St Catherine Named AFASU's Global Capital of Religion, Peace & Tourism

The High International Committee of the African-Asian Union Awards (AFASU) has named the South Sinai town of Saint Catherine as the world’s leading capital for religions, tolerance, peace and tourism. The award acknowledges Saint Catherine’s unique role as a cultural and heritage hub, drawing global visitors to its historical sites and serene mountainous landscapes.

Home to Saint Catherine Monastery, one of the world’s oldest continuously operating Christian monasteries, and situated near Mount Sinai, the town of Saint Catherine has long been a destination where visitors of various faiths and backgrounds come together for the sake of religious pilgrimage and in celebration of a shared cultural heritage.

The town has been at the centre of the Egyptian government’s ‘Great Transfiguration’ project, which aims to restore and develop the area into a world-class spiritual and tourist destination.