The Croatian President during his Visit to the BA: The Grand Egyptian Museum Represents a Unique Historical Civilization
Posted on
Mr. Zoran Milanović, President of Croatia, expressed his delight at attending the opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum, saying that the world watched the opening of the museum in Cairo, which represents a unique historical civilization. This statement was made during an official visit to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina by the Croatian President and his wife, accompanied by a high-level delegation including Mr. Tomislav Bošnjak, Ambassador of Croatia to Cairo; Mr. Daniel Rafaelić, Deputy Head of Mission; and a number of senior Croatian officials. The Croatian President and his accompanying delegation were welcomed by Dr. Ahmed Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina; Vice Admiral Ahmed Khaled Hassan Saeed, Governor of Alexandria; and a number of BA officials.
During the visit, the Croatian President and his wife inaugurated an exhibition entitled "Echoes of Egypt: Sphinxes in Croatia," organized by the Library’s Antiquities Museum, in collaboration with the Embassy of Croatia in Cairo, on the occasion of the anniversary of the establishment of Egyptian-Croatian bilateral relations.
The President and his wife toured the Library and its reading halls, and visited the Antiquities Museum, the Manuscripts Museum, the Sadat Museum, and the Boulaq Printing Press. At the end of the tour, the Croatian President wrote a message in the guest book, expressing his appreciation for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and his gratitude for the warm welcome.
He added in his speech on the sidelines of the exhibition that the Republic of Croatia has a special relationship with Egypt, as well as with the ancient city of Alexandria, and that the Consulate of the Republic of Dubrovnik was opened there in 1515 AD. He expressed his delight at visiting the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, praising its heritage and role in spreading knowledge and enlightenment, noting that cooperation with it highlights an important aspect of the cultural heritage shared by both countries. This includes the donation of books and volumes by Croatian authors on ancient and modern Egyptian history.
For his part, Dr. Ahmed Zayed said that the visit consolidates the relations between the two countries and reflects the keenness of both sides to expand areas of cultural and scientific cooperation. He pointed out that the Bibliotheca Alexandrina represents today a global center for the dissemination of knowledge and the promotion of understanding and dialogue between peoples, highlighting the importance of cultural heritage between countries and the achievement of cooperation, creativity, and peace. He also touched on the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, considering it to be a means for promoting global cultural communication and providing a rich experience of ancient Egyptian heritage.
He stressed that this exhibition, hosted by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, reflects Egyptian heritage and its role in promoting friendship between the two countries. He said that relations between Egypt and Croatia are long-standing and that cooperation between the two countries extends to economic, political, cultural, academic, and research fields. He also mentioned that this exhibition embodies a shared vision between the two countries, emphasizing that Egypt and Croatia are two countries united by the sea and history, and believe in the power of culture and knowledge in strengthening bilateral relations.
In his speech, Vice Admiral Ahmed Khaled Hassan Saeed said that the exhibition is a fine example of dialogue between peoples and reflects Egypt's influence in Croatia. He stated that this event follows the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, an achievement that reflects the greatness of ancient Egypt and the modern State's ability to preserve its heritage and present it to the world with a vision for the future. He also emphasized that these steps are part of the Egyptian leadership's ongoing efforts to promote Egyptian culture and civilization on the international stage and reinforce sustainable development through art and statues.
It is worth noting that the exhibition “Echoes of Egypt: Sphinxes in Croatia” will run until 13 November in the Hall of Fame – Library Main Entrance. It features photos of ancient Egyptian sphinxes brought by Emperor Diocletian (284-305 AD) to his palace in the city of Split. The exhibition also showcases statues of Greek sphinxes from ancient Roman to modern times.