This study examines the future of Alexandria’s diminishing Armenian, Greek and Italian communities, exploring how these once vibrant groups navigate questions of identity, memory and belonging within a rapidly changing urban environment. Historically, Alexandria emerged as a cosmopolitan hub in which European, Levantine and Egyptian populations coexisted, contributing to the formation of a diverse social and cultural landscape. However, decolonization processes and the rise of nationalist movements and Islamic revival from the mid-twentieth century profoundly transformed the city’s demographic composition, leading to the gradual departure or assimilation of many foreign residents. Today, the remnants of these groups face significant challenges related to preservation, adaptation and visibility within contemporary Egyptian society.

Drawing on interviews with members of these communities both in Alexandria and abroad, as well as the analysis of urban heritage, cultural initiatives and contemporary representations of Alexandria’s cosmopolitan past, this study investigates how their remaining members understand their present condition and envision their future. Particular attention is given to questions of identity continuity, the preservation of collective memory, and the negotiation of belonging within the city’s evolving social landscape. The study also explores the notion of an “Alexandrian” identity, which for many individuals represents a hybrid form of belonging situated between their ancestral national identities and their lived experience in Egypt.

Through a comparative examination of the Greek, Armenian and Italian cases, the study highlights how different degrees of institutional continuity, demographic presence and community organization shape the prospects for survival and transformation among these groups. Ultimately, it argues that while the cosmopolitan Alexandria of the past has largely disappeared, the legacies of its national communities continue to influence the ways in which identity, memory and heritage are negotiated in the city today.