Starting today (Saturday), and for two days only, all open archaeological sites in Egypt can be visited for free. 

Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh El-Damaty told Ahram Online that the decision is the ministry’s way of marking World Tourism Day and an attempt to encourage Egyptians and foreigners who live in Egypt to know more about the country’s civilisation. It also, he added, reflects the country’s stable security condition. “Egypt is safe,” El-Damaty asserted.

El-Damaty went on saying that in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, a number of cultural events are to be held, including musical concerts, folk dance performances and poetry recitals organised in Al-Muizz Street, Al-Suhaimy House in Old Cairo, Manial Palace, the garden of the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, at the Abu Simbel temples and Qayetbay Citadel in Alexandria.

Nashwa Gaber, head of the technical office, said that the documentary film department of the Ministry of Antiquities is to provide to the media documentaries on Egypt’s different archeological sites, aiming to raise cultural awareness of Egypt's heritage and get foreigners more acquainted with Egypt’s civilisational history.

Gaber pointed out that on the fringes of the celebration a book fair is to be held at Manial Palace where a large collection of historic and archaeological books will be available.

Ahmed Motawea, director of the development of archeological sites section at the ministry, explained that technical workshops for children are to be held in all museums around Egypt in an attempt to raise children’s awareness on Egypt's heritage and its distinguished civilisations.