State of the World from NPR Street markets light up for Ramadan in Cairo and the Lunar New Year in Beijing
Feb 16, 2026
Aya Batraoui, NPR field reporter and Cairo correspondent, walks through Old Cairo’s bustling markets as shoppers prep lanterns and festive decor for Ramadan. She contrasts ancient mosque settings with mass-produced trinkets and shares scenes of personal shopping traditions. The episode also visits Beijing’s Lunar New Year markets where people seek stability amid economic worries and job concerns.
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Ramadan Shopping In Old Cairo
- In Old Cairo, shoppers flock to narrow markets lit with crescent lights and buy lanterns, cushions, and trinkets to mark Ramadan.
- Aya Batraoui describes how modern plastic decorations sit alongside ancient mosques, blending old traditions with new goods.
Old And New Traditions Merge
- The scene mixes centuries-old religious sites with cheaply made modern Ramadan decor, highlighting cultural continuity and commercialization.
- Aya Batraoui notes that visual traditions persist even when many decorations are low-cost imports from China.
Friends Keep Ramadan Traditions Alive
- Friends Durriya Mustafa and Yasmin Mahmoud shop together to refresh home decor and teach children Ramadan customs.
- They say decorations make the month festive but emphasize the spiritual preparation remains central to Ramadan.