Press release

UNESCO Director-General visits Egypt to celebrate its ancient heritage and support its safeguarding

2021/32

6 April 2021

Last update:20 April 2023

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay made an official visit to Egypt from 3 to 5 April at the invitation of the Egyptian authorities to celebrate the country’s rich historical heritage and support its preservation.

Alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi, the Director-General attended the spectacular procession organized for the transfer of 22 royal mummies from the National Museum of Cairo to the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.

In a bilateral meeting, the Director-General congratulated the President on the success of this historic ceremony, which united the people of Egypt and shared these tutelary figures of ancient Egypt with the world, and on the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities’ supportive museum policy.

It was in Egypt, with the rescue of the temples of Philae, Abu Simbel and many others, that the foundations of UNESCO’s work to safeguard the cultural heritage of humanity were laid. This collective effort continues to inspire us today. UNESCO is following the path begun in Egypt in the 1960s well into our 21st century, enriching it with new dimensions. In campaigns such as Reviving the Spirit of Mosul, we now promote the protection of cultural diversity and education alongside the same ambition for heritage.

Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General

The Director-General’s official visit marked the common will to reinforce the historic strategic relationship between Egypt and UNESCO.

Media contact : Clare O’Hagan, +33 (0)1 45 68 17 29