12th FASU Games: Cairo 2026 Celebrates African Culture Through Art, Music And Cinema
The cultural and artistic programme accompanying the 12th All Africa University Games continued on the fourth day of Cairo 2026, giving participants an opportunity to experience the Games beyond the sporting competitions.
Held alongside the events, the programme transformed the delegations' residence at Ain Shams University into a space for cinema, music, visual arts, traditional crafts and student creativity. The activities brought together university students and delegates from across Africa while introducing them to different aspects of Egyptian culture and artistic expression.
The programme was organised under the patronage of Prof. Abdelaziz Konsowa, Egypt's Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Acting Minister of Culture.
African Stories Through Cinema
Cinema featured prominently through a collaboration with the Luxor African Film Festival.
Filmmaker Sayed Fouad presented a selection of films from the festival, introducing participants to stories exploring the cultural, social and human experiences of communities across Africa.
The screenings provided an opportunity for participants to engage with different African identities and experiences, highlighting cinema as a medium through which stories and perspectives can travel across borders.
Music Brings Delegations Together
The programme also featured Art Street, presented by the Egyptian Academy of Arts in coordination with its President, Dr Nabila Hassan.
The performances included songs, solo vocal presentations and bassoon music, creating a space for celebration and interaction among the participating delegations. The programme also introduced participants to different expressions of Egyptian music and performing arts.
Heritage Crafts And Student Creativity
Egypt's Ministry of Culture also participated through the General Organisation of Culture Palaces, in coordination with director Hisham Atwa.
Traditional handicraft workshops allowed participants to engage directly with artistic practices connected to Egypt's cultural identity and heritage. Rather than simply observing the crafts, students had the opportunity to participate in the creative process.
Ain Shams University also showcased the talents of young Egyptian artists through an exhibition featuring paintings and other creative works produced by students of its Faculty of Specific Education.
The exhibition provided students with a platform to present their work to African delegations and highlighted the role of creativity alongside sporting achievement.
Dr Karim Hammam, Adviser to the Minister for Student Activities and Director of the Leadership Development Institute, described culture and the arts as an important part of interaction between Egyptian and African university students.
"Culture and the arts are a bridge for connection and communication between Egyptian and African university youth," he said.
The fourth day of Cairo 2026 therefore extended the experience of the Games beyond competition. Through cinema, music, visual art and heritage, participating students and delegates were given opportunities to exchange experiences, discover different cultural expressions and connect across national boundaries.
For the student athletes and delegations, the programme added another dimension to the FASU Games, showing how university sport can also create spaces for cultural exchange, creativity and shared experiences.
Source: Federation of Africa University Sports (FASU) Original report by: Chidiebere Ezeani