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Agora for Cultural Development
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About Agora

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Who we are

Who We Are

Agora is a cultural development organization that seeks to strengthen the role of arts and heritage in development and improve quality of life. Through consultancy and capacity building, we support institutions, initiatives, and practitioners across the creative and development sectors to design more impactful and sustainable projects and business models. We also support the production of Arabic-language knowledge and educational content in the fields of development, cultural policy, and cultural rights. Our work is focused on Egypt and the Arab region, with a growing network of collaborations across Africa, and MENA Region.

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Our foundation

The Experience Behind Agora

Agora builds on more than 15 years of accumulated practical experience brought by its founders and team across cultural development, capacity building, consultancy, programme and project design and management, and organisational development. This experience has contributed to training, supporting, and building the capacities of more than 1,000 professionals and practitioners across the cultural and development sectors, alongside providing training, consultancy, and technical support to over 30 organisations and initiatives in Egypt, the Arab region, and the Mediterranean.

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Vision & Strategic Objectives

Empowered communities that harness their cultural, heritage, and artistic resources to improve quality of life.

Sustainable institutions and practice

Strengthen the sustainability of institutions and practitioners across the creative and development sectors by building capacities, developing stronger business models, operational systems, and programs, diversifying funding sources, and building partnerships.

Participatory local development

Advance participatory and locally grounded approaches to development, including integrating arts and heritage into development and enabling communities to leverage their cultural and heritage resources within the creative economy, thereby contributing to improved quality of life.

Arabic knowledge and learning

Expand access to Arabic-language knowledge and learning through producing accessible specialized knowledge, educational, and training content, thereby increasing access to alternative learning and professional development opportunities.

A supportive cultural environment

Contribute to creating a more supportive and diverse environment for cultural work by fostering participation and dialogue around cultural policies and cultural rights, supporting research and knowledge production, and creating spaces for advocacy and networking.

Our Values

Inclusion & Accessibility

Promoting fair representation across gender, geographic and cultural diversity, including persons with disabilities, and creating environments that support accessibility and equal opportunities for participation and empowerment.

Cultural Democracy

Supporting local communities to participate in cultural life by expanding access to knowledge and opportunities for expression, creativity, and cultural production, while respecting diversity and cultural specificity.

Participation

Using participatory approaches that involve relevant stakeholders, particularly local communities, in planning and project management, strengthening sustainability and maximizing impact.