Eternal Egypt emerges from newly-open museum

This was the The Hymn of Isis sung by Egyptian soprano Amira Selim in the celebration of in the Pharaohs’ Golden Parade April 3, 2021, when 22 mummies were gracefully taken through the streets of Cairo from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) in Old Cairo’s Fustat. This parade was watched by millions all over the world. The above-mentioned lyrics she sung in ancient Egyptian language and since then it has made a lasting impression on those who heard it.

 Again, on June 21, the NMEC will hold a concert celebrating the second anniversary of its establishment, which coincides with World Music Day. The concert will be given by Selim.

 “I feel as if I’m back at home in this place where I sang the Isis Hymn. From this place I took the first step towards the revival of our ancient Egyptian language,” Selim told The Egyptian Gazette.

 “Such is the interest in our Egyptian identity in the popular public consciousness, as well as the interest in all kinds of music and arts in its various branches,” she added.

 The concert marks a launch of the initiative of ‘Eternal Egypt’, which presents a series of Egyptian cultural and artistic concerts in various musical genres to suit different tastes.

Eternal Egypt is collaboration between the NMEC and RMC Worldwide Partners, an advertising agency established in 2002.

 “We are keen to present cultural and artistic events associated with Egyptian civilisation, such as folklore, opera, music and all kinds of arts like exhibition as well,” Ahmed Ebeid, Founder and MD of RMC Worldwide Partners, told The Gazette.

 “Through these events, we are keen to enrich the artistic life in Egypt, focus on Egypt’s role as a centre for the arts in the region, and promote artistic and cultural tourism and give a positive image to the world about Egypt,” he added.

 There will be six events this year that will be held at the NMEC, the start of which will be on June 21.

 “On June 21, Selim will perform Arabic, English, French, Italian songs as well as old and new songs, rock and classic,” Ebeid added.

 The NMEC presents the full range of the richness and diversity of Egyptian civilisation throughout the ages, from prehistoric times to the present day by focusing on its continuity and stability as demonstrated by its tangible and intangible heritage.

 Its exceptional royal mummies’ hall with its dimmed lights gave a very special vibe. The mummies are exhibited in a new interactive display using 21st century cutting-edge technology to go beneath the wrappings and reveal their secrets, in addition to shedding light on the rituals and religious beliefs surrounding mummification in ancient Egypt.

 But, in fact, the NMEC is not just displaying antiquities.

 “Since its opening, it is not just a place to display artefacts but a minaret for spreading various kinds of arts as well as shedding light on Egyptian identity targeting all segments of society,” CEO of the NMEC Ahmed Ghoneim told The Gazette.

 Among its different initiatives is one to preserve Egyptian food heritage, he added.

 Dubbed ‘Tabliet Misr’, the initiative promotes and documents Egypt’s traditional cuisine usually served on a round dining table, locally known as tablia.

Ghoneim said that initiative plays an important role in raising people’s cultural awareness to protect the cultural heritage of Egypt.  This initiative comes to shed light, in particular, on many traditional foods and dishes that have been handed down for thousands of years, in addition to promoting tourism for Egyptian foods.

The museum also launched the Governorates’ Heritage Initiative. He added that every two months they hold an event to highlight the tangible cultural heritage of each governorate in co-operation with the General Egyptian Authority for Tourism Promotion.

 The events include a number of interactive art workshops focusing on the handicrafts for which each governorate is famous for in addition to artistic performances and folklore in the museum’s outdoor arena that witness a large number of local and foreign visitors to see and interact with them.

 In May last year, moreover, the museum hosted the final of the World Squash Championship in its courtyard.

 This place, which has a capacity of 1300 persons, will also be the venue for the June 21 concert.