A high-profile Egyptian cultural and media delegation has concluded a multi-day visit to Armenia aimed at strengthening cultural diplomacy, expanding academic cooperation, and highlighting the centuries-old historical ties between the two nations.
The visit brought together leading Egyptian academics, journalists, media professionals, and representatives of Egypt's Armenian community in what participants described as one of the most comprehensive cultural exchange missions between Cairo and Yerevan in recent years.
The delegation included Armen Mazloumian, President of the Armenian National Committee in Egypt and Secretary-General of the Armenian Orthodox Community Council; historian and Armenian studies scholar Professor Mohamed Refaat El Imam; writer, novelist, broadcaster and academic Safaa El Naggar; journalist Mostafa Taher, editor-in-chief of the television program Atyaf and cultural editor at Al-Ahram Gate; filmmaker Essam Nagi; Sylvia Saroukhan, granddaughter of renowned Egyptian-Armenian cartoonist Alexander Saroukhan; and Vahe Baladian, Chairman of the Armenian Orthodox Community Council in Egypt.
During the visit, the delegation held meetings with senior Armenian government officials, academic institutions, and cultural organizations while participating in scientific and cultural events designed to broaden cooperation in education, research, publishing, and media.
A key highlight of the program was a meeting with Armenia's Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Zhanna Andreasyan, attended by Egypt's Ambassador to Armenia, Amal Afifi. Discussions focused on expanding bilateral cooperation across culture, education, scientific research, youth initiatives, literary translation projects, international book fairs, and joint academic programs.
Members of the delegation were also received at the Egyptian Embassy in Yerevan, where Ambassador Afifi hosted discussions on enhancing cultural and media partnerships between the two countries. The talks also underscored the important role played by Egypt's Armenian community in preserving the longstanding relationship between the Egyptian and Armenian peoples while exploring new joint cultural initiatives.
The delegation participated in an international symposium organized by the Institute of Oriental Studies at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia under the title "Between Two Homelands: Alexander Saroukhan and the Power of Public Diplomacy." The event celebrated the legacy of the internationally acclaimed Egyptian-Armenian artist Alexander Saroukhan and featured the participation of his granddaughter, Sylvia Saroukhan, who traveled from Egypt for the occasion.
In recognition of his decades of academic contributions, Professor Mohamed Refaat El Imam was honored for his pioneering research in Armenian studies, including his extensive work on Armenian history and the history of Armenians in Egypt. Organizers also praised his role in promoting awareness of Armenian culture throughout the Arab world and his longstanding support for the Center for Armenian Studies at Cairo University.
The cultural program included visits to some of Armenia's most significant historical and heritage landmarks. Delegates toured the Matenadaran Manuscript Repository, one of the world's leading centers for preserving ancient manuscripts, home to thousands of rare Armenian, Arabic, Greek, Syriac, Persian, and other historic texts that reflect Armenia's enduring contribution to safeguarding global cultural heritage.
The itinerary also featured visits to the ancient Temple of Garni, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Geghard Monastery, the Cascade Complex, the Mother Armenia monument, and the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial, in addition to walking tours through central Yerevan highlighting the capital's rich architectural and cultural legacy.
On the media front, Safaa El Naggar produced a special episode of her television program Atyaf dedicated to Armenia. The program will explore the country's history, civilization, and cultural heritage, document the symposium honoring Alexander Saroukhan, and examine the evolving Egyptian-Armenian relationship for audiences across Egypt and the Arab world.
Delegation members said the visit reaffirmed the strength of the historic partnership between Egypt and Armenia while demonstrating significant opportunities to expand cooperation in culture, education, media, scientific research, and public diplomacy.
They also expressed appreciation for the warm reception extended by Armenian governmental, academic, and cultural institutions, describing the visit as an important step toward launching new collaborative initiatives that will further strengthen cultural relations between the two countries.
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