Egyptians Against Ugliness: Online Campaign Against the Maadi Billboards

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A new online campaign is in the making.
Maadi is one of Egypt’s most distinguished districts, known for its exquisite greenery and serenity – not to mention the exceptional Nile Corniche, which attracts many nature lovers and felucca passengers. Last year, Maadi's governance was moved to the Helwan governorate instead of Cairo – a decision which upset many of the district’s residents. Yet they soon figured that nothing could be done about it.

A few days ago, Maadi residents woke up to find glimpses of hideousness have already crept on to their surroundings.

In his blog Soberhigh Mohamed M. Radwan tells us the story:

Overnight, and while the residents of Maadi were sleeping unaware, the first of the symptoms of the Helwan take over appeared so grotesquely all over Maadi’s urban landscape. At all the districts’ entrances, which are considered the urban gateways of Maadi; suddenly and out of the blue, these humongous billboards sprung out, as if made overnight by some evil work of demons

Mohamed then decided to place his anger against ugliness in the right channel and created a Facebook group named: Maadi: Helwan Governer, please bring these billboards down

According to Mohamed, the group:

Advocates for bringing these outrageous monstrosities down and the implementation of strict outdoor advertising regulations. And going further in calling on the banning of the construction of new billboards in all Cairo suburbs and regulating the use of the billboards that already exist in a way that would protect the visual environment of Cairo

We request that the government would issue a more strict building code regulating billboards all over the capital and form a Legislative and Regulatory Center to control outdoor advertising

In the Facebook group, Mohamed and many of Maadi residents, lovers, and enthusiasts carried out the campaign aggressively to appeal to the head of district of Maadi as well as the governor of Helwan, to bring down the billboards.

Mohamed addresses the campaigners and says:

If you are concerned for Maadi, and Cairo raise awareness and raise your voice. We are preparing an email template to be sent to all relevant governmental offices and institutions and media outlets. We will email the media, talk about it in talk shows (radio and TV) and voice out our objection

3 comments

  • Please allow me to express my whole hearted support for this campaign against these billboard eyesores.

  • Hisham Abdou

    Man this is pure insanity!! I was out of the country and I recently came back to find my neighborhood TOTALLY RUINED! WHYYYYYY! it’s like we cant not tamper with anything that is nice in this country!!
    I don’t get it!!

    I support this campaign 100%! and i’m willing to go all the way with it! and I mean ALL THE WAY!

  • Wendy

    The first khamseen and one of the billboards was unhinged dangerously flying like a flag on the hiway leading out of Maadi.

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