Egypt has won the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture for 2025 for its project to revive the historic city of Esna in Luxor, the country's ministry of local development said. Minister of Local Development, Manal Awad, and the Governor of Luxor, Abdel Moteleb Amara, attended a grand ceremony organised by the Aga Khan Development Network in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Monday to receive the award for the project, which was praised for its "highly participative approach towards urban heritage conservation." The "Revitalisation of Historic Esna" was selected by the award's master jury as one of seven winning projects for this year's 16th cycle. "Egypt's win of this award comes after an absence of more than twenty years, since the Bibliotheca Alexandrina won the award in 2004, and it places Egypt back on the global map in the field of sustainable architecture and heritage preservation," Awad said in a statement. She congratulated the Luxor governorate, saying the "historic achievement reflects the efforts of the Egyptian state in preserving architectural heritage and reviving historic cities." Awad also expressed her welcome for further cooperation between the ministry, governorates, and the Aga Khan Foundation on future projects. The Esna project was praised for presenting a pioneering model for transforming heritage into a driver of sustainable development. It combines architectural restoration and urban conservation with a focus on cultural identity, community empowerment, and strengthening the tourism-based economy. The project was the result of a unique partnership over more than a decade and a half between the public sector, civil society, and donors. It was implemented through cooperation between the Takween Integrated Community Development foundation, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and the Luxor Governorate, with support from the governments of the United States and the Netherlands, and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation. The award ceremony was attended by Prince Rahim Aga Khan, co-chair of the Aga Khan Development Network, as well as senior international figures, members of the award's master and steering committees, and prominent architects and cultural experts from around the world.
