Rafik Mansour: "The cultural and educational ties between Egypt and the United States run very deep."

 

 

On Tuesday, the Egyptian government, represented by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, in cooperation with the US Department of State, launched a new project to digitize the archives of museums in Egypt, which will help combat the illegal trade in antiquities. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Rafik Mansour participated in the launch of the project, representing the US government. On the sidelines of his visit to Cairo, which lasted for several days, Egypt Today interviewed the acclaimed American diplomat. 

 

 

 

Mansour said to Egypt Today that the cultural and educational relations between Egypt and the United States are very deep. “There is a cooperation between the United States and Egypt in the fields of preserving Egyptian antiquities and cultural heritage” Mansour recounted.

 

 

He mentioned that he is of Egyptian origin. "I was born in Egypt and lived there until I was fifteen years old, so I am fluent in Arabic. After that, my parents and I immigrated to the United States, where I became a part of the community. About 25 years ago, I joined the American diplomatic service and steadily climbed the ranks to reach my current position.”

 

 

 

Mansour described his experience as a quintessential example of the "American Dream." He expressed, "The United States, as we know, is a country full of diversity and provides opportunities for everyone, regardless of their race or religion. That's how you find me, a young man from a place far from the American continent, who succeeded in claiming this position."

 

 

Speaking about Egyptian antiquities, Mansour described them as a treasure, not only for Egypt but for the world, he said, emphasizing that the American government and people have a great interest in preserving Egypt’s cultural and archaeological heritage.

 

 

 

He said: “ In the last thirty years, the US government has provided $150 million in support for the preservation of Egyptian antiquities and heritage, and this support has been transformed into many programs for the preservation of heritage and archaeological areas in several areas in Egypt, from Alexandria to Abu Simbel.”

 

 

 

The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs added: "Egypt was a pioneer in the field of Antiquities preservation as it was the first Arab country to sign a treaty with the United States in 2016 to preserve Egyptian antiquities. This treaty made it easier for the American authorities to stop the sale of hundreds of stolen antiquities in the United States and return them to Egypt."

 

 

 

Mansour further explained that the United States is the largest market in the world for arts and antiquities, most of which entered the United States legally, but many pieces of art and antiquities entered American territory illegally, and here lies the importance of the treaty signed between Cairo and Washington. 

He added: Since the treaty was signed, the US authorities have returned to Egypt nearly 5,000 artifacts that were about to be sold illegally in the United States.

 

 

 

Mansour stressed that the United States aims, through its support for heritage and antiquities in Egypt, to support Egyptian tourism, which is considered one of the most important pillars of the Egyptian economy and a source of foreign currency flow to Egypt, in addition to continuing “ smart cultural cooperation” - as he described it - between the two countries.

“It is difficult for a person to differentiate between culture and education, and one cannot be thought of without the other,” said the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Cultural and Educational Affairs.

 

 

 

He pointed out that there are many areas of cultural and educational cooperation between the Egyptian government and the US administration, and there are approximately 27,000 graduates of educational and cultural exchange programs between the two countries, which include scholarships, such as the Fulbright scholarship, as well as exchange in sports fields.

 

 

Mansour pointed out that the United States is "preparing for a very important sporting decade," as he described it. He added: "In 2026, the United States, in cooperation with Canada and Mexico, will host the FIFA World Cup. In 2028, the city of Los Angeles - where I come from- will host the next Olympic Games. In 2034, the state of Utah will host the Winter Olympics." 

 

 

 

The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs stressed the importance of sports cooperation between the United States and Egypt.

 

 

Mansour also pointed out that the Cultural and Educational Bureau of the US State Department offers many scholarships throughout the year, and that approximately 4,000 Egyptians are studying in American universities annually. One of the largest scholarships offered by the United States in the academic and cultural field is the Fulbright scholarship. He added that Egypt will soon celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Fulbright scholarship, which has enabled many Egyptians to travel and study in the United States, and vice versa.

 

 

 

 

He added that there are more than 3,500 universities in America, and that the Education USA program in Egypt provides expertise from consultants to help Egyptian students wishing to study in America. He explained that there are three American cultural centers in Egypt, or what are known as "American Corners", one of which is at the US Embassy, another in Maadi, and the third in Alexandria.