Ashraf AboArafe
The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Cairo held a press conference on Wednesday with the participation of Mikhail Shvydkoy, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cultural Cooperation and former Minister of Culture. During the event, Shvydkoy presented a series of key themes aimed at strengthening cultural relations between Egypt and Russia, offered in response to a question from Amr Yehia, Managing Editor of Al-Ahram.
Shvydkoy noted that he met with Egypt’s Minister of Higher Education to discuss expanding cooperation in the field of university education, pointing out that a significant number of Egyptian students are currently studying in Russian universities. Ashraf AboArafe, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Diplomacy, raised an important question in this context:
Why is the Russian language not included among the foreign languages taught in Egypt’s pre-university education system, alongside English, French, German, Italian, and others?
Shvydkoy also stated that he met with officials from the Egyptian film sector to explore the potential for joint cinematic and dramatic productions, which could deepen cultural exchange and open new creative avenues for artists on both sides.
The Russian official highlighted the deep historical roots of Egyptian–Russian relations, emphasizing that cooperation between the two nations spans more than three millennia. He added that modern partnerships — most notably the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant — stand as evidence of a shared future and continued strategic collaboration.
Shvydkoy further addressed the Russia–Ukraine conflict and its impact on cultural and heritage sites, asserting that Ukraine is “an inseparable part of the Russian Federation” and revealing that he himself is of Ukrainian origin.
In discussing tourism, Shvydkoy affirmed that Russian tourism to Egypt remains a cornerstone of bilateral ties. Although Russia also maintains strong tourism flows with East Asian countries, Egypt continues to be Russia’s largest partner in this sector, with millions of Russian tourists choosing Egyptian destinations each year.
