GEM.. Egypt's Gift to World in 21st Century

Egyptian Grand Museum (GEM) is considered as the most important Egyptian national project; it will be completed by 2020. It is the world’s greatest cultural monument in Egypt with more than 4000 workers working in the museum for 24 hours.

GEM is Egypt's gift to the world in the 21st century. It confirms that Egypt is a great cultural, archaeological and civilizational country still able to offer the world creative and dazzling landmarks through giant cultural projects always attracts the world's attention. The museum area is 118 acres, while the facilities area is 170,000 meters.

Egyptian Grand Museum

* 1992: land allocation of the project.

* 2002: the foundation stone was laid.

* 2010: the Center for the Restoration of Antiquities was opened.

* 2012: the beginning of the museum project construction.

*25 January 2018: King Ramses II statue was transferred to the Great Hall. It is scheduled to open next year 2020.

*Financing the project:

$ 751 million loan pided to $ 300 million in 2006.

$ 451 million under President Sisi during his visits to Japan. The loan is repayable over 10 years after opening.

*JICA Support:

*Providing technical support in transfer antiquities to the museum as well as training Egyptian archaeologists in recording and documenting antiquities.

* Database to record the Egyptian antiquities at the highest level. Also, JICA is also involved in Khufu II restoration project.

* 50% of the boat's parts were transferred to the Grand Egyptian Museum, as well as participation in the transfer and display the Khufu ll boat in the museum.

Return to Egypt from this museum:

*Political benefit

-GEM is the jewel of cooperation in Egyptian-Japanese relations as well as strengthening diplomatic relations between two countries.

*Economic benefit

- An important source of Egyptian national income; the project provides about 20,000 jobs.

*Touristic benefit

- Establishing tourist projects, hotels and tourist bazaars around the museum and linking the pyramid area with the Egyptian Grand Museum contribute to improving the image of civilized Egypt, and targets over 8 million tourists per month.

Noteworthy, Egyptian Museum received 155 antique under the supervision of the supervisor of the GEM project Atef Moftah; the most important one is Tutankhamun sunshade that is the last antique to be transferred.

It is part of the Japanese- Egyptian project, which includes 72 antiques sponsored by JICA, according to manager of Egyptian museum El-Tayeb Abbas.

In addition, 181 artifacts were transferred to GEM from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir.

Among the most significant pieces is a statue of King Akhenaten, which dates back to the new kingdom. The statue, which is made of sandstone, holds a wand and measures 194 cm × 114 cm × 80 cm.