An introduction to Arabic calligraphy through the concept of personal identity.

Participants will explore the beauty of Arabic letterforms by creating a calligraphic artwork based on their own name or a short word/phrase of personal significance.

Led by Mahmoud Atef.

Age Requirement: 15+

Please note that doors will close shortly before the advertised time so we request that you arrive 15 minutes before the start time.

About Mahmoud Atef

Mahmoud Atef began his calligraphy journey at Al Azhar which led him to study it full at calligraphy school where he ranked tenth nationwide. He then continued training in a traditional manner, studying Ruqah, Diwani, Jali Diwani, and Ottoman Ta‘liq under his first teacher, the Moroccan calligrapher Hamidi Bel‘aid. Later, he studied Thuluth and Naskh style under an Egyptian teacher, Abdo El-Gammal.

Mahmoud has extensively exhibited his work, and he also contributed a calligraphic inscription to the British Museum as part of the project “The Past Is Present: Being Egyptian in the 20th century”. His other clients include the Catholic University of Milan, and he has produced calligraphic work for several Egyptian films.

About The Cambridge Festival of Islamic Arts

The Cambridge Festival of Islamic Arts runs from 19 to 29 November 2026, bringing performances, exhibitions, lectures, and workshops to Cambridge's historic colleges, museums, and cultural spaces. Open to everyone, the festival celebrates the beauty and diversity of Islamic arts, and, fifty years on from the landmark 1976 World of Islam Festival, carries that spirit into our own time. Find out more at cfia.co.uk (http://cfia.co.uk).

Description supplied by the event organiser.