At a time when cultural values are retreating in the face of life’s challenges, economic strains, and political turmoil, the Grand Egyptian Museum stands as one of the last fortresses guarding the memory of humanity.
Through the eyes and voices of young people determined to become a bridge between a glorious past and a promising future.
Students from German and Egyptian universities didn’t come to promote a static idea — they came to ask: How can we redefine the museum in the world’s consciousness? How can we forge a new relationship between people and their history?
The museum is no longer just a showcase of antiquities, but a living institution that reshapes our perception of civilization.
The Grand Egyptian Museum has transformed from a grand architectural monument into a human space that invites contemplation and inquiry.
What these young people presented through the Connects 2025 workshops was not a technical display of artifacts, but a sincere attempt to understand what these relics mean in the context of identity, belonging, and shared human history.
Connects 2025 was far from a traditional celebration — it was an open lab for the ideas of 600 students from Egyptian and German universities.
Their academic fields — from design to music to artificial intelligence — merged into one shared project: to reintroduce the museum to the world in a way that reflects the spirit of a new generation.
The idea of presenting a miniature version of the Grand Egyptian Museum in the heart of Berlin came as a bold intellectual and cultural initiative led by the German University in Cairo.
It reflects a deep institutional vision of the role universities can play in both preserving cultural identity and engaging with the world.
Professor Dr. Ashraf Mansour, Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees, played a key role in turning this vision into a living reality, through close coordination with the Grand Egyptian Museum’s management, and by involving students from both countries in curating and presenting the exhibition content.
The event was officially opened by Emine Demirbüken-Wegner, Mayor of Reinickendorf, Berlin, who praised the pioneering role of the German University in promoting intercultural dialogue.
She said that hosting such an event confirms Berlin’s status as a global center for culture and civilizational exchange.
Dr. Ashraf Mansour emphasized that this initiative is more than just a cultural event — it is a platform for civilizational exchange and openness between Egyptian and European youth.
Dr. Ahmed Ghoneim, Executive Director of the Grand Egyptian Museum, stressed the importance of presenting Egyptian heritage in a contemporary language that resonates with today’s world.
As the Egyptian soprano’s voice soared in the Hymn of Isis, guests began to arrive, forming long queues despite the rainy weather — a testament to the remarkable turnout from both German and international visitors.
People of all ages came to experience the unique student-led presentation, engaging with interactive displays and workshops that gave the event a rich human and cultural dimension.
For decades, the story of Egyptian civilization was told from outside Egypt. Today, it is being retold through the voices of young Egyptians and Germans, working hand in hand to present a new vision of the museum as a dynamic knowledge hub.
This is a global cultural project, not just for its scale — but for its profound human message.
What this experience truly reveals is that those who hold the keys to the future are also capable of unlocking the past.
University students, standing before statues of Ramses II or the mask of Tutankhamun, did not come merely to observe — they came to ask a deeper question: What does it mean to be human in a civilization that stretches back thousands of years?
The Grand Egyptian Museum is not only told through walls and inscriptions — but through the souls of these young people who revived its story, restored its spirit, and gave new global resonance to its civilization.
I felt a deep pride listening to guests speak of Egypt — the land that witnessed the world’s first peace treaty, pioneered medicine, cosmetics, even the sandwich, and was the first to develop prosthetic limbs.
I left the exhibition repeating to myself: “My country, how great you are."
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