Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Sunday awarded Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) Secretary General Mostafa Waziry with the Order of Friendship in appreciation of his efforts in preserving world heritage and his recent archaeological discoveries in Egypt.
The order was handed over to him by Kazakhstan’s Senate Chairperson Maulen Ashimbayev.
Earlier in the day, Egyptian and Kazakh top officials reopened the Sultan Baybars Mosque in Cairo, the oldest Mamluk mosque in the country, following 16 years of restoration jointly funded by Egypt and Kazakhstan.
This year coincides with the 800th anniversary of its builder, Sultan Al-Malik al-Zahir Rukn al-Din Baybars al-Bunduqdari (1260-1277), commonly known as Baybars. He was the fourth Mamluk sultan of the Bahri dynasty (1250-1382) of Egypt and Syria. He was of Turkic Kipchak origin.
Ashimbayev said the commemoration of Baybars’ birthday anniversary is considered an important event for the Egyptian and Kazakh peoples alike.
Grand Imam of Al Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb was also honoured with the Order of Friendship in appreciation of his efforts in spreading the values of world peace and human coexistence, and his role in strengthening and consolidating Kazakh-Azhar relations.
