Al Ahly Sporting Club marked Egypt’s October 1973 War victory with a programme of cultural, educational and community activities across its branches, bringing members together through concerts, children’s workshops, young talent showcases and historical visits. Organised by the club’s auxiliary committees, the celebrations highlighted Al Ahly’s role beyond the sporting arena, using music, education and community engagement to commemorate a defining chapter in Egypt’s national history.
Al Ahly’s Sheikh Zayed branch hosted on October 8 the “Egyptian Melodies” concert, as familiar patriotic songs, including “Ya Habibti Ya Masr” and “Fiha Haga Helwa”, brought music and national memory together, as part of the club’s commemorations of Egypt’s October War victory.
Organised by the Cultural Committee, headed by Khaled Galal, under the supervision of the Supreme Committee for Auxiliary Committees, led by engineer Walid Mabrouk, and in cooperation with the Executive Administration, headed by Executive Director Khaled Morsi, the concert formed part of a broader programme of cultural, artistic and educational activities across Al Ahly’s branches. The programme included children’s workshops, young talent showcases and historical visits, highlighting the club’s role in connecting its members with national occasions and offering experiences beyond sports.
The celebrations also underscored Al Ahly’s broader social and cultural role, creating opportunities for members of different ages and interests to engage with culture, history and community activities.
When culture becomes a way to remember
Mariam Samih, rapporteur of the Cultural Committee at Al Ahly’s Sheikh Zayed branch, said the October Victory concert attracted a large number of club members, reflecting their interest in the activities organised across the club’s branches.
She stressed that committee rapporteurs and members had an important responsibility to serve the club’s members, adding that Al Ahly’s role extended beyond sports to encompass social and cultural responsibilities. The Cultural Committee contributes to this broader mission by organising activities that respond to members’ interests.
Samih emphasised that the October War victory were too important a national occasion to pass without celebration, particularly at the beginning of a new committee year. She noted that organising events to mark the anniversary had long been an established tradition at Al Ahly.
She added that the committee carefully selects musical ensembles and singers whose performances suit the significance of the occasion and the club’s standing. It often chooses groups associated with the Cairo Opera House and Arabic music, whose performances have received positive feedback from members. The committee also seeks to link its activities to national occasions and significant events throughout the year.
Samih concluded by expressing her pride in belonging to Al Ahly, describing it as a major institution whose role extends well beyond sports.
A first appearance at Al Ahly
For the “Egyptian Melodies” ensemble, the concert marked a new experience: its first performance at an Al Ahly branch.
Led by maestro Mazen Daraz, the ensemble presented a programme of patriotic songs and familiar Egyptian melodies. The performers included Mariam Essmat, Malak Hany, Sherouk Wael, Jenna El-Gendy, El-Sayed Rizk, Ziad Wael, Hazem Emad and Mohamed Nabil.
The ensemble regularly performs at El Sawy Culturewheel and the Cairo Opera House, and its members include graduates of music institutes and conservatories.
Daraz said preparations began with selecting the programme and rehearsing the songs ahead of the performance. He expressed his pleasure at the ensemble’s first appearance at the Sheikh Zayed branch and welcomed the positive reception and feedback from attendees.
The choice of music was central to the evening. Patriotic songs carry associations that extend beyond their melodies, evoking shared memories and moments in Egypt’s national history. Performed before an audience gathered to commemorate the October War victory, they offered a cultural way of engaging with the anniversary.
Rather than treating the occasion solely as a historical date, the concert brought its significance into the present through a live performance that club members could experience together.
Activities across Al Ahly’s branches
Walid Mabrouk, head of Al Ahly Club’s Supreme Committee for Auxiliary Committees, said the celebrations marking the October War victory reflected the club’s commitment to expanding its cultural, educational and community role, in line with the vision and directives of club president Mahmoud El Khatib and the objectives of the “Ahly Family” programme.
Mabrouk added that the programme extended beyond musical performances to include educational workshops, historical visits and opportunities for young members to showcase their talents. He noted that the auxiliary committees, under the supervision of the Supreme Committee for Auxiliary Committees and in cooperation with the club’s Executive Administration, sought to organise a comprehensive range of activities that brought members together, strengthened their connection with Al Ahly and highlighted the club’s role beyond sporting competitions.
At the Sheikh Zayed branch, the Children’s Committee, headed by Dina Amer, organised a workshop in which children made and painted model aeroplanes. The programme also included an educational video about the October War and a quiz for children aged nine to 14. The activities aimed to introduce children to the events of the war through interactive experiences suited to their age group.
The Pioneers Committee, headed by Fouad Ismail, also organised a visit to the October War Panorama in New Cairo, giving participants an opportunity to learn about the history of the war and revisit its events through a direct educational experience.
As part of efforts to discover and nurture young talent, the Children’s Committee gave gifted young club members the opportunity to participate in concerts celebrating the October War victory, performing alongside the Basma band at the Nasr City and Gezira branches. These events provided children with a platform to showcase their artistic abilities and encouraged their participation in the club’s cultural activities.
Meanwhile, the Cultural Committee, headed by Khaled Galal, organised a series of musical performances across the club’s branches. These included the “Egyptian Melodies” concert at the Sheikh Zayed branch on October 8; performances by the Ashaq El-Nagham ensemble, led by Dr Mohamed Abdel Sattar, at the Gezira branch on October 8 and the New Cairo branch on October 9; and a performance by the Sohbet El-Simsimia ensemble at the Nasr City branch on October 9.
Mabrouk emphasised that delivering a programme of this diversity required close coordination among the club’s various departments, including Public Relations, Security and Services, under the leadership of Executive Director Khaled Morsi. He said this cooperation helped ensure the smooth organisation of the events and provided suitable conditions for members to participate in cultural and community activities. He added that these efforts reflected the Al Ahly Board of Directors’ commitment to implementing the objectives of the “Ahly Family” programme.
Mabrouk concluded that the auxiliary committees sought to make national occasions meaningful experiences for members of different ages and interests, while reinforcing the club’s role as an institution that brings its community together through sports, culture, education and community engagement.
A role beyond the sporting arena
The October commemorations brought together music, education, talent development and historical remembrance, offering members different ways to engage with the anniversary. While the Cultural Committee used live performances to connect audiences with Egypt’s musical heritage and national memory, the Children’s and Pioneers Committees approached the occasion through educational, artistic and historical activities.
At Sheikh Zayed, the “Egyptian Melodies” concert illustrated how music could bring members together. On stage, performers delivered familiar patriotic songs, while members of the audience gathered to share the experience. Elsewhere across the club, committees translated the same commemoration into opportunities for learning, artistic expression and historical engagement.
Through this combination of cultural performances, children’s activities and historical visits, Al Ahly’s October programme demonstrated how a sporting institution can also provide space for cultural participation, talent development and shared experiences among its members.
