Ashraf AboArafe
From the heart of Beijing to the banks of the Nile, a message of friendship crossed continents.
On this day, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a warm and poetic congratulation to President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt, saluting the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)— a sanctuary where the whispers of pharaohs rise again to greet the modern world.
President Xi’s message carried more than words; it carried a resonance of shared destiny. He hailed Egypt’s devotion to preserving the grandeur of its civilization — a civilization that once lit the path of humanity and continues to inspire the seekers of knowledge and beauty. The museum, he said, is not merely a building of stone and glass, but a living bridge between the sands of Giza and the stars of tomorrow.
In his reflection, President Xi drew upon the ancient kinship between two rivers — the Nile and the Yangtze — whose waters have cradled the dreams of two of humanity’s oldest cultures. As these rivers flow steadfastly through time, so too does the bond between China and Egypt, flowing through history, art, and the eternal quest for understanding.
He envisioned that this opening would deepen the harmony of cultures under the Belt and Road Initiative, nurturing new exchanges between scholars, artists, and youth — those who will inherit the torch of civilization and carry it forward into the future.
President Xi’s message concluded with a blessing: that Egypt may continue to flourish in wisdom and grace, and that the Grand Egyptian Museum may shine as a beacon of dialogue between civilizations, where the echoes of the past illuminate the promise of a shared human tomorrow.
