At the Goethe-Institut Cairo in downtown, the Embassy of Switzerland in Egypt, in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut and the EUNIC Egypt Cluster, inaugurated a new photo exhibition titled “Melting Glaciers – Water Futures from the Alps to the Nile.”
The event forms part of the SABBART festival, a cultural initiative exploring climate change and sustainability through the arts.
The exhibition brings together the work of Swiss photographer Pierre Jeanneret and Egyptian documentary photographer Roger Anis in a visual dialogue between two vastly different yet deeply interconnected water landscapes: the Alpine glaciers and the Nile River.
In her opening remarks, Lilli Kobler, Regional Director of Goethe-Institut MENA Region welcomed diplomats, artists, and cultural partners, describing the exhibition as both a scientific and artistic exploration of climate change.
Despite the intense summer heat in Cairo, the speaker noted with a touch of irony that an exhibition on glaciers offered a symbolic “cooling space” for reflection.
The exhibition, curated under the umbrella of EUNIC Egypt Cluster, is part of SABBART—a cultural festival blending “Sabbar” (Arabic for cactus) and “art,” which aims to foster dialogue on ecological futures through artistic expression.
Speaking at the opening, the Ambassador of Switzerland, Dr. Andreas Baum, emphasized the urgent reality of climate change, noting that glaciers, often referred to as “Europe’s water towers,” are disappearing at unprecedented rates.
He highlighted their essential role in sustaining freshwater systems, agriculture, energy production, and ecosystems across continents.
He also referenced recent climate-related disasters in alpine regions, including glacier instability and rock-ice collapses linked to permafrost thawing.
One such event, documented in the exhibition, underscores how monitoring systems and early evacuation measures have become crucial in mitigating human loss, even as landscapes continue to transform rapidly.
Against this backdrop, Jeanneret’s photographic series documents the retreat of Swiss glaciers and the changing human relationship with mountainous environments, hydroelectric dams, tourism infrastructures, and scientific fieldwork included.
His photographs capture not only loss, but also adaptation and emerging ecological realities in post-glacial landscapes.
In parallel, Roger Anis presents work from his long-term project The Nile, a Relative Eternity, focusing on how water shapes life, memory, and resilience in Egypt.
Through his lens, the Nile emerges not only as a natural resource but as a cultural and historical continuum that sustains communities across generations.
The exhibition draws a conceptual bridge between Switzerland and Egypt, highlighting how both regions, despite their contrasting geographies, are bound by shared environmental challenges.
One striking theme is the global circulation of dust from the Sahara to the Alps, where it darkens glacier surfaces and accelerates melting, further illustrating the interconnectedness of climate systems.
Organizers described the exhibition as part of a broader program of talks, workshops, and public discussions taking place throughout Cairo in the coming weeks under the SABBART festival framework.
These include panels on urban ecology, sustainable development, and community-based environmental practices.
The exhibition will remain open at the Goethe-Institut Cairo until 4 June 2026, offering visitors an opportunity to engage with 64 photographic works that merge science, documentary storytelling, and artistic reflection on water futures.
Follow the latest news on Google News
