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Al-Ahram Weekly

Vietnam President Cuong visits Grand Egyptian Museum and Giza Pyramids - Tourism

Vietnamese President Luong Cuong, along with his accompanying delegation, visited the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) and the Giza Pyramids area as part of his official visit to Egypt. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, GEM CEO Ahmed Ghoneim accompanied the Vietnamese president and his delegation through the main hall, the grand staircase, and the main galleries, offering a detailed overview of the museum's history and exceptional collections. Highlights included the treasures of the Golden Pharaoh Tutankhamun, which will be fully displayed at the museum's official opening on 1 November. On Wednesday, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi announced that the GEM's opening day will be 1 November instead of the original date scheduled for 3 July. The government postponed the event on 21 June due to the outbreak of war between Israel and Iran. The GEM launched a soft opening in November 2023 and a trial run in October 2024, unfurling its gardens and cafes, the hanging obelisk, the atrium, the grand staircase, and the main galleries, including 12 exhibition halls, to the public. During the tour, President Cuong gifted the museum a bronze replica of the Vietnamese Ngoc Lu Drum, a significant cultural symbol of Vietnam. For his part, Ghoneim expressed his appreciation for that gesture. The Vietnamese president also praised the museum's architectural design and archaeological treasures, according to the statement. The delegation then toured the Giza Pyramids, starting with the Great Pyramid of King Khufu — the only remaining wonder of the ancient world. They also proceeded to the Great Sphinx, learned about its history and the Dream Stele, and took commemorative photographs. The visit concluded at the panorama area with views of King Khafre, King Menkaure, and the queens' pyramids. Situated near the newly inaugurated Sphinx International Airport and overlooking the iconic Pyramids of Giza, the GEM is set to become the largest museum worldwide dedicated to a single civilization — ancient Egypt. The museum spans an impressive 500,000 square metres, twice the area of the Louvre Museum and two and a half times the area of the British Museum. It houses monuments from ancient Egypt, spanning from prehistory to the early Roman period. Among the items to be displayed are King Tutankhamun's unique treasures, some of which will see the light for the first time. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link: