Photo story: Exploring Belgian culture exchange in Egypt

CAIRO – 4 November 2017: On the premises of the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, the “

150 years of Belgian Royal Visits to Egypt”

was inaugurated Tuesday by the Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Anany and Belgian Ambassador in Egypt Sibille de Cartier.

Egypt Today has toured the exhibition showcasing a unique collection of archived photos depicting bilateral relations that occurred between Belgium and Egypt in the past decades.


The son of the first King of The Belgians Duke Barbant’s visit to Egypt in 1854 where he discovered Luxor, Aswan, Khedive Cairo, Giza, and Alexandria on a solo journey (Photo by Egypt Today)



Prince Philippe eye in eye with Pharaoh Psusennes I in 1999 (Photo by Egypt Today)


Cartier explained to Egypt Today that the Egyptian Museum was chosen to host this exhibition which contains many photos that were taken on archeological sites. She further added that the first photo the embassy chose to open the exhibition with operates as a symbol of the whole exhibition. It depicts the royal Belgian family standing in the middle of the museum; while the photo designated to conclude the exhibition was also taken in the museum.


Former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat welcoming Price Albert in 1977 (Photo by Egypt Today)



Queen Elizabeth accompanied by Jean Capart at the Temple of Kom Ombo in Upper Egypt 1930 (Photo by Egypt Today)


A scene of the arrival of Belgium’s king and queen in Cairo on 1930 (Photo by Egypt Today)



Streets of Cairo decorated in 1930 to welcome Belgium royals as Egyptians chanted “Long Live the King of Belgium, Long live Egypt” (Photo by Egypt Today)



King Fouad singing the “Golden Book” at the Museum of Tervuren (Photo by Egypt Today)



King Fouad and Belgian Minister of Defense Count De Broque at the Military Museum in Brussels (Photo by Egypt Today)


Cartier confirmed that despite the exhibition being entitled “150 years of Belgian visits to Egypt,” these visits have been conducted for a total of 162 years.


Queen Elizabeth with Egyptian Diplomat Sadek Wahba Pasha in 1930 (Photo by Egypt Today)