In the beginning of July 2013, General Abdel Fattah Al Sisi overthrew the elected president and leader of the Muslim Brotherhood Mahomed Morsi. Before the coup, the very famous Tahrir square was floated by protesters demanding a change for the people of Egypt. From Fattah Al Sisi’s point of view the legitimacy for the repeal of the constitution and the enforcement of Martial Law was derived from the bad economic condition and the attend towards the Islamization of the Egyptian society.
During the first period of Al Sisi’s action the Western Forces, the so-called modern world, kept a safe distance from the new order. The support started getting public and becoming clear during 2015 due to the main argument that Egypt is geopolitically and strategically essential for the regional security, the peace keeping processes and the balance in Middle East and East Mediterranean. Although currently the support President Sisi enjoys from the west is obvious and well recognized in western societies, Egypt seeks to consolidate country’s western orientation and reveal a spirit of secularism and economic progress in comparison with societal setbacks that were applied during Muslim Brotherhood’s hegemony. Could you imagine a better way from the activation of cultural diplomacy policies? The launch of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, the biggest museum of the world serves perfectly that goal.
Thus, the medium for the development of cultural diplomacy that is currently undertaken by Egypt are the 50.000 exhibits plus the complete collection from Tutankhamun’s tomb, many of which are exhibited for the first time.
The initiation of the museum diplomatically symbolizes a reproachment of the western societies. Highlights Egypt as a glorious epicenter of international cultural heritage. Reorientates the country as a reference point for world’s museums due to size and exhibits volume. Furthermore, the museum imparts the image of a country which economically and politically recovers whilst provides to President Morsi a personal political legitimacy and an essence of progressiveness and glory. Museum cultural diplomacy at its best. Cultural diplomacy at its greatness.
The museum is about to open the gates for the public in the middle of 2022 due to the pandemic.
Dimitris Lytras \ intern
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