Egypt’s efforts to share its ancient heritage with wider audiences through immersive exhibitions and digital campaigns have earned international recognition, with two cultural initiatives shortlisted for the ICOM COMMS Awards 2026.
The exhibition “Secrets of the Sunken City”, hosted by the Alexandria National Museum, is a finalist in the Best Press Office Campaign category, while 100 Days of Heritage Truth, a digital initiative by the Supreme Council of Antiquities, has reached the finals for Best Digital or Social Media Campaign.
Organised by ICOM COMMS – the International Committee for Marketing and Public Relations of the International Council of Museums – the awards celebrate outstanding work in museum communications, public engagement and cultural marketing.
That two Egyptian projects making the shortlist from entries submitted worldwide signals a quiet but meaningful shift.
This marks a move towards more imaginative and thoughtful ways of presenting the country’s archaeological heritage, as some officials like to put it.
“Secrets of the Sunken City” brings together 86 artefacts recovered from the submerged cities of Canopus and Heracleion in Aboukir Bay, as well as Alexandria’s Eastern Harbour.
Most date from the Ptolemaic period and offer intimate glimpses into religious rituals, funerary practices and everyday life along Egypt’s ancient coastline.
These objects were brought to the surface through years of careful collaboration between the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology and the Central Department of Underwater Antiquities at Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.
The exhibition opened during a wider underwater cultural heritage event in Alexandria on 21 August 2025, which featured the live recovery of four ancient objects from Aboukir Bay.
Organisers set out to do more than stage a conventional display. They wove archaeological evidence together with immersive storytelling and educational activities, creating an experience that invited visitors to feel the presence of a lost world.
Thoughtful accessibility features for visitors with visual impairments, scientific and community partnerships, and a specialised public library devoted to underwater cultural heritage further enriched the project.
Strong media interest and sustained public demand led to the exhibition being extended for an additional six months, a clear sign that the stories of these sunken cities had struck a chord.
The second finalist, 100 Days of Heritage Truth, tackles a very different challenge: the steady spread of misinformation and popular myths about Egyptian antiquities across digital platforms.
Using a simple yet effective Fact versus Myth format, the campaign published scientifically grounded material for 100 consecutive days.
Content appeared in several languages and deliberately connected online conversations with museum collections and fieldwork.
By speaking in clear, accessible language and inviting people to ask questions and join debates, the initiative sought to position museums as both trustworthy and approachable sources of historical knowledge.
Particular care was taken to reach younger audiences, using social media to make archaeological research feel relevant and engaging.
Officials note that the campaign helped grow the page’s followers from 16,000 to 80,000 over the 100-day period.
Material was produced in seven languages, some accounts mention as many as nine, extending its potential reach well beyond Egypt’s borders.
Osama Abdel Wareth, President of ICOM Egypt, described the nominations as an important milestone in the evolution of communications at Egyptian museums and archaeological sites.
“This recognition is more than an accolade for two individual projects,” he told The Gazette.
“It reflects the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities’ adoption of a modern marketing vision that presents Egypt’s heritage in innovative and engaging ways while reaching diverse audiences, both locally and internationally,” he added.
Abdel Wareth emphasised the value of combining traditional media relations with direct digital communication.
The exhibition’s campaign built credibility through relationships with local and international media, while “100 Days of Heritage Truth” fostered ongoing conversation on social platforms.
“Effective museum communication cannot rely on a single channel,” he said. “It requires a comprehensive and integrated system.”
Both projects were assessed by a specialist jury on creativity, strategic quality, impact and audience engagement.
The winners will be announced at the joint annual conference of ICOM COMMS and ICOMON, to be held from 2 to 4 December at the Heureka Science Centre in Vantaa, Finland.
