Historian May Al-Ibrashy Wins Global Award for Heritage Conservation

Egyptian architect and architecture historian May al-Ibrashy has been selected to be one of six recipients of the Prince Claus Impact Awards in 2022, out of a possible 94 nominees. The award - which is granted every two years to cutting-edge artists and cultural practitioners around the world who’ve impacted their communities - recognises Al-Ibrashy for her valuable contributions in the field of heritage conservation and preservation in Egypt.

Al-Ibrashy has over 30 years of field experience in conservation and heritage management in Old Cairo, and is the founder of Megawra-BEC (Built Environment Collective), an Egyptian NGO/Environmental consultancy bridging the gap between sustainability, cultural heritage, and social responsibility through community engagement.

The award-winning architect is also an Islamic Architecture Professor of Practice at SOAS University of London, and an adjunct professor at the American University in Cairo and Cairo University. Her fieldwork is focused on the Al-Khalifa district in Sayeda Zeinab, Al-Hattaba district, and Al-Imam Al-Shafii district, where she has engaged with the community for ten years and led a participatory conservation initiative in marginalized areas.