This World Music Day we’re highlighting two inspiring music programmes in Egypt.

The Al-Darb Al-Ahmar Arts School in Cairo hosts classes for talented youth from the local neighbourhood and beyond. Students can study percussion, saxophone, accordion and other instruments during a two-year music course, which may help them find jobs in the buzzing capital of Egypt's music industry.

In Upper Egypt, the Aswan Music Project trains young music enthusiasts in the preservation of local musical heritage. It focuses on Aswanese traditional genres and instruments, like the tanbur. Graduates of the Aga Khan Music Programme (AKMP) are prepared to establish careers in entertainment and in the culture and tourism industries.

Educating Egyptian youth in artistic disciplines that connect them with their cultural heritage, while creating pathways to future employment opportunities as performing artists, helps to advance development while valuing culture. In this way, culture can play a catalytic role in development. This approach is at the heart of AKMP’s mission as well as the broader Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

Globally, the Aga Khan Music Programme has supported over 40,000 musicians and music educators.