During his visit to Tokyo, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates, Badr Abdel-Aati met on Wednesday with President of Japan’s Min-On Music Museum, Koji Yamaguchi, one of the country’s leading institutions dedicated to preserving global musical heritage.
Abdel-Aati said Egypt-Japan relations represent a distinguished model of cooperation founded on mutual respect and a deep appreciation of the cultural and civilizational heritage of peoples.
He added that culture has long been a key pillar in building bridges of understanding and friendship between the two countries.
The minister praised the role played by Japanese cultural institutions in promoting intercultural dialogue and people-to-people exchanges.
He expressed Egypt’s aspiration to further expand cultural cooperation with Japan and build on the success of major joint cultural projects, foremost among them the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), underscoring culture’s role in fostering closer ties and supporting the strategic partnership between the two countries.
During the visit, Abdel-Aati toured the museum’s various sections and unique collections, which include rare classical and traditional musical instruments from around the world.
He also reviewed the museum’s efforts in musical documentation, cultural heritage preservation and international cultural exchange.
Abdel-Aati expressed interest in exploring new avenues of cooperation between the museum and Cairo Opera House, including expertise-sharing and joint cultural events and programmes, particularly in light of the Opera House’s planned expansion with the opening of its new headquarters in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital.
