Manal Helal is the first woman to become a professor in sculpture at the Faculty of Applied Arts, Helwan University, and across the Middle East. She also served as Head of the Sculpture, Architectural Design, and Restoration Department, and was appointed to the Egyptian Parliament by presidential decree from 2021 to 2026, where she merged her academic and artistic dedication with shaping cultural policy.

As a professor and visual artist, she combines academic leadership with creative practice. Her career spans over 30 years, filled with international and local exhibitions and diverse materials. In her work Narrow Gate, she presents an abstract form with a narrow void, symbolizing the idea of a "narrow gate “a powerful artistic metaphor. It reflects that, to reach higher goals, one must have the courage to make decisions and pass through a difficult, narrow passage. The piece explores crossing as a human journey, where each great goal demands courage, perseverance, patience, and struggle. It invites the viewer to reflect on how each step toward excellence requires passing through a narrow gate, a gateway holding challenge, strength, and determination toward transformation