March 18th Designated as Egyptian Folk Arts Day

The Ministry of Culture has established March 18th as the annual Egyptian Folk Arts Day, a new observance tied to the birthday of Mahmoud Reda — the dancer and choreographer who co-founded the Reda Troupe. The announcement was made by Dr Ahmed Fouad Heno during the Egyptian Music Day ceremony at the Cairo Opera House. During his remarks, Dr Heno referenced figures such as Sayed Darwish in the broader context of national identity and musical heritage, emphasising the role of folk arts in Egypt’s cultural narrative. The new observance aims to highlight traditional arts annually, supporting practices like folk dance, music and regional performance arts. Mahmoud Reda was born on March 18th, 1930, and helped shape modern Egyptian dance through his work with the Reda Troupe. The troupe combined folk forms and theatrical presentation, and helped document and preserve many forms of folk dance across the nation.