Egypt

Ceremonies here and there

The world was stopped in its tracks by the grandeur of the royal, albeit informal, funeral of Prince Philip, and earlier by the glory of the inauguration of US President Joe Biden. Both ceremonies had me wonder whether we Egyptians, as we carry out inaugurations, funerals, or celebrations, follow the same conduct.

Amidst Covid 19 precautionary measures, Prince Philip’s funeral was scaled down. Still it was an historic ceremony even if it was simple in relation to what is customary. Prior to the funeral, a one-minute national silence was observed across Britain. Only thirty guests attended, but the ceremony was conducted not only with decorum and dignity but also with Prince Philip’s distinctive personal touches. The casket was placed on the Prince's favorite Land Rover. His three sons, Charles, Andrew and Edward, and his daughter, Ann, walked first in the procession behind the casket, followed by the grandsons Harry and William; the medals he had received were displayed inside the church, and the service ended with a proclamation of his 133 titles read out loud. Though very somber, the Queen remained the regal royal she has always been, gaining the world’s sympathy as she stood alone not able to receive the respect and condolences of anyone.

We also watched the inauguration of US President Joe Biden and his Vice President, Kamala Harris. The ceremony followed fastidious precision, a carefully planned ceremony with no spontaneity or improvisation, and was intended to exhibit to the world that the United States remains the most powerful country in the world.

President Biden was sworn in on a family Bible from the 19th century. The inauguration also featured several performances by celebrities who sang and spoke of their love for the US. Then President Biden and Kamala Harris went from the Capitol to Arlington National Cemetery to attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier accompanied by three former presidents: Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton.

Funeral ceremonies also follow the same meticulous preparations, especially if the deceased is of fame and his or her final journey will receive a great deal of attention. In such situations, everyone, not only guests but the masses stand in reverence; no one tries to violate the process or disturb order.

Operation Tay Bridge is the codename for what  would be the funeral of Queen Elizabeth and has been set and rehearsed diligently since the sixties of the last century. An adaptation of the operation was applied during Lady Diana’s funeral in 1997 and the Queen Mother in 2002. This tells us how seriously such events are taken and producing them in a perfect manner is not taken lightly.

This while six million British citizens stood along the streets to view Princess Diana’s procession; despite raging emotions, they stood silent in respect and grief.

In Egypt, when a beloved person dies, the overwhelming sorrow turns into chaos. The funeral of President Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1970 was one of the most memorable funerals ever to be held, drawing over five million mourners, and yet it was calamitous. Egyptians, in grief, flocked the streets and engulfed the procession in the hope of bidding their beloved president farewell. Dozens were crushed and the police had to evacuate the official mourners.

Describing the funeral of Umm Kalthoum in 1973, the New York Times says that the mourners "poured like a river in her farewell." But these mourners stormed the procession ultimately taking command, and for three whole hours carried the casket themselves, ultimately heading to Umm Kalthoum’s favorite mosque El Hussein. Here, too, the official guests had to be evacuated.

A replica occurred at Pope Shenoudah’s funeral in 2012. Although only dignitaries and clergymen were to attend, the cathedral became jammed with mourners who forced themselves in, causing three deaths and many injuries. 

But Egyptians have finally realized the importance and value of the Egyptian image that the world perceives. Lately, they have presented many celebrations that deserve praise.

The inauguration ceremony of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was the first celebration that was carried out with the requisite stateliness setting a precedent worth adhering to. President El-Sisi took the constitutional oath and assumed the reins of power in the Constitutional Court, then went to the Presidential Palace to meet with dignitaries and well-wishers from the Arab and Western worlds. A celebration followed at El Qoba Palace with many carefully selected noteworthy Egyptians attending. The entire event was coordinated with precision; it followed faultless timing and an impeccable process from the arrival of guests, to seating arrangements, and to the arrival of the President’s motorcade.

Then came the opening ceremony of the new Suez Canal in 2015, when leaders and delegations from around the world attended to witness the fruits  of Egypt’s hard work and its ability to fulfill its ambitious dream in record time. Even with the harsh summer weather, an atmosphere of enthusiasm and pride descended on the participants, and while President Sisi delivered his speech, the first ship crossed the new Suez Canal with yet another ship sailing in the opposite direction.

Today, we have all realized that Egyptians can indeed carry out unique celebrations with disciplined and distinguished performance. Egyptians were able to embody the greatness of ancient Egypt in the Golden Parade that transferred 22 kings and queens to their final resting place in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. At sunset, a time of day chosen to correspond with the burial philosophy of ancient Egyptians, the procession moved in glamour, prestige, and dignity. Today’s Egyptians paid tribute to yesterday’s ancestors.  

Do not tell me that the Egyptians cannot perfect their efforts; rather, say that they have proven their ability to produce powerful celebrations and inauguration. We look forward to many more perfectly carried out events.

The incredible story behind the world’s oldest dress from Egypt that’s more than 5,000 yrs old

 Face to Face Africa by MILDRED EUROPA TAYLOR  (Link: The incredible story behind the world's oldest dress from Egypt that's more than 5,000 yrs old) 

The world’s oldest woven garment found in Egypt. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY PETRIE MUSEUM OF EGYPTIAN ARCHAEOLOGY, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON

Garments worn thousands of years ago have survived to the present day. Those garments were merely wrapped around the body. But the “Tarkhan Dress,” named for the town in Egypt where it was found in 1913, is beautifully stitched. About five years ago, it was precisely dated using the latest radiocarbon dating technology. Researchers determined that the linen dress with fine detail dates to between 3482 and 3103 B.C., making it the world’s oldest woven garment.

Textiles recovered from archaeological sites are generally no older than 2,000 years, Alice Stevenson, the curator of London’s Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, recently said. The Tarkhan Dress, however, dates back more than 5,000 years, and when it was new, it may have been longer, researchers said.

It was once part of a “large pile of dirty linen cloth” excavated by Sir Flinders Petrie in 1913 at the site he named Tarkhan after a nearby village 30 miles south of Cairo, archaeology.org said. In 1977, researchers from the Victoria and Albert Museum were preparing to clean the large pile of dirty linen cloth when they discovered the Tarkhan Dress, finely made. Though there were creases at the elbows and armpits showing that someone once wore the dress, the V-neck linen shirt with pleated sleeves and bodice was in excellent condition despite its age.

The researchers conserved the fabric, sewed it onto Crepeline silk to stabilize it, and displayed it. Soon, it was being hailed as Egypt’s oldest garment and the oldest woven garment in the world largely due to the age of the tomb in which it was discovered. However, because the tomb in which the garment had been found had been plundered, researchers couldn’t provide a precise age to the dress.

In the 1980s when linen associated with the dress was analyzed using a new technology of accelerator mass spectrometry, it was believed to date to the late third millennium BC. But this date was too broad, according to researchers.

Finally, in 2015, a sample — weighing just 2.24mg — from the dress itself was analyzed by the University of Oxford’s radiocarbon unit. The results showed that the Tarkhan Dress is from between 3482 and 3102 B.C. and might even pre-date Egypt’s 1st Dynasty (ca. 3111–2906 B.C.).

“We’d always suspected it was old, and even if it wasn’t near the 1st Dynasty, even a 5th Dynasty dress [ca. 2500 B.C.] is still pretty old by archaeological standards for this type of object,” Stevenson said at the time, adding that the new dating has affirmed her appreciation of the garment. “…There’s nothing quite like it anywhere of that quality and of that date. It’s amazing to think it has survived some 5,000 years.”

Clearly, the fineness of the garment is a testament to the fact that ancient African civilisations were just awesome.

 

Messages from our forefathers

Al Ahram Weekly and Ahram Online, by Laila Takla

It is time to revisit the wealth of knowledge that our ancient Egyptian ancestors have left us

Egypt sent a host of messages to the world when on 3 April it organised the Pharaohs Golden Parade to move 22 Royal Mummies from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo’s Tahrir Square to the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) in Fustat. 

These messages included the idea that with its competent people and wise leadership, Egypt was able to hold this magnanimous event and make international headlines, proving to the world that “Egypt can do it.” The messages said that Egypt respects its heritage and the legacy of our ancestors and that for long centuries Egypt has held a prominent place in history, being in fact the place where civilisation, medicine, art and monotheism began.

Other messages said that Egypt is safe and its president, government and people are defending it against terrorism. The country is open for tourism, investment and cooperation on common interests. The UN cultural organisation UNESCO, in its Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, has called for respecting the plurality of identities. Egypt has underlined this respect, since we are proud of all the periods Egypt has lived through, and we respect them and work on reviving their landmark heritage, whether Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Coptic, Islamic or Arabic. In the ancient Egyptian language, Egypt means “the fortress,” and it has shown itself to be just that.

 Egypt has shown that civilisations do not “clash,” but rather that they complement each other. The country has embraced different cultures and civilisations and has been impacted by them and has influenced them in turn. However, it has still maintained an independent Egyptian identity, much like Mahatma Gandhi meant when he said that “I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.”

The awe-inspiring Pharaohs Golden Parade was a breath of fresh air that restored to hearts and minds the urge to go back to the enlightened Egyptian identity that protects people from the West’s material and discriminatory practices as well as from the rigidity, backwardness, and Salafism that lead to discrimination, deeming other atheists or even killing them.

The Egyptian identity should be restored to invest what it has to offer in terms of values, sciences and civilisation, the full secrets of which the world is yet to discover. The values of peace, love, justice and solidarity on which our heritage and culture are built are recorded on the walls of ancient Egyptian temples and inscribed on coffins. These are values that religions promote, and our ancestors remind us of them.

Many people at home and abroad were touched when President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi received the ancient Egyptian mummies at their new residence in Fustat. He stood at the entrance to the NMEC Museum alone to salute his forefathers. The minister of tourism and antiquities was also commended for referring to the efforts of his predecessors on the night of the parade.

Preserving Egyptian identity requires acknowledging its principles. Defining Egypt’s heritage is a matter of national security. If people learn about Egypt’s history and what it has offered to the world, they will not harm it or its people.

However, unfortunately some foreigners know more about Egypt’s history and heritage than some young Egyptians. This is not the fault of the young people in question, however. It is the fault of the education system, which, though it has improved, still has not paid heritage its due.

Teaching young people about their heritage and restoring their identity is a joint responsibility in which several parties must take part, and it also requires political commitment.

The present writer has proposed to Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar that Egyptian students be taught about the wealth of ancient Egyptian heritage, each in their own area of specialisation. 

For example, students in the first year at the Faculty of Medicine would learn about ancient Egypt’s advances in medicine. The first operation on a damaged turbinate in the skull was performed in Egypt more than 5,000 years ago. The ancient Egyptians excelled in optical treatment with methods still used today. When the father of the ruler Qaraqosh experienced a disease in his eyes, he insisted that he be treated by ancient Egyptian doctors. A wall painting in the tomb of Ipwy, a master builder, shows an oculist treating a patient who has a cataract in one eye. Drawings on the walls of temples also reveal the fact that the ancient Egyptians used physical therapy to treat polio by means of dance and music.

Another example concerns engineering students, who would learn about the greatness of their ancestors by studying their advances in the fields of construction and architecture. The Pharaohs constructed the first stone buildings in the world. They built palaces, temples, tombs and obelisks using a unique architectural style such that the buildings remain standing to this day. They built the Pyramids, which are an architectural and administrative miracle.

Do those who study, teach or practise agriculture today know that when their ancestors settled on the banks of the Nile to escape the heat of the desert they discovered agriculture? Using science and astronomy, they learnt the secrets of the floods and the seasons of plantation, invented the first Nilometer and excelled in planting cotton and dates. 

Do students know that our forefathers’ focus on agriculture was the step preceding industrialisation? The ancient Egyptians made agricultural tools, such as axes, before manufacturing furniture or vehicles. They made medicine from plants, fabric and premium linen, and they excelled in the manufacture of cosmetics, clothes and jewellery that dazzle people to this day.

Law students should know about the distinguished system adopted by ancient Egypt’s judiciary. There were strict instructions to judges to ensure integrity and justice, such as “swear by justice before you ask those whom you are judging to swear to the truth,” “allying with one side against the other is an abomination,” and “you hold people accountable for their deeds in this world, and the gods will hold you accountable for your judgements in the hereafter.”

The ancient Egyptians had litigation and accountability methods, whether during life or after departure. The god Osiris would be at the head of the courtroom and with him was Thoth, the god of knowledge, and Maat, the goddess of justice. In front of Osiris was a balance, on one of whose plates lay the heart of the deceased and on the other a Maat feather. The judges would then ask questions to determine the fate of the deceased.

Do students of the arts know about the wealth of Pharaonic painting, singing, dancing and drawing? The ancient Egyptian priest and historian Manetho said that “nations perish from the lack of knowledge and wars against the arts. If you want to strike a country in its present and future, strike its art.”

Furthermore, the world’s first recorded constitution was drafted in ancient Egypt. It determined behaviour, values and principles. It is considered the first document on human rights, and it should be read by every student and citizen interested to know and learn.

A Ride Fit For An Egyptian Mummy

Hotcars, by Richard Torne (Link: A Ride Fit For An Egyptian Mummy)

Led by two horse-drawn chariots, the cortege was transporting the remains of 22 ancient mummies.

Egypt became the center of the world’s attention earlier this month when the government staged the most lavish and unique parade ever seen in the Arab country.

Starting in Cairo's city center on the edge of the River Nile, a highly unusual procession made its way to the south of the capital some four miles away.

Led by two horse-drawn chariots, the cortege was transporting the remains of 22 ancient mummies to their new permanent home at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.

Let's look at how Egypt treated the royalty of their past.

Via Facebook

The Pharaoh's Golden Parade

The mummies of 18 kings and three Queens, some dating more than 3,500 years, were being relocated amid much fanfare from the old Egyptian Museum to the new building in customized trucks.

With the world’s press in attendance, the event was beamed live on Egyptian TV for over two hours. The floats, which set off in chronological order according to their reigns, from the oldest pharaoh to the most recent, took about 40 minutes to reach their destination.

Decorated in stylized Egyptian motifs reminiscent of funereal boats of the period, the trucks transporting the caskets were fitted with special shock-absorbers designed to minimize vibration.

Via Facebook

To give an idea how precious the cargo was, some of the roads through which the motorcade traveled had been repaved, especially for the event, while the mummies were placed in nitrogen-filled caskets to help preserve them during transit.

Via Wikipedia

A New Museum Fit For Pharaohs

Among the mummies were the 3,500-years-old remains of Queen Hatshepsut, who built the vast Deir el-Bahari Temple, and King Rameses II considered the greatest Egyptian pharaoh of them all.

Fittingly, when the mummies arrived at their final resting place, they were greeted by the country’s president, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, and a 21-gun salute by the Republican Guard.

The nerve-racking operation had been necessary for many reasons, not least the fact that the 120-year-old museum building was no longer fit for purpose.

Not only was space at a premium, but two incidents, in particular, had raised serious concerns about the safety of the exhibits.

During the 2011 Egyptian revolution, the museum was broken into, and some 88 artifacts were either damaged or stolen. This was followed by a more serious incident in 2013 during more political unrest, leading to riots and even greater looting, when two mummies were set on fire, and some 500 artifacts were stolen.

The old museum’s central location and its proximity to Tahrir Square, a traditional rallying point for demonstrators, made a move to the new building – which had been planned years before - all the more urgent.

In contrast to the old building, the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilization is located away from the city center in Fustat, the site of Egypt's first capital city near Giza. Covering a massive 870,000 square feet of floor space and offering much better humidity and temperature control, the complex now contains not only the 22 mummies being displayed in the Royal Mummies Hall but will eventually house up to 50,000 ancient artifacts.

Egypt signs agreement to produce Sinovac vaccine locally

Ahram Online (Link: Egypt signs agreement to produce Sinovac vaccine locally) 

Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli and Health Minister Hala Zayed during the signing ceremony between VACSERA and China’s Sinovac biopharmaceutical company in Cairo to produce Sinovac vaccine coronavirus locally. (Photo : Egyptian cabinet)

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnessed on Wednesday the signing ceremony of two agreements between Egypt’s VACSERA and China’s Sinovac biopharmaceutical company in Cairo to produce the Sinovac vaccine locally.

Health Minister Hala Zayed, Egypt’s ambassador to Beijing Mohamed El-Badry and China’s ambassador to Cairo Liao Liqiang attended the signing ceremony between the two companies’ officials.

Minister Zayed said that according to the first agreement, Sinovac will provide VACSERA the know-how and technical assistance for manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine in Egypt, while the second agreement stipulates that Sinovac gives VACSERA the license to manufacture, re-pack and pack the COVID-19 vaccine in VACSERA facilities.

Under the agreements, Sinovac is ready to provide the necessary training for VACSERA employees in Egypt.

INTERVIEW: Egypt has opportunity to strengthen competitiveness, integration into global economy - AfDB’s Blomberg

Ahram Online (excerpt: read  the full interview here.)

Africa's economic recovery process from the pandemic will mainly depend on the financial capacity of African countries in addressing immediate shocks, stabilising their  economies and investing in the growing back phase

Ahram Online:In light of the AfDB’s latest African economic outlook report, how is the COVID-19 pandemic expected to affect the continent’s economy during 2021 and 2022?

Malinne Blomberg:The negative impact on economies has been massive. Africa has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Gross domestic product (GDP) in Africa contracted by 2.1 percent in 2020. In just one year, the continent lost five years' worth of gains in terms of economic development. We expect to have turned the corner and Africa’s economic growth rate is projected to recover to 3.4 percent in 2021.

AfDB’s greatest and most urgent goal is to save as many lives as possible; reverse the trends; protect livelihoods and put Africa’s economy back on more resilient recovery pathways. That’s why we put in place up to $10 billion in a crisis response facility to help African governments and the private sector deal with the impact of COVID-19.

The bank also launched a $3 billion 'Fight COVID-19 Social Bond' on global capital markets and provided $27 million to the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This so that they can take the lead in tackling the pandemic.

The economic recovery process from the pandemic will mainly depend on the financial capacity of African countries in addressing immediate shocks, stabilising their economies and investing in growing back. With the leverage of our AAA financial standing, the bank will continue to mobilise the funds Africa requires to cement the continent’s status as the world’s next business frontier.

AO:How do you see Egypt's economic performance amid the pandemic?

MB:Faced with the COVID-19 outbreak, the Egyptian economy has demonstrated great resilience and agility to a large extent. Thanks to the reforms undertaken since 2016 to stabilise the economy.

The national economy, which expanded by 3.6 percent in 2020, was one of the few in Africa that posted positive growth for the year. Indeed, Egypt has weathered the crisis well due to its macroeconomic stabilisation and recent efforts to enhance health, education and economic diversification outcomes.

Meanwhile, the pandemic has accentuated pre-existing vulnerabilities in many economies across the globe, undoing significant progress made in recent years. Egypt’s economy has also been deeply affected, with trade and supply chains disrupted, tourism and other industries were hit hard.

Egypt’s youthful and educated population, its growing competitiveness and the potential of its private sector give us reason to be confident that the country can overcome the COVID-19 crisis. To achieve this potential, we anticipate that a second wave of bold economic reforms will be implemented, to a large extent focusing on the business environment, which in turn will create more job opportunities.

AO:How does the AfDB see the role Egypt plays on the continent, especially in economic and trade areas?

MB:Egypt is playing a key role in Africa, with its economy being more and more integrated within the continent. All whilst focusing on a swift and sustainable recovery. Egypt also has an opportunity to strengthen its competitiveness and integration into the global economy, which remains essential for longer-term growth. Considering that Africa is one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, further integrating with other African countries makes a strong business sense. The Bank’s support to regional integration includes assessing the skills needed for tomorrow’s jobs in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, with the aim of contributing to securing a suitable workforce for those investing in the zone.

Furthermore, as many world economies turn inward, we see great potential for closer African integration over the medium term. Despite huge trade and investment opportunities in the region, intra-regional trade in North Africa is among the lowest of any world region (below five percent) and represents an opportunity in itself.

وتُوِّج الكَدُ بالنجاح

الاهرام ١٧ ابريل ٢٠٢١
بقلم عزة رضوان صدقي

بعد أسبوع من الكوارث التي باتت كما لو أنها لن تنتهي، وما قد بدا للبعض وكأن لعنة الفراعنة قد حلت بذروتها، تبع ذلك أيام جلل بُذل فيها مجهود مميز وكُلِّل بنجاح وانتصار عوَّض المصريين عن تحمّلهم وصبرهم على ما مروا به

لمدة ستة أيام طوال حلّقت أزمة عالمية فوق الوجدان المصري عندما جنحت سفينة الحاويات إيفر جيفن في قناة السويس. شكك المضاربون في قدرة مصر على إعادة تعويم السفينة وتوقعوا مدة زمنية طويلة الأمد قبل أن تُعيد قناة السويس فتح مياهها للسفن، وتوقعوا أيضا تداعيات اقتصادية مثل نقص الوقود وشُح الغذاء وارتفاع أسعار الشحن واضطراب الاقتصاد العالمي

تأتي الأزمات في ثلاث. سرعان ما أعقب جنوح السفينة اصطدام قطارين في سوهاج مما أسفر عن مقتل أكثر من ١٩ شخصًا وإصابة مئات آخرين. ثم جاء انهيار المبنى في مصر الجديدة ليقتل ١٨ روحًا بريئة حتى يكمل مآسى المصريين الذين عصر قلوبهم الأسى. حتى أن البعض سألوا أنفسهم عما إذا كانت لعنة الفراعنة، "الموت سيأتي بأجنحة سريعة لأولئك الذين يزعجون سلام الملك"، المحفورة على قبر الملك توت عنخ آمون قد أصابت مصر. وتساءلوا عن مدى صحة نقل المومياوات الملكية من مثواها الحالي بالمتحف المصري بميدان التحرير إلى المتحف القومى للحضارة بمصر القديمة

وكما كانت الأحداث السابقة محل انزعاج الإعلام العالمي، تلا ذلك أحداث كانت محل اهتمام وأعين وكالات الأنباء العالمية أيضا، لكن هذه المرة بإعجاب بالغ. هذه الأحداث كفأت المصريين على صبرهم وتحملهم مصائب شتى وجعلتهم مبهجين وفخورين بمصرتيهم وكرامتهم. أولا تم تعويم الحاوية الضخمة التي بدت متجذرة في مكانها بعد ستة أيام من الجهد المضنى على مدار الساعة استخدمت فيها الجرافات وزوارق القطر والكراكات وسواعد الرجال الأشداء حتى زُحزحت من مكانها. تحركت السفينة ببطء عن ضفة القناة، وهلّل عمال هيئة قناة السويس ابتهاجا وفخرا وأطلقوا أبواق سفنهم فرحا بعد أن ضربوا أروع مثل في المهارة، وفي فترة وجيزة عبرت كل السفن العالقة قناة السويس متوجهة إلى غاياتها.  في تلك اللحظة تلاشت الأزمة الاقتصادية العالمية وتنفس المصريون الصعداء  

أن مصر ستسعى للحصول على مليار دولار كتعويض عن الإنفاق والخسائر المرتبطة بتكلفة المعدات والعمالة المتراكمة أثناء جهود التجريف والإنقاذ وأي أضرار لحقت بضفاف قناة السويس

ثم جاء الحدث الثاني الذي يعتبر الأوحد فى نوعه. شهدت شوارع القاهرة يوم ٣ أبريل ٢٠٢١ موكبًا مهيبًا غير مسبوق: الموكب الذهبي الذي نقل مومياوات ١٨ ملكًا و٤ ملكات من المتحف المصري بميدان التحرير إلى المتحف القومي للحضارة المصرية في الفسطاط بالقاهرة القديمة على بعد ٥ كيلومترات. في كبسولات مملوءة بالنيتروجين لضمان حمايتهم وفي عربات مصممة للثبات على الارض وعدم الاهتزاز وبالترتيب الزمني لحقبهم التاريخية توجهت مومياوات الملوك والملكات إلى مثواهم الأخير

ربما لم يحدث حدث بنفس الهيبة أو الحجم في مصر على الإطلاق، ناهيك عن العالم بأسره. لقد عاش كل هؤلاء الملوك والملكات حياة ثرية مليئة بازدهار بالكاد تتخيله معايير اليوم، وبعضهم قاتل وقُتِل من أجل مصر، لذلك كان انتقالهم إلي مقرهم الجديد لابد أن يتلاءم مع مجدهم وعظمتهم الملكية، وبالفعل كان الأمر كذلك

وقف المتحفان في مهابة وفخر وتم تجديد الطريق إلى المتحف القومي للحضارة المصرية. أما ميدان التحرير فبدا في أوجه كماله، فقد زُيّن بمسلة الملك رمسيس الثاني وأربعة كباش أحضروا من معبد الكرنك وأضيء ملازمة لوصول الملوك والملكات، ثم استُقبلت عربات الملوك والملكات بالتألق والأضواء والأطفال والنغم. في تلك اللحظة أصبح ميدان التحرير في الإجلال التي كان ينبغي أن يكون فيه دائما وأبدا. استغرقت رحلة المومياوات ٤٥ دقيقة عبر القاهرة وبالقرب من ضفاف النيل، بعدها تم استقبالهم بـ٢١ طلقة نارية والرئيس المصري عبد الفتاح السيسى الذي كان في انتظارهم على أبواب المتحف

ربما مرت شهور أو حتى سنوات من العمل الجاد لتنظيم هذا الحدث الذي صُمِّم بدقة شديدة وغُلِّف بالتفاصيل المذهلة ليظهر بهذا المظهر الرائع. ففي أثناء توجه الموكب بالمومياوات إلى مقرهم الجديد تفاني فنانون وموسيقيون ومؤدون ومصممون ومئات العاملين في التصوير والإضاءة والأزياء والرسم والموسيقى والرقص والغناء في أدائهم مفجرين طاقة وإبداعا غير مسبوقين. إن المشهد كان دليلا على عظمة شعب مصر وكانت النية واضحة: الخروج بعرض يواكب عظمة وملكية الملوك والملكات، وقد تحقق ذلك بالفعل

أبهر المصريون العالم في كلتا الحالتين: تعويم السفينة وموكب المومياوات، لذا يجب أن يفخروا بأنفسهم ونفخر نحن بهم. لكن الأمر الأكثر أهمية والمسبب لفخر أعظم أن هذين الحدثين المبهرين تما بأيادٍ مصرية أصيلة كما أنهم أثبتوا للمصريين أنفسهم أن بإمكانهم إنجاز الكثير إذا أرادوا. آن الأوان أن يرفع المصريون شأنهم ويخلِّدون كفاءتهم بهذا الشكل دائما وأبدا فهم الآن يدركون قدراتهم ونتائج عملهم كفريق وحصيلة الانضباط والمثابرة

مبروك لمصر أولادها

 

 

 

Basking in well-deserved and glorious vibes

Al Ahram Weekly and Ahram Online

The Golden Parade of the mummies of ancient Egypt's kings and queens to their new resting place in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation was a vote of confident in Egypt today, writes Azza Radwan Sedky

 

Azza Radwan Sedky , Tuesday 6 Apr 2021

After a week of apparently endless disasters, and what seemed as though the curse of the pharaohs had finally set in, a euphoric stretch followed, a few days that could not have compensated Egyptians for their earlier endurance in any better way. 

For six long days, a crisis of global ramifications hovered over Egypt as the container ship Ever Given got grounded in the Suez Canal. Speculators from around the globe doubted Egypt’s ability and know-how in refloating the stranded ship and predicted a lengthy period before the Suez Canal would reopen its waters to travelling vessels. Some anticipated economic repercussions, such as fuel and food shortages, high freight rates and a shudder in the global economy. 

Crises come in threes. The grounding of the Ever Given was soon followed by the collision of two trains in Sohag killing over 19 people and injuring hundreds of others. The pictures from the wreckage had people reeling in despair. Then came the collapse of a building in Gesr Al-Suez in Cairo that killed 18 innocent souls and injured many others. 

It was a week of doom and gloom, and many Egyptians walked around with heavy and foreboding hearts. Some even asked themselves if the pharaohs’ curse, “death will come on quick wings for those who disturb the king’s peace,” engraved on King Tutankhamun tomb, was befalling Egypt. 

They wondered about plans to move the ancient Egyptian Royal Mummies from their resting place in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. Some said that the officials concerned should have thought twice, for the omen cast upon anyone who disturbs the mummies of ancient Egypt seemed to be alive and well. 

Well, we were all soon afterwards rewarded with extraordinary events that showed that the curse was mute and that helped everyone to overcome the sense of dismay that had ripped through the community a week earlier. 

The refloating of the Ever Given, a massive container ship that had seemed rooted in place, came after six days of round-the-clock efforts. Dredgers, tugboats and hardworking men were put to good use to move it, and they did so. It was a happy day as the ship moved slowly along, breaking away from the canal’s banks as Suez Canal Authority workers looked on in jubilation. They celebrated and cheered, hailing themselves and their dredgers by name and honking their vessel horns in joy. They patted themselves on the back as a worldwide economic crisis was thwarted. People at large were ecstatic, and finally relief set in. 

The Ever Given awaits inspection in Egypt’s Bitter Lakes, and some estimate that Egypt will seek around $1 billion in compensation for losses linked to the cost of equipment and labour during the dredging and salvage efforts and any damage to the banks of the Suez Canal. 

Then came an event like no other. On Saturday 3 April, Cairo’s streets witnessed the unprecedented and once-in-a-lifetime majestic procession of the Golden Parade. This transferred the mummies of 18 ancient Egyptian kings and four queens from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) in Fustat five km away in Old Cairo. In chronological order of their historical reigns, the king and queens of several ancient Egyptian dynasties travelled through Cairo to their new residence. 

An event of equal magnitude may never have taken place in Egypt before, or even in the entire world. Each of the transferred kings and queens had lived a rich and far-reaching life filled with the kind of progress and development hardly imaginable by today’s standards. Many of them had fought for Egypt and died for it, too, so their transfer had to befit their regal status and the importance in which they are held. This was indeed the case.

The route of the kings and queens to the new abode had undergone a huge transformation, and the two museums stood in all their glamour and dignity. The area around the NMEC, opened in 2017, had been prepared for the event, paving the way for the renovation of the entire district around the museum and the road leading up to it, and allowing the kings and queens to be welcomed to a glorious and pristine environment worthy of their honour and glory. 

Many of the areas through which the parade passed had been refurbished and restored. Buildings along the procession route had been freshly painted and lit up for the parade. As for the iconic Tahrir Square, adorned with an obelisk of King Ramses II and four rams, it was illuminated with special lights in greeting to the kings and queens. It had finally reached the state in which it should have been all along. Tahrir Square and Cairo as a whole were looking their best. 

After a 45-minute journey through the city, the ancient kings and queens were received at the NMEC with a 21-gun salute and by Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi. 

Months, even years, of hard work may have gone into organising this meticulously crafted event, enveloped in the most breathtaking details such that it appeared in this exquisite fashion. It was a perfectly synchronised show exhibiting the love and dedication of artists, musicians, performers, designers and thousands of operators. The attires, the music, the dances, the songs and the tone and flavour of the whole show befitted its historical grandeur. The intention was clear: to produce a show equal to the royal status of the ancient kings and queens, and this was indeed realised.

People heeded the advice to stay at home to watch the parade in its entirety on television, instead of seeing only glimpses of it had they filled the streets to watch it live. They watched it spellbound. 

The Egyptian people now need to pat themselves on the back, for the refloating of the Ever Given and the Golden Parade are events that prove that they are capable of performing wonders. Today, they are more than ever deserving of enjoying these positive vibes. 

---

The writer is the author of Cairo Rewind on the First Two Years of Egypt’s Revolution, 2011-2013.

 

*A version of this article appears in print in the 8 April, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

In Photos: Egypt's PM hands keys of new cars to first batch of beneficiaries from vehicle replacement program

Ahram Online (Link: In Photos: Egypt's PM hands keys of new cars to first batch of beneficiaries from vehicle replacement program)

The presidential initiative launched in July encourages the replacement of rickety cars that are more than 20 years old with new ones running on natural gas

Ahram Online , Monday 5 Apr 2021

 

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly hands car keys to customers of the presidential scrappage initiative. Photo courtesy of the Cabinet.

 

 

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly handed on Sunday car keys to the first batch of beneficiaries who applied for a replacement to their old vehicles under a presidential scrappage program

The presidential initiative launched in July encourages the replacement of rickety cars that are more than 20 years old with new ones running on natural gas through long-term loans with low interest rates.

The initiative is so far optional for private car owners and obligatory for owners of taxis and microbuses.

Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait on Sunday said the initiative has contacted more than 30,000 potential beneficiaries who met the requirements of the initiative as part of the program’s first phase, a cabinet statement read.

This phase includes the seven governorates of Cairo, Giza, Qalioubiya, Alexandria, Suez, the Red Sea, and Port Said.

Maait said the number of those who have submitted requests to replace their old vehicles in the first phase has totaled around 68,000.

Conditions to join the initiative include that the beneficiary’s age ranges between 21 and 65, has a valid driving license, and that the rickety vehicle be more than 20 years old.

Petroleum Minister Tarek El-Molla and Industry Minister Nevine Gamea both attended the event.

Madbouly said the government will offer each of the vehicle owners who joined the initiative a 10-percent green incentive from the total cost of the vehicle with a maximum of EGP 22,000 for private cars.

The government will also offer a 20-percent green incentive from the total cost of taxi cars with a maximum of EGP 45,000 and a 25-percent incentive for microbuses with a maximum of EGP 65,000.

Beneficiaries can choose between seven car models and 21 car classes and purchase the vehicle through one of 31 banks working in Egypt, Maait said.

The PM said the presidential initiative will contribute to easing the burden on the citizens’ shoulders through facilitating their purchase of new vehicles instead of the old ones that require frequent repairing.

This is in addition to the money they would save as a result of reducing the consumption of gasoline and using natural gas instead, Madbouly said.

The PM said the initiative also contributes to reducing harmful emissions polluting the environment.

It will also help ease traffic by making sure to replace rickety cars that frequently break down in streets, causing congestion, Madbouly added.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly hands car keys to customers of the presidential scrappage initiative. Photo courtesy of the Cabinet.

 

Gamea said the first phase of the initiative relies on local automobile manufacturers. She added that the state has discussed the initiative with all companies locally producing vehicles to take part in the program.

The state also communicated with clients of international companies in the automobile field in Egypt, Gamea said.

This is to attract further investments and to transfer the technology of manufacturing vehicles running on natural gas, she added.

In January, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi inaugurated the country’s first vehicle fuel system conversion exhibition, dubbed ‘Go Green’, showcasing technologies for converting vehicles to run on natural gas.

Petroleum Minister Tarek El-Molla, Industry Minister Nevine Gamea and Finance Minister Mohamed Maait attended the event.

 

قالوا ايه علينا دولا وقالوا ايه

الاهرام ٣ ابريل ٢٠٢١

بعد أن جنحت إحدى أكبر سفن الحاويات في قناة السويس وأسفر ذلك عن إغلاق القناة، تمكنت سواعد المصريين من تعويم السفينة في ستة أيام لأغير. خلال الحدث توقف العالم في مساره قلقا عما قد يسببه الإغلاق أمام الملاحة من خسائر. ومع جنوح السفينة سُلطت الأضواء على قناة السويس وبدت كما لو كان العالم يراها لأول مرة، مع العلم أن ٥٠ سفينة تعبر القناة يوميا، أي ما يقارب ١٨٠٠٠ سفينة سنويا دون ضجيج أو إشادة بالمجهود الذي يُبذل، أو حتى إلمام بهذا الصرح المائي العظيم. لكن سوف يدرك المصريون فيما بعد أن تسليط الأضواء على مصر وما أنجزته في تلك الفترة سيكون له فاعليات إيجابية على المدى الطويل

ما قاله العالم أثناء الإغلاق وبعد التعويم يستحق المتابعة. تناقض النظرة الإيجابية والنظرة السلبية حول الحدث وعواقبه كان بمثابة إثبات حي لتربص البعض بمصر. تناول الإعلام الغربي الإغلاق بأسلوب مضطرب تارة ومعلومات سطحية وافتراضات سلبية تارة أخرى. تنبأ بعضهم بإغلاق قد يطول أسابيع، وتوقع الكثيرون تداعيات اقتصادية مثل نقص الوقود وشح المواد الغذائية وغلاء أسعار الشحن وانهيار الاقتصاد العالمي. كما أشار البعض إلى أن قناة السويس لا ينبغي أن تكون الخيار الامثل لنقل البضائع، وأن هناك حاجة لإضافة المزيد من شرايين النقل

 سرعان ما سَخرت التغريدات من حجم رافعة مجاورة للسفينة الضخمة، حتى وإن كان لهذه الرافعه وأمثالها الأثر في تعويم السفينة. البعض الآخر تطاول على الإنجاز قائلين إن المد العالي هو السبب الرئيسي في تعويم السفينة. أما بلومبيرج، المجلة الأسبوعية الإنجليزية، فتابعت الحدث بكذب فادح، وقالت إن السفينة لم تستخدم زوارق القطر أثناء عبورها القناة "كما هو متبع"، وهذا خطاء لأن زوارق القطر تُستعمل تحت ظروف استثنائية فقط. كما قالت أيضا: "تمر سفن بهذا الحجم بانتظام عبر قناة السويس بدون مشاكل، ولكن من المرجح أن يؤدي هذا الحادث إلى إجراءات سلامة جديدة ومختلفة"، كما لو كان هناك أخطاء متعمدة من قِبَل إدارة القناة.  وقالت إن الهند بالذات متأثرة من غلق القناة مع أن الوقود الذاهب إلى الهند لا يمر عبر القنال

أما رويترز فأثبتت عدم الجدية في التحقق من الخبر. فقد نوّه أكثر من مصدر، "حسبما شاهد رويترز" إلى أن الرياح القوية أعادت السفينة العملاقة إلى موقعها الأول في عرض القناة بعد ساعات قليلة من نجاح القاطرات المصرية في تحريرها، وهو افتراء ما بعده افتراء دفع بالهيئة العامة للاستعلامات المصرية إلى حث رويترز على التراجع عن هذا النبأ وأسمته "خطأ مهني فادح". أُزيل المقال من بعض المواقع، لكن رويترز لم تتراجع عما أدلت به

المثير للدهشة هو تلوين الحقيقة. مثلا وصلت قاطرة هولندية يوم ٢٨ مارس إلى موقع السفينة لدعم القاطرات المصرية ليوم واحد، لكن حسب البي بي سي القاطرة الهولندية كان لها دور في سحب مؤخرة السفينة من ضفة القناة ولم تعطِ القاطرات المصرية الثلاث عشر الانتباه الكافي. كما اضطرت قناة السويس إلى نفي نبأ عن التجريف الذي تم حول السفينة بأنه قد يؤثر على أنفاق قناة السويس، مؤكده أن الأنفاق بعيدة تمامًا عن المنطقة التي تمت فيها أعمال الجرف. كلها استباقات لا تمت للحقيقة بصلة

مع ذلك هناك الذين أشاروا إلى النجاح السريع وعزيمة المصريين. شكرت الشركة الأم للسفينة هيئة قناة السويس قائلة: نحن ممتنون للغاية من هيئة قناة السويس على مساعدتهم ودعمهم في هذا الوضع الصعب والمؤسف." ثم هنّأ الاتحاد الأوروبي مصر قائلا: "مبروك لمصر والعالم على نجاح تعويم سفينة الحاويات التي أغلقت قناة السويس. هذا العمل مثير للإعجاب لكل من ساهم فيه". كما أشاد المتحدث باسم وزارة البنتاجون بالسلطات المصرية لجهودهم "الخارقة" لتحرير السفينة. أما وكالة ليث المسئولة عن السفينة فكتبت: "إن من دواعي السرور البالغ أن هيئة قناة السويس وموظفيها قد نجحوا في إعادة تعويم السفينة إيفر جيفين. هي الآن في طريقها إلى البحيرات المرة. السفينة إيفر جيفين لم تعد جانحة". كما أعرب الامين العام للمنظمة البحرية الدولية عن ثنائه للحكومة المصرية على الجهود المتميزة لحل التحديات التي اثارتها جنوح السفينة

أما المصريون فتوحدوا على حب مصر. بعد تعويم السفينة أبواق القاطرات كانت تدوي وسط هتاف العاملين على متنها، ووسائل التواصل الاجتماعي كانت مليئة بالشكر والامتنان لعمل المصريين على مدار الساعة. ثم أكد رئيس هيئة قناة السويس الفريق البحري أسامة ربيع أنه "لم يتم إنقاذ أي سفينة في العالم من قبل دون إصابات أو وفيات أو تلوث مياه"، وأشاد برجال قناة السويس الأبطال الذين أدوا واجبهم الوطني على أكمل وجه

بكل إنصاف كان تعويم السفينة إيفر جيفين إنجازًا غير مسبوق. لا أحد يستطيع أن ينكر أن المصريين أثبتوا جدارتهم في هذا الموقف الصعب، وعلى العالم تقدير ما تمكنوا من تحقيقه في زمن وجيز