Your guide to Cairo Design Week 2025
Cairo Design Week 2025 returns from 20–29 November, transforming the city into a vibrant hub of design, culture, and innovation. Expect immersive installations, live activations, global talent, and the debut of the CDW Universities Initiative, all culminating in the 7th Cairo Design Awards. Open to all, this is design for everyone.
Image courtesy of Cairo Design Week 2025
Cairo Design Week 2025 launches first-ever campaign: "Design, so I can see you"
Cairo Design Week 2025 took place from 20–29 November 2025. This guide covers what was on, for the latest edition visit cairodesignweek.net.
Inspired by Socrates’ words, “Speak, so I can see you,” the campaign looks at expression through design. “Design, So I Can See You” presents design as a universal language that shows identity, intentions and presence.
It suggests that design functions like speech, revealing who people are as individuals, as communities, and as a culture. Through design, they see others — and they, in turn, are seen.
Interested in Cairo's creative scene? Read our coverage of Art Cairo 2026 at the Grand Egyptian Museum.
When is Cairo Design Week 2025?
Cairo will transform into an open-air design playground on the 20 to 29 November 2025. The week will spread across three districts: Heliopolis, Zamalek and Downtown and will host world-class designers, top-tier brands, and bold thinkers.
Building on the success of the 2024 edition, which featured over 100 designers, 150 exhibitors and 80 speakers, this year’s event aims to connect Egypt’s creative collective with global leaders, solidifying Cairo’s place on the international design map.
What to expect at Cairo Design Week 2025
Streets, heritage sites and public spaces will come alive with large-scale installations, immersive exhibitions, pop-up pavilions, interactive trails and live activations. Talks, workshops and cultural programmes led by design thinkers from Egypt and beyond are also on the agenda.
And the best part? It’s open to all. Professionals, enthusiasts, the curious and the wider public. Cairo Design Week is truly a movement that celebrates inclusivity and design’s role in everyday life.
This year also introduces the CDW Universities Initiative, giving students and emerging designers access to mentorship, global networks and a platform to pitch ideas that could shape the future of design. And that’s not all! The 7th Cairo Design Awards mark the grand finale of the week: an all-smiles celebration spotlighting standout contributions from Egypt and the world over.
While the design districts remain under wraps, visitors can explore Cairo’s rich creative ecosystem, from the historic charm of Heliopolis and Downtown Cairo to the leafy avenues of Zamalek and Maadi. At its heart is the Cairo Design District (CDD), Egypt’s first dedicated innovation and design hub, inspired by those in Milan, Dubai and Miami.
Think iconic architecture, fashion houses, art galleries, concept cafés, boutique shops and performance spaces, coupled with landmark monuments like the Grand Egyptian Museum and the timeless Giza Pyramids. It’s a full-on cultural feast with the Cultural Design Week 2025 as the showstopper.
For more international design events in the region, explore our guide to art fairs across the Gulf.
Why attend Cairo Design Week 2025?
Just 25–30 minutes from Cairo International Airport, the festival is easy to get to, whether you’re local or flying in. If you’re into the pulse of Egypt’s creative rise or just want to soak up the best of contemporary design in all its shades, Cairo Design Week 2025 is the place to be.
Visit: cairodesignweek.net
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