Bassir: Sisi’s Visit to GEM is Historical

By: Ali Abu-Dashish

CAIRO, Jan. 9 (SEE)- Egyptologist Dr. Hussein Abdel-Bassir said that President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) emphasizes the his great efforts to preserve Egypt’s global status through to its archaeological and cultural heritage.

“Surely, President Sisi is attentive to the antiquities’ soft power and the role it can play in boosting tourism,” manifested Bassir. “GEM is Egypt’s gift to the world in the 21st century that stresses our renovations abilities that have always dazzled the whole world.”

GEM is a national project just like King Khufu’s Pyramid in the pharaonic era, the Suez Canal in Khepe Ismail’s epoch and the construction of the High Dam in the modern time midst President Gamal Abdel-Nasser’s Era.

Bassir elaborated that the museum will not be a cellar of antiquities but rather a state-of-the-art edifice that showcases unique treasures using technologies, similar to international ones.

Worthy of note is that GEM’s cornerstone was placed in February 2002, initiating a cultural edifice and a global center to connect civilizations and cultures. “The last phase of the project that included the museum building and its accessories, already started in 2012 and is expected to end in 2020.”

The museum will embrace some of the rarest and most significant unearthed discoveries including 5000 pieces belonging to the Golden King Tutankhamun, that have been relocated from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square to be showcased in an area 7 times larger.

In addition, various wooden parts of the sun boat next to King Khufu’s Pyramid have assembled to be showcased in a private hall.

King Ramses II’s 83 tons statue, will be placed to welcome the visitors at the entrance. Besides, the restoration workshop and the cellar have been connected to the museum building with three under-earth tunnels.

The project includes museums for children and those with special abilities besides an entertaining zone of gardens, restaurants and services.

Bassir praised the huge efforts done by the ministry of antiquities, the Armed Forces’ Engineering Authority and all the workers at GEM, to bring the project into light in a way that displays Egypt’s unique civilization.