Archive for August, 2009

Image via Wikipedia Bibliotheca Alexandrina reopened its planetarium doors after having equipped itself with a newly installed state of the art dome projection system and a set of stunning shows to go along with it. Having had only a small opening with no ceremonies earlier this month, a bigger ceremony is in the planning to... »

Image by kairoinfo4u via Flickr Soon the the most popular tombs in the west bank of ancient Thebes will be visited only by the rich and famous. There will be a “Replica Valley” for the rest of us. The valleys of the Kings and Queens lure thousands of tourists to the Theban west bank every day,... »

Image via Wikipedia Visited by travelers as varied as backpackers and European royalty, Siwa is now being touted as a destination for ecotourism. Mounir Neamatalla, a U.S. educated Cairo native, hopes to make Siwa a model of sustainable development with private incentives and microfinance programs through his organization, EQI. Captivated on his first visit in 1996, Mr.... »

Image by khalid almasoud via Flickr This September, Discovery World hosts Egypt Season in all its ancient glory. Out Of Egypt – Dr. Kara Cooney travels the globe and presents a new approach to unravelling some perplexing mysteries at the root of the world’s oldest civilizations. Follow as she explores remarkable archaeological sites, interacts with... »

Beginning Oct. 3, aspiring archaeologists will be able to get their hands dirty at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal’s newest exhibit, Lost Egypt: Ancient Secrets, Modern Science. The 6,000-square-foot traveling exhibit was created and produced by the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, where it premiered in May, and built by the... »

Egypt is fast on track to become the leading country in Middle Eastern renewable energy initiatives. The country has adopted an ambitious plan to cover 20% (12000 MW) of all generated electricity by renewable sources in 2020, including a 12% (7200 MW) contribution from wind energy. The new Electricity Act, subject to the approval... »

Image via Wikipedia The Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) has been a part of the J. Paul Getty Trust since 1985. Its staff worked with Egyptian colleagues and an international team from 1986 to 1992 on the conservation of the wall paintings within the tomb of powerful Queen Nefertari (ca. 1290-1254 B.C.). The GCI’s current six-year partnership... »

Ramadan celebrations include the making and display of fawanis, lanterns made of tin and coloured-glass. There are different theories regarding the origins of this typically Egyptian custom which is spreading to other Muslim countries. According to some scholars the fanous (singular of fawanis ) developed as an extension of the torches used in the... »

Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, announced that restoration of the Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue will be completed in June 2010. The restoration is one part of a national project with the aim of restoring ten Jewish temples across Egypt. The synagogue was declared an antiquity in 1986 due to... »

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