Mr. Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, chaired the Board of Directors meeting of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) today at the Ministry’s headquarters in the New Administrative Capital.
Welcoming New Leadership
The Minister commenced the meeting by welcoming Dr. Hisham El-Leithy, the newly appointed Secretary-General of the SCA, in his first board meeting. Minister Fathy expressed his confidence in Dr. El-Leithy’s ability to drive further development and achievements across the Council’s various sectors, building upon his professional and academic expertise.
Key Archaeological Achievements
Dr. El-Leithy presented a report on the Council’s activities over the past month, highlighting several significant archaeological discoveries made by Egyptian and foreign missions across the country. Key updates included:
Scientific Documentation: Completion of the documentation for the Tomb of Amenemhab in the El-Asasif area, Luxor, and the commencement of recording a new group of tombs in Saqqara.
Restoration Projects: Progress on the restoration of the First Pylon of the Ramesseum Temple in Luxor, conducted in collaboration with the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage.
Financial Growth and Strategic Partnerships
The Board approved the minutes of the previous session and reviewed the SCA’s financial performance over the last quarter, noting a significant growth in visitor numbers and revenues across museums and archaeological sites.
Major approvals and protocols included:
Al-Maridani Mosque Project: Renewing the cooperation protocol with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture – Egypt. Funded by the European Commission, this project aims to restore the Altunbugha al-Maridani Mosque and rehabilitate the surrounding tourist path, including infrastructure development and the promotion of traditional crafts.
Cultural Identity Initiative: Approving a protocol with OPPO Mobile. This partnership features the launch of the "Ollie" cartoon character in Ancient Egyptian attire and a long-term initiative for photographic documentation. This program will empower young Egyptian talents to document archaeological sites using mobile technology under the Council’s supervision to ensure historical accuracy.
Heritage Designations and Loans
The Board ratified several decisions from the Permanent Committees regarding:
Artifact Registration: Official registration of artifacts unearthed by recent excavation missions.
Historic Loans: Loaning portions of the Kaaba’s Kiswa (cover) and decorative bands, currently housed at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC), to the Al-Azhar Library Museum.
New Heritage Sites: Officially registering King Farouk’s Rest House at the Giza Pyramids area as an Islamic and Coptic monument.
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