Wafaa al-Nil

The Wafaa Al Nil festival (which means “Fidelity of the Nile”) celebrates Egypt’s iconic symbol, the Nile River, since ancient times. In Pharaonic times, beautiful girls were sacrificed by being thrown into the Nile River as a way to guarantee a good harvest. Nowadays such activities are no longer pursued, but people of Egypt continue to honor this river through painting competitions for children, poetry readings, concerts, and discussions about pollution.