As part of the fruitful cooperation between Egypt, represented by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, and many countries around the world to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural property, the Egyptian Embassy in The Hague, the Netherlands, received a collection of rare artifacts dating back to ancient Egyptian civilization from the Dutch National Museum, after it was proven that they had left Egypt illegally.
Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, expressed his appreciation to the Dutch side for the fruitful cooperation in recovering these pieces, stressing that this step reflects the shared commitment to protecting human and civilizational heritage and supporting efforts to preserve and protect antiquities.
Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, noted that the recovery of these pieces comes as part of the intensive efforts made by the Egyptian state to repatriate smuggled Egyptian antiquities, which are subject to Antiquities Protection Law No. 117 of 1983 and its amendments, and to preserve them for future generations.
Shaaban Abdel Gawad, Director General of the General Department of Repatriated Antiquities and Supervisor of the Central Administration of Archaeological Ports, said that the recovered collection consists of various pottery pieces, including some decorated with star motifs and others with a spherical shape, as well as a piece resembling a knife, reflecting the diversity of art and innovation in ancient Egypt.
