished Rashid (Rosetta) buildings. The third depicts two workmen in blue jeans and yellow T-shirts painting a Nubian domed house using coloured geometrical decorations. The scene was captured by Amr Al-Dali who won LE3,000. Abu Saeeda and the remaining photographers were given honourary certificates. Minister of Culture Helmi Al-Namnam inaugurated the exhibition which will remain open until the end of June. During the opening ceremony he expressed his enthusiasm over the competition and promised to publish the photos in a book which he said will become known as the atlas of Egypt's historic edifices. During the ceremony, architect Sohair Hawass was honoured for her work in protecting and preserving historic edifices in Cairo.
