On the shore of the Red Sea, the forward-thinking town of El Gouna was founded with a mission: to do its part to protect the environment.
As I sat under the welcome shade of a cluster of palm trees, my gaze drifted over the calm waters of the lagoon ahead of me – and was caught by a line of neatly labelled terracotta rubbish bins.
To be honest, when I'd imagined my trip to Egypt's Red Sea region, I'd pictured swimming in warm, crystal-clear waters and discovering vibrant coral reefs surrounded by brightly coloured fish. And though I was able to do all of that, it was not the marine beauty that captivated me the most, but rather El Gouna's impressive commitment to sustainability. Instead of detracting from the natural beauty of the Egyptian resort town, the rubbish bins were a welcome sight.
In November 2022, the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP27, will be held across the water at the popular Egyptian holiday resort of Sharm El-Sheikh. What many visitors don't know is that, here on the country's western coast, El Gouna has been focused on sustainability since before COP's existence.
"Creating a contained, self-sustaining ecosystem was always a target for El Gouna," said Omar El Hamamsy, CEO of Orascom Development (the Swiss-based company that built and manages El Gouna). Conceived as a waterside idyll in 1989 by Egyptian entrepreneur and Orascom engineer Samih Sawiris, El Gouna takes its name from the Arabic for "the lagoon". It's an apt moniker: the chic community of holidaymakers and residents is built across 20 islands and turquoise lagoons, linked by canals and lined with promenades and sandy beaches. Visitors can stay in one of 18 hotels; play on two golf courses (irrigated with recycled water and from the town's own desalination plants); enjoy water sports such as kitesurfing, windsurfing or diving; or mingle with celebrities at glam events like the El Gouna Film Festival (next slated for October 2022).
But it has grown to be more than a glitzy vacation destination. Beyond the hotels and golf courses, the town now hosts a hospital, library, school, university and places of worship, serving a resident population of around 24,000 people. The community even has its own Egyptian Premier League football team, El Gouna FC.
What's more, in the 30-plus years since its inception, the town has been lauded for its commitment to the environment. In 2014, El Gouna became the first place in Africa and the Arab region to receive the UN-sponsored Global Green Town award, honouring cities displaying substantial efforts and progress towards environmental sustainability and a greener community.