By Mohamed Moussa
Cairo Governor Ibrahim Saber attended on Sunday the unveiling of a bust honouring Dr António Agostinho Neto, a prominent figure in Angola’s national liberation struggle and the country’s first president, at Al-Horreya Garden in Zamalek.
The ceremony was attended by Angola’s Minister of Culture Filipe Silvino de Pina Zau, Angola’s Ambassador to Cairo Maquento Lopes, Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs Ambassador Mohamed Karim Sherif, Deputy Governor for the Western Region Ahmed Anwar El-Adl, as well as a number of ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions.
For his part, Governor Saber said the unveiling carries particular significance, as it commemorates a pivotal figure in Angola’s history while coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Angola.
He described the occasion as a reflection of the deep historical ties that unite the two countries and their peoples.
The governor expressed his pleasure at welcoming the statue to Al-Horreya Garden, emphasising the site’s distinctive symbolic and cultural importance.
He noted that the Cairo Governorate regards Al-Horreya Garden, as a “Park of Friendship and Peace”—not simply a green space in the heart of the capital, but a human and cultural hub where Egyptian and international icons come together.
According to Saber, the park’s collection of 23 statues of prominent Egyptian and international figures represents the histories of nations and the struggles of their peoples.
In this sense, Al-Horreya Garden embodies the diversity of civilisations and the convergence of cultures, demonstrating how culture and history can serve as bridges of understanding, rapprochement, and peace.
The governor stressed that the addition of Agostinho Neto’s statue gives the park a distinctly African dimension.
Representing an African nation that is both a friend and a sister to Egypt, Neto’s presence in Al-Horreya Garden reflects Egypt’s deep connection to the continent and its pride in its African roots.
Governor Saber further noted that the initiative is consistent with Egypt’s policy of strengthening relations with African countries and expanding co-operation and communication across the continent, including through cultural exchange.
He linked these efforts to the shared history, geography, and destiny of the peoples of Africa.
He emphasised that the presence of Neto’s statue in Al-Horreya Garden is more than a new addition to the park’s collection.
It provides a permanent symbolic representation in the heart of Cairo of the historic friendship and close ties between Egypt and Angola, along the banks of the Nile.
