Thousands pack narrow alleys in Cairo for Egypt’s mega-Iftar

Cairo — The narrow streets and alleys of a working-class neighborhood in Egypt’s capital hosted thousands of people Monday who came together to break their Ramadan fast at the longest dinner table in the country. It was the 10th time that northern Cairo’s Matareya neighborhood had hosted the annual Iftar meal on the 15th day of Ramadan, and it was the biggest so far.

Organizers said some 400 volunteers helped to line up about 700 tables along a handful of connected, and ornately decorated, streets and alleys and then fill them with food prepared by community members. There was no official count, but those behind the gathering claimed as many as 30,000 people had turned up to break their fast after sundown.

Hamada Hassan, one of the organizers, told CBS News the story of the mass-Iftar started 12 years ago on the 15th night of Ramadan when some local residents decided to break their fast together after playing soccer. No one had a house big enough to host everyone, so each went home and got some food. Then, they brought two tables out onto the street and ate together.

Friends later complained they hadn’t received an invite, Hassan said, and the following year, there were about 10 tables connected to seat a growing crowd. The event kept expanding, with more and more tables added year after year, until it was dubbed the longest Iftar table in Egypt.

The ritual was paused for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it made a strong comeback in 2023, with celebrities, government officials and even diplomats joining the banquet.

The Monday night gathering saw the biggest turnout to date, and the narrow old streets and alleys were packed. Some guests told CBS News it was the first time they’d been to Matareya.

Bassem Mahmoud, another organizer, said some 6,000 meals were prepared for the 2023 Iftar. This year,…