As part of his current official visit to Egypt, Dr. Đuro Macut, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, visited the Grand Egyptian Museum, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat and the Giza Pyramids area, heading a high-level delegation that included a number of ministers and members of the Serbian National Assembly.
They were received at the Grand Egyptian Museum by Dr. Ahmed Ghoneim, CEO of the Grand Egyptian Museum Authority, who welcomed him and spoke with him about the museum and its most important artifacts. The Serbian prime minister and his accompanying delegation then toured the outdoor plaza, the Grand Hall, the Grand Staircase and the museum's main exhibition halls, where he listened to a detailed explanation of these spaces and the museum's distinctive collections.
At the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, they were received by Dr. El-Tayeb Abbas, CEO of the museum authority, who welcomed them and gave them an overview of the museum's unique location, the history of its establishment, its unique archaeological collections that tell the story of the ancient Egyptian civilization throughout the ages, and its cultural and social role. He also took them on a tour of the museum that included the Central Exhibition Hall, the Royal Mummies Hall and the Egyptian Textiles Hall.
The Serbian prime minister and his accompanying delegation also visited the Giza Pyramids area, where they were received by Ashraf Mohie El-Din, Director General of Giza Antiquities, who took them on a tour of the archaeological site that included the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx area. During the tour, they listened to a detailed explanation of how the Great Pyramid and its passages were built, as well as the history of the Sphinx statue, the reason it was erected and how it was carved.
During these visits, the Serbian prime minister and his accompanying delegation were keen to take souvenir photos at the museums and archaeological sites they visited, expressing their great admiration for the unique antiquities and artifacts they saw, which reflect the greatness of ancient Egyptian civilization, and for the distinctiveness of Egyptian museums with their magnificent architectural design and prime locations near the Giza Pyramids and in the heart of historic Cairo, highlighting Egypt's civilizational standing.
As part of his tour of a number of Egyptian archaeological sites and museums, Dr. Đuro Macut, Prime Minister of Serbia, and his accompanying delegation visited St. Catherine's Monastery in South Sinai Governorate.
He was received by Dr. Gamal Mostafa, Head of the Islamic, Coptic and Jewish Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, and Archbishop Dimitri Damianos of St. Catherine's Monastery, who took the guest and his accompanying delegation on a tour of the monastery, including the Church of the Transfiguration, the Fatimid Mosque and other historic sites within it, in addition to a visit to the historic library, which is considered one of the oldest libraries in the world, to learn about the rare manuscripts of exceptional value it holds, including the Serbian manuscripts associated with Saint Sava and his prominent role in the library's history.
At the end of the visit, the Serbian prime minister expressed his great delight at this unique experience, praising the monastery's spiritual character and great historical value, as well as the distinctive tourism and religious assets of the city of St. Catherine.
