By Hend GadAllah

Today, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Theater hosted Dr. Zahi Hawass, the archaeologist and the former Minister of Antiquities, in the second intellectual dialogue meeting; within the series of intellectual meetings "Speak" in the presence of Prof. Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports.

A group of young people from the governorates (Cairo - Giza - Qalyubia) and school students’ union participated in the meeting, which was carried out by the Ministry's Central Administration of Vanguards; with committing to all precautionary measures to confront the Corona pandemic.

The Minister of Youth and Sports welcomed the participation of Dr. Zahi Hawass in the intellectual meeting with the youth, indicating that this meeting is the first step in cooperation and working with Dr. Hawass in several aspects to serve the youth. 

He added that Egypt, under the wise leadership of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, is witnessing an era of building and development in various sectors and major national projects in all fields; adding that the youth are the future of Egypt.  Education and thought are the basic bases for this future.

The meeting included showing a documentary film about the life story of "Hawass" and the works he had done since appointing to the Ministry of Antiquities in Egypt. 

Dr. Zahi Hawass started his speech calling on the youth not to give up their dream, even if they failed in the beginning. He warned them not to engage in personal fights that might distance from their bigger dream. 

Hawass went on his speech about antiquities in general and the great pyramid (146 meters long and 2,300,000 stones) in particular, which was built by the Egyptians. He explained President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s great role in saving Egypt after January 2011. 

Hawass explained several things about the antiquities returned to Egypt, which amounted to 6000 artifacts during the intellectual meeting. He also talked about the pharaohs’ curse that is not a word of truth, The Sphinx and the Dream Stele, the ancient Egyptian statues, some varied tombs, the eastern and western city, the bakery, the secrets of Sun bread, the tomb of Tutankhamun, and the Valley of the Kings. He confirmed that 30% of antiquities have been discovered up till now and 70% of them not discovered yet. 

Hawass gave the youth and vanguards the opportunity to ask about many things and remove the ambiguity about them, such as the sacred lake in the Karnak Temple. He explained that all the evidence about building the pyramids and how to transport their stones are included in t an encyclopedia consisting of 8 parts and will be available in the upcoming period; in addition to his talk about mummification and how it is done, that is no longer a secret. 

Hawass concluded his speech by inviting the youth to learn and correct concepts. He emphasized that our goal is to restore human beings, and that Egypt, with its history and civilization, will have a very great concern in the world in the coming period.

At the end of the meeting, the best debate was honored with 1000 LE given by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Ministry’s shield was presented to Dr. Zahi Hawass.