AIA International Conference Cairo 2026
Layers of Civilization
11 - 14 November 2026

When: Wednesday 11 November evening - Saturday 14 November 2026 (Optional extension tours: 15 November onwards)
Where: The American University in Cairo Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt

REGISTER HERE

Program

See below for an overview of the program.

You may download a Program PDF here.

Day 0 Program | Day 1 Program | Day 2 Program | Day 3 Program | Extension Tours

Day 0 - 11 November

For Full Conference ticket holders only –

19:30 - Welcome Reception at The Nile Ritz-Carlton, 1113 Nile Corniche, Ismailia, El Nil, Cairo Governorate 11221.

Day 1 - 12 November

Day 1 will open with a morning of talks. The afternoon tour will take us to Ancient Cairo - first we will head to the Giza Plateau, to see the monumental Great Pyramids and Sphinx, followed by a visit to The Grand Egyptian Museum.

07:45 - Bus transfer from hotels to AUC Tahrir Square, 113 Al Kasr Al Aini, Ad Dawawin, Abdeen, Cairo Governorate 11511.

08:00 - 09:00 - Registration at AUC Tahrir Square

08:30 - Conference Welcome
Nabil Mohareb, Acting Chair, Dept. of Architecture, The American University in Cairo
Roger Skaff, AIA, President, AIA Middle East
Segene Park, AIA, President, AIA International
Carole Wedge, FAIA, LEED AP, NOMA, EVP/ CEO, AIA

09:00 - Opening Keynote: Carriers of Civilization - Baghdad, Cairo, Dubai
Raya Ani, FAIA, Founder and Design Director, RAW-NYC Architects
CES: 1 LU for AIA Members

10:00 - Building Continuity: Translating the Grand Egyptian Museum from Design Intent to Constructed Reality
Dina Ghobara, Senior Architect and Sustainability Coordinator, Pace
CES: 1 LU/ HSW for AIA Members

11:00 - Sponsor presentation by Emiko Ota for Evertron

11:15 - Sponsor presentation by Ajo Thomase, Presales Manager - UAE, TECHNAL Middle East

For Full Conference and One Day (Thursday) ticket holders only –

11:30 - Bus transfer from AUC Tahrir Square to Giza and packed lunch

12:30 - Tour 1: Engineering Monumentality - The Pyramids, Sphinx and Giza Plateau
CES: 2.25 LU/ HSW for AIA Members

14:45 - Bus transfer to the Grand Egyptian Museum

15:00 - 18:00 - Tour 2: The Grand Egyptian Museum: Architecture, Conservation and Interpretation
CES: 3 LU/ HSW for AIA Members

18:00 - Return to hotels.

Day 2 - 13 November

Day 2 will likewise start with a morning of talks and panel discussions. This time the tour is of Coptic Cairo. Looking at sacred architecture within the Fortress of Babylon, we will be visiting sights including the Hanging Church, Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus and the Church of the Holy Family Dwelling.

08:00 - Bus transfer from hotels to AUC Tahrir Square, 113 Al Kasr Al Aini, Ad Dawawin, Abdeen, Cairo Governorate 11511.

08:30 - Track A: Sacred Continuity - Mosque Architecture from Madinah to Cairo and Dubai
Nirmeen Abu Lughod, Design Director, Niri’s Design
Dr. Hadeel El Naggar, Assistant Professor of Architecture, American University Dubai
Rajagopalan Palamadai, Intl. Assoc. AIA, Rajagopalan M Palamadai - Consulting/Advisory.
CES: 1 LU/ HSW for AIA Members

08:30 - Track B: Heritage Under Pressure - Activism, Inequality and the Changing City
Sanmita Patel, Design Director, Axarra Design Studio
Prof. Abdelmohsen Farahat, Professor of Architecture, Planning & Landscape
CES: 1 LU/ HSW for AIA Members

09:30 - Track A: Sponsor presentation by Yasmina Bellido, Business Developer, DORMAKABA

09:45 - Track A: Narrating Cairo - Literature, Memory and the Lived City
Sarah Abdel-Monim, Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, Capital University, Cairo
Roba Youssef, Assoc. AIA, Founder, Roba Youssef Architects
CES: 1 LU for AIA Members

09:45 - Track B: Cultural Memory as Design Evidence
Dr. Maria A. El Helou, Architect, WELL AP, Founder & President, ANCED
Dr. Ibrahim Saad, Design Director, James Cubitt & Partners
CES: 1 LU/ HSW for AIA Members

10:45 - Coffee Break

11:00 - Closing Plenary - Designing the Next Layer: Cultural Continuity in Contemporary Practice
Andrija Stojic, Principal, WHY Architecture
Carolina Godinho, Senior Associate, Perkins Eastman
Tomasz Wozny, ARB, RIBA, RIAS, IARP, SCE, Foster + Partners
CES: 2 LU/ HSW for AIA Members

13:00 - Lunch at AUC. Includes AIA International Emerging Professionals Working Lunch.

13:45 - Bus transfer from AUC Tahrir Square to start of Coptic Cairo tour

14:15 - Tour 3: Coptic Cairo: Sacred Architecture and Adaptive Continuity within the Fortress of Babylon
CES: 3 LU/ HSW for AIA Members

17:15 - 17:45 - Return to hotels.

Day 3 - 14 November

Saturday 14 November will be a full day of tours taking in the sights of Islamic Cairo. From the Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hassan, to the Gayer-Anderson Museum, the Citadel of Saladin to Al-Muizz Street, we will explore many aspects of historic Cairo architecture, from the religious and monumental to the domestic, and how historic buildings have been adapted for contemporary use.  

The conference will close that evening with the Design Awards and the Gala Dinner.

08:30 - Bus transfer from hotels to Sultan Hassan Mosque for start of Islamic Cairo tour.

09:00 - 12:30 - Tour 4: Mosque, Madrasa and Domestic Architecture - Sultan Hassan, Ibn Tulun and Gayer-Anderson Museum
CES: 3 LU/ HSW for AIA Members

12:30 - Restaurant Lunch

13:30 - Bus transfer to Citadel of Saladin

14:00 - 17:00 - Tour 5: The Layered Public Realm of Islamic Cairo. Visit to Citadel of Saladin, Al-Muizz Street and Khan El-Khalili
CES: 2.5 LU/ HSW for AIA Members

17:30 - 18:00 - Return to hotels.

For Full Conference ticket holders only –

18:30 - Bus transfer to gala dinner at Khufu’s Restaurant, Nazlet El-Semman, Al Haram, Giza Governorate 12512.

19:30 - Gala Dinner & Design Awards
Illya Azaroff, FAIA, 2026 President, AIA

OPTIONAL Extension Tours

Alexandria Tour - 15 November

Price - $150
Please purchase a tour ticket via the Eventbrite registration page.

08:30 - Bus transfer from hotels to Alexandria

11:30 - 17:30 - Tour 6 - Alexandria: Mediterranean Layers from the Ancient City to the Contemporary Library
Visits to Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, ⁠Pompey’s Pillar, ⁠Bibliotheca Alexandrina, ⁠Citadel of Qaitbay, ⁠Roman Theatre. Restaurant lunch included.
CES: 5 LU/ HSW for AIA Members

20:30 - Return to Cairo hotels.

Upper Egypt Nile Cruise - 16-20 November

Download the Upper Egypt Tour PDF here for details of the tour and how to book.

  • Please book by October 1 for the best chance of traveling on the same boat as other conference attendees. Bookings after this date may still be possible, subject to availability, but you may be accommodated on a different boat.

  • Single rooms are strictly limited and must be confirmed by the cruise operator before your booking is finalized.

  • Indicative Price - $600 - $700 per person for double room.

    $950 - $1200 per person for single room.

  • Tour price does not include flights (approx. $200 total) or temple entrance tickets (approx. $100 total).

  • Participants must book this tour directly with the tour provider, Egypt Tours Gateway.

  • Please note: This extension tour is not organized or managed by AIA International or AIA Middle East. All inquiries, bookings, and responsibilities rest solely with the tour provider, Egypt Tours Gateway. AIA International and AIA Middle East assume no liability for these activities.

  • Participants fly to Aswan (please book your own flights). Cruise departs Monday 16 Nov at 9am. Cruise travels from Aswan to Luxor, including visits to Aswan High Dam, the Valley of the Kings, Karnak and many more. Fly back to Cairo from Luxor on evening of Friday 20 Nov (please book your own flights).

  • For booking inquiries, please contact Egypt Tours Gateway:











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