Egypt Partakes in 13th Int'l Congress of Egyptologists in Netherlands

On Monday, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, via its arm - the Supreme Council of Antiquities, made its mark at the 13th Congress of Egyptologists held in Leiden, Netherlands. Spearheading the Egyptian delegation was the renowned Dr. Mostafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

Titled "The Future of Ancient Egypt", this symposium became a focal point for scholars, gathering a whopping 850 experts from 32 countries. They congregated to deliberate on cutting-edge research within the sphere of Egyptology.

In the inaugural session, Dr. Waziri took center stage, presenting a keynote that delineated the monumental achievements of the Supreme Council over the past years. His address spotlighted globally-acclaimed archaeological discoveries and outlined the restoration initiatives at iconic landmarks like the Karnak, Habu, Luxor temples, and the illustrious Giza pyramid complex, among others.

Further, Dr. Waziri shed light on the presence of 250 international excavation missions from 25 countries, all operating in various Egyptian archaeological hotspots. This mirrors the Ministry's undying commitment to fostering global academic partnerships and its vested interest in enriching the world of Egyptology. On another crucial note, he touched upon Egypt's relentless endeavors to retrieve artifacts illicitly exported.

Concluding, Dr. Waziri articulated Egypt's reverence for civilizations worldwide, stressing the paramount importance of safeguarding cultural identities. He asserted Egypt's unwavering stance against attempts to manipulate or misrepresent facts about its ancient legacy.

Elaborating on the Congress's objectives, Dr. Hisham El-Leithy, at the helm of the Central Administration for the Registration of Egyptian Antiquities, emphasized its dual goals: spotlighting ancient Egypt's significance in modern academia and nurturing the discipline of Egyptology. The symposium, he mentioned, is a melting pot for fresh research across Egyptology's myriad branches.

He detailed some core themes of the symposium, such as the repercussions of climate change on archaeological treasures, the intersection of modern tech and digitization in Egyptology, interdisciplinary studies within the domain, the illicit trade of relics, promoting inclusivity in Egyptology research, and strategies for safeguarding Egypt's timeless heritage.