Madbouly inaugurates 8th Turathna Exhibition to support handicrafts, heritage crafts

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly inaugurated the eighth edition of the “Turathna 2026” Exhibition for handicrafts and heritage products on behalf of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. Held under the President’s auspices from 17 to 24 October, the exhibition is organised by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA) under the slogan “The Origin of the Story”.

The prime minister stressed that holding the exhibition for the eighth consecutive year reflects the political leadership’s commitment to the handicrafts and heritage crafts sector. He said the event also implements presidential directives to coordinate efforts across all state institutions and agencies to establish an integrated system for reviving these longstanding crafts and further developing them.

In this regard, he highlighted the launch of the Handicrafts Strategy, which aims to transform Egypt into a leading centre for the production and export of handicrafts. The strategy places particular emphasis on natural and production clusters of artisans across the governorates, given the sector’s labour-intensive nature.

Furthermore, Madbouly said the sector was home to millions of artisans who produced distinctive handmade items, preserving Egypt’s identity and civilisation while reflecting its cultural diversity. It also provided hundreds of thousands of job opportunities for Egyptian men and women across the governorates and served as a stable source of income for their economic activities.

The prime minister also pointed out that the annual exhibition had become an international gathering that brings together thousands of artisans, artists, creatives and entrepreneurs from across the governorates in one place. It also welcomes participants from a variety of countries and representatives of major development organisations concerned with heritage preservation, creating valuable opportunities to exchange expertise, benefit from modern manufacturing and operational methods, and pave the way for access to new domestic and international markets.

The prime minister and his accompanying delegation listened to a presentation by Mostafa Ismail, CEO of MSMEDA, who outlined the exhibition’s key features. He explained that more than 1,000 projects from governorates across Egypt were participating this year. Individual participants accounted for 45% of exhibitors, while 39% were affiliated with 60 different civil society associations, 13% represented 20 ministries and entities, and 3% came from participating countries. Collectively, they represented around 32 handicraft and heritage sectors.

The CEO of MSMEDA added that this year’s edition featured broad participation by various entities, institutions and associations working to preserve heritage, encourage entrepreneurship and empower young people. These included the ministries of Social Solidarity, Culture and Industry, as well as the Damietta Chamber of Commerce, several Egyptian banks, the National Council for Women, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, a number of universities, and the Chamber of Wood and Furniture Industries affiliated with the Federation of Egyptian Industries.

Ismail explained that the agency was keen to include new project owners every year, with newcomers accounting for 30% of participants in this edition. The exhibition also featured a notable 7% participation rate by persons with disabilities. In addition, particular importance was attached to supporting and empowering women, with handicraft and heritage products made and managed by women and girls accounting for 70% of all exhibits. Participants from border governorates represented 10% of the total.

He noted that, as part of the state’s ongoing efforts to encourage informal businesses to enter the formal sector and help artisans regularise their operations so they can benefit fully from the advantages offered under the MSME Development Law No. 152 of 2020 and Law No. 6 of 2025, the exhibition went beyond displaying handicrafts.

The agency also provided project owners with a range of services designed to help them develop products that meet international standards and requirements. These services were offered through the agency’s pavilion, the “Turathna Development Centre”, which provides exhibitors with an integrated range of specialised services to develop their business capabilities, enhance competitiveness and connect them with markets and promising growth opportunities.

Ismail noted that the seven previous editions organised by the agency had achieved considerable success, attracting a diverse range of exhibitors and project owners from across the governorates, particularly areas renowned for their heritage industries. He added that the “Turathna” exhibition series had generated sales and contracts exceeding expectations and received widespread domestic and international acclaim.

Following the presentation, the prime minister and his accompanying delegation toured the pavilions of countries participating in this year’s edition. He expressed his deep appreciation for their participation and continued commitment to maintaining an active presence at the exhibition. Madbouly and his delegation also visited the pavilions of several participating ministries, entities, authorities, national institutions and financial institutions. Their tour extended to a number of artisans’ pavilions and heritage product displays.

The prime minister and the delegation also visited the National Bank of Egypt’s pavilion, where he reviewed its diverse exhibits and the bank’s efforts to finance and develop handicraft businesses. Pavilion officials said that more than 180,000 citizens had benefited from financing programmes dedicated to these heritage and handicraft projects.

Additionally, they toured the Turathna Development Centre pavilion, affiliated with MSMEDA, where he received an explanation of the specialised services and newly developed business development solutions available to support project owners at various stages of growth.