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Traditional food is far more than sustenance — it is a living archive of identity, memory and belonging. That was the central message delivered by Egyptian heritage expert Nahla Imam, Adviser to Egypt’s Minister of Culture for Intangible Cultural Heritage Affairs, during a specialised seminar held as part of the 23rd edition of Sharjah Heritage Days.
The session, organised by the Arab Heritage Centre under the umbrella of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, was titled “Registering Traditional Food on the Lists of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage – Koshari as a Model.” It explored how everyday cuisine can become a recognised element of global cultural heritage.
A cultural platform for safeguarding heritage
Imam praised Sharjah Heritage Days as an effective cultural platform that actively safeguards heritage while making it accessible to new generations. She described the festival as a model of sustainable heritage protection, particularly because its open-format programming engages diverse audiences — from children to women and families — ensuring that traditions are not confined to academic circles but remain embedded in community life.
She also commended the Sharjah Institute for Heritage for its consistent efforts in raising awareness of cultural legacy locally and internationally, including engagement with global heritage frameworks such as those of UNESCO.
Food: A living heritage under pressure
At the heart of the discussion was koshari, Egypt’s beloved street dish of rice, lentils, pasta and tomato sauce — presented not merely as a popular meal but as a layered social practice.
Imam noted that traditional foods today face mounting pressures from globalisation and the spread of imported dietary patterns. Yet, she stressed, cultural exchange does not equate to the loss of identity. Rather, safeguarding heritage requires documenting practices, involving communities and recognising the cultural meanings embedded in everyday life.
A documentary screened during the seminar traced the history of koshari and the evolution of its sale since the 1940s, highlighting the iconic wooden street carts that once roamed Egyptian neighbourhoods. The film framed the dish as a complete social ecosystem — from vendors and family recipes to public gathering spaces — underscoring its status as an intangible cultural practice rather than simply a plate of food.
The table as social memory
Imam further reflected on the centrality of food in Arab culture, linking it to religious and social occasions such as Ramadan gatherings. She pointed to traditional preservation techniques — salting, drying, and grain storage in desert environments — as examples of how culinary practices reveal humanity’s adaptive relationship with nature.
The registration of koshari as a heritage element, she explained, followed extensive research and community engagement, involving academics as well as koshari vendors themselves — reinforcing that intangible heritage belongs first and foremost to the people who practice it.
A living demonstration
Following the seminar, visitors gathered around a live koshari-making workshop that brought theory into practice. The interactive session drew enthusiastic crowds, particularly families and young visitors eager to witness the preparation process firsthand.
Organisers also displayed a design replica of a 1940s Egyptian koshari cart, evoking nostalgia while contextualising the dish within its historical setting.
The event concluded with Aisha Rashid Al Hasan Al Shamsi, Director of the Arab Centre at the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, honouring Nahla Imam in recognition of her contributions to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.
As Sharjah Heritage Days continues to spotlight living traditions from across the region and beyond, the seminar served as a reminder that culture is often preserved not only in monuments and manuscripts — but around the dinner table.