Royal Parade reminds people of MENA of their ancient heritage, showcasing Egypt's cultural impact on region

CAIRO – 6 April 2021: Egypt’s Golden Parade has had strong ripples in the entire region of the Middle East and North Africa, reigniting national feelings in many countries in the area.

Egypt’s cultural impact is showcased in the reaction of neighboring countries that share some of Egypt’s characteristics: an old civilization, a change of religion and a change of language into Arabic.

That is most evident on social media, where every video of performances of the Golden Parade is filled with comments from Arabs commending the display and sending greetings from “the grandchildren of the Arameans,” “the country of Assyrians/Babylon,” “the Moors/Amazigh/Berber,” and “the Hurrians/Mitannis,” referring to Syria, Iraq, the Grand Maghreb, and the Kurds, respectively. Many comments also emphasized that the parade gives pride not only to Egypt, but the entire region.

Comments on Youtube video of the Golden Parade

Comments on Youtube video of the Golden Parade

Far less prominent, but other comments also tried to attribute the ancient Egyptian civilizations to other nations, such as Sudan and Libya, or underestimate the Pharaohs for being “pagan,” and highlight that their remains are preserved only as a reminder of their “downfall,” in the religious sense.

Egyptian’s respect for their past seems to have inspired many people in the region, prompting them to look into their own overlooked past in favor of a present that failed them.

A widely shared Facebook post came from Syrian scenarist and poet Ramy Koussa said he “and many Syrians looked with admiration and jealousy at the carnival of the transfer of royal mummies in Egypt.”

He compared the Syrian heritage to the Egyptian counterpart, but lamented the fragmented situation of his country at this point, wondering how much time it would take to be in Egypt’s position today.

He mentioned Egypt’s achievements in football, handball, tourism, drama, cinema, despite huge turmoil during the 25 January Revolution, the overthrow of the Muslims Brotherhood regime in 2013 and the violent aftermath.

Koussa also mentioned corruption in both countries, but said that in Egypt, there is more work than there is corruption.

His stance supports a widespread narrative in Egypt that is also promoted by the government; that is Egypt was destined to share the same fate of other countries in the region, but it was able to rise above the difficult circumstances and create stability for its people.