Gehad Shawky Ali

Biography

Gehad is a Community Engagement and Outreach Program Coordinator at the Archaeological Awareness Administration in Luxor where she works to build connections and strengthen the relationships between local communities and Egypt’s cultural heritage. Her role involves organising education programmes, cultural activities, and community exhibitions in collaboration with museums such as the Luxor Museum of Ancient Egyptian Art, the Mummification Museum and other government cultural institutions. These programmes aim to promote cultural heritage awareness, preserve traditional practices, and foster a sense of shared cultural identity.

One of the key aspects of Gehad’s work is community outreach, specifically with the museum’s underrepresented audiences. Gehad organises museum visits and tours of archaeological sites for these communities, such as the West Bank tombs, Esna Temple and Al-Tod Temple, providing participants with an opportunity to engage with their cultural heritage first-hand. She also partners with local schools, cultural centres, and youth clubs to run interactive workshops and lectures focusing on the preservation of heritage and traditional crafts. In addition, Gehad organises community-based exhibitions that showcase local stories, traditional art forms and crafts, offering a platform for the community to participate in heritage activities.

Gehad has previously served as a curator, exhibition officer, and community engagement officer in several leading Egyptian museums, including the Luxor Museum of Ancient Egyptian Art, the Coptic Museum, and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Her work has involved curating exhibitions, organizing educational workshops, and leading cultural events designed to make heritage accessible to diverse audiences. She is particularly committed to strengthening the relationship between museums and local communities through inclusive programming and meaningful public outreach.

In 2022, Gehad founded the W3set Initiative to promote and revive the cultural heritage of Luxor through community engagement, education programmes and cultural events. The initiative aims to make heritage accessible to the local community by organising traditional festivals, heritage lectures, calligraphy workshops, and exhibitions. The current programme, titled International Experiences, is dedicated to exchanging knowledge gained from international programmes and conferences in the field of museums and heritage.

At the British Museum

During her time at the British Museum, Gehad was based in the Egypt and Sudan Department and her UK partner placement was spent at Glasgow Museums.

Gehad’s participation in the International Training Programme was generously supported through general sponsorship.