Alexandria hosted on Thursday a celebration marking the first International Day for Underwater Cultural Heritage and the 25th anniversary of the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage.
The event was organised by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, in cooperation with the UNESCO Chair on Underwater Cultural Heritage and Alexandria Centre for Maritime Archaeology and Underwater Cultural Heritage.
Ghada Abdel El-Bari, Head of the Cultural Affairs and Missions Sector and supervisor of the Egyptian National Commission for UNESCO, stressed the importance of holding the celebration in Alexandria, given the city’s rich maritime history and prominent role in research, education and maritime heritage protection.
She highlighted the importance of international cooperation, scientific research and training in preserving underwater heritage as an integral part of cultural memory and identity.
She also called for greater use of technology and innovation in discovering, documenting and protecting underwater sites, including through collaboration between archaeology, marine sciences, engineering, computer science and artificial intelligence.
Abdel El-Bari noted that Egypt initiated the establishment of the World Day for Underwater Cultural Heritage in 2023 through Alexandria University’s Centre for Maritime Archaeology and Underwater Cultural Heritage. The initiative was later submitted to UNESCO and approved in 2025, designating August 21 as the annual international observance.
The celebration brought together representatives of governments, UNESCO, international organisations, universities, museums and heritage institutions, as well as researchers and diving specialists.
The programme included lectures, panel discussions and documentary screenings, alongside the adoption of the “Alexandria Declaration on Underwater Cultural Heritage.”
An exhibition honouring marine archaeologist Honor Frost was also opened at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
