Star of the East with an “incomparable voice” – Umm Kulthum – The Lady, as referred to by Charles de Gaulle; an inspiration, a music legacy, forever an icon to the Arab world and far beyond. Umm Kulthum travelled across Egypt and the Arab world, collecting contributions and donating the proceeds of her performances to the Egyptian Government.
Jah Wobble claimed her as a significant influence on his work. Bob Dylan, Maria Callas, Marie Lafouret, Nico, Bono and Led Zeppelin were among some of the renowned admirers of Kulthum’s music.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, we commemorate the ever so great Umm Kulthum.

In May 1923, Hoda Shaarawi did something that changed the course of women in the region for life, despite being a rather small gesture, it paved the way towards the liberation of women from all around the Arab world. Upon her arrival from a feminist conference in Rome, she, alongside Ceza Nabarawy and Nabaweya Moussa took their face veils off. Exhilarated by the three women’s defiance of meaningless traditions, the crowd cheered as many followed suit. Shortly before, Shaarawi and a group of pioneering women founded the Egyptian Feminist Union (EFU) in March of 1923 and thus the birth of the feminist movement in the Arab world.
In1908, Shaarawi founded the first philanthropic society run by Egyptian women, offering services for poor women and children. In 1910, she opened a school for girls focusing on academics, rather than “maternal” and female expected skills like midwifery which was common at the time.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, we pay tribute to the legendary and forever iconic Hoda Shaarawi, whose event in 1923 is also the very reason we called our magazine 19TwentyThree.

She barged into the parliament leading a protest in 1951 and went on hunger strike in 1954 for 10 days calling for women’s right to vote and run for parliamentary elections. Ten days after she and her colleagues started the strike, the new constitution granted women the rights they called for.
It’s thanks to her and her fellow revolutionaries that we are today able to form political parties, join the parliament and vote in elections.
Founder of the first Arabic-language women magazine in the region, titled Bint El Nile, followed by the first political party to be founded by a woman in Egypt.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, we commemorate the great Dorreya Shafik.

Her first screen debut was in 1939 when she was only seven; years after she became an icon of Egyptian and Middle Eastern Cinema influencing the role of women on screen and in society. Star of the Century in 2000, with eight of her films chosen amongst the top 100 in the history of Egyptian Cinema. She was nominated for the Cannes Film Festival’s Prix International for her role in 1950’s Lak Yawm Ya Zalem – ?? ??? ?? ???? and received her first award in 1951 for her role in Ana al-maxi – ??? ??????. The Ministry of Guidance awarded her the title of Best Actress in both 1955 and 1961; followed by a series of national and international best actress awards for her roles in Al-Khayt al-Rfee – ????? ??????, Afwah wa Araneb – ????? ? ?????, Imbratoriyat Meem – ?????????? ???, Al-Bab al-Maftooh – ????? ???????, Yawm Mur Yawm Hilw – ??? ??.. ??? ???, Laylat al-Qabd ‘Ala Fatimah – ???? ????? ??? ?????.
Celebrating International Women’s Day, we pay homage to the forever iconic and timeless Faten Hammama.

Egyptian novelist, short story writer, political and cultural commentator; author of the bestsellers ‘In the Eye of the Sun’, and ‘Map of Love’ shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and translated into 21 different languages. Initiator of the Palestine Festival of Literature (PalFest) and a prominent advocate of the Palestinians and their continuous struggle to fight for their land back.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, we celebrate one of Egypt’s forever timeless literature icons, Ahdaf Soueif.
“Egypt, mother of civilization, dreaming herself through the centuries. Dreaming us all, her children: those who stay and work for her and complain of her, and those who leave and yearn for her and blame her with bitterness for driving them away” ~ The Map of Love.