Events
Exhibition "The Return to the Day"
From 20 October 2024 to 30 November 2024, the Embassy of Switzerland in Egypt in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo, hosted a solo exhibition by the Swiss-Italian artist Sighanda, as part of the “Settimana della Lingua Italiana nel Mondo” (Italian Language Week in the World) and as part of the Embassy’s celebration of the 90th anniversary of the Friendship Treaty between Switzerland and Egypt. The opening of the exhibition took place at the Italian Cultural Institute. The exhibition will relocate to the Salesian Institute Don Bosco on 13 November.
The exhibition's title, The Return in the Day, refers to a translation of the ancient Egyptian funerary text ‘The Book of the Dead’, a collection of writings that, along with other papyrus fragments like the Merer Diary (at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo), are considered precursors to the modern carnet de voyage. The carnet de voyage tradition originated in the 18th century as a way to capture the culture and customs of a place through drawing. With the rise of photography in the 19th century, this practice gradually faded away.
The exhibition offers a unique perspective on Egypt, as seen through the eyes of Sighanda, inspired by her journeys between the Giza plateau, the necropolis of Saqqara, and visits to the two museums in Cairo and Turin. It showcases Sighanda’s drawings, notebooks, and plates, reflecting her philosophy of using the carnet de voyage – an ancient practice that she revitalizes through her art. Sighanda seeks to engage directly with Egyptian culture, both ancient and contemporary, by visiting the original sites of the pharaohs' tombs on several occasions.
In addition, Sighanda led a workshop introducing the carnet de voyage, one of the most authentic ways of self-expression through art. Participants brought home their own unique piece of art and self-reflection.
National Day Reception at the Swiss Residence
On 16 October, the Embassy welcomed distinguished guests and partners at the Swiss National Day reception, during which it commemorated 90 years of friendship treaty between Switzerland and Egypt. The event was attended by Minister Mahmoud Esmat (Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy), Governor of Qaliubiya Mr. Ayman Attia and Mr. Yasser Hashem (Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs), other representatives of the Egyptian authorities, as well as around 900 guests from the diplomatic community and international organizations, members of the Egyptian Parliament and the Senate, the Swiss community, and representatives of Swiss companies and Swiss institutions. The reception featured a musical performance by the Swiss folk band “Trio Anderscht”.
Trio Anderscht & Fady Badr at the Cairo Jazz Club
The Swiss folk band “Trio Anderscht” performed together with the Egyptian Qanun player Fady Badr at the Cairo Jazz Club, creating a unique sound by mixing the Swiss Dulcimer “Hackbrett" and the Egyptian "Qanun".
“Anderscht” is Swiss-German and means “different” – and different they are indeed. They take the traditional Swiss instrument Dulcimer to play a music style that is different from anything else, neither traditional nor modern, or actually both at the same time. The three musicians, Andrea Kind, Fredi Zuberbühler and Raffael Bietenhader move effortlessly between the Tango, Bossa Nova and Jazz. The Dulcimer is an old instrument that can be found in many cultures. The earliest signs of it are found in Assyrian and Babylonian stone carvings around 700 BC. From there, the instrument was traded and traveled to different parts of the Middle East and later to Europe. In Egypt, it became known as the Qanun – in Europe it became the Dulcimer.
Walking Tour with “Alp O Nil”
As part of the series of events commemorating the 90 years of friendship treaty between Switzerland and Egypt, the Embassy organized a walking tour through Cairo, led by Ambassador Yvonne Baumann and guided by Swiss filmmaker Sandra Gysi. Together with Egyptian partners, foreign ambassadors, and the Swiss community, we traced the legacy of Swiss explorers, businessmen, confectioners, and hoteliers in Cairo. The tour followed the "Alp O Nil" map, created in collaboration with Cluster , highlighting iconic Swiss landmarks in the city.
European Day of Languages
Since 2001, 26 September was marked as the European Day of Languages, celebrating the continent’s rich variety of languages. In Cairo, embassies and cultural institutes representing 11 European countries joined forces to celebrate the day at the Instituto Cervantes and offer the public an opportunity to experience the linguistic and cultural diversity of the European continent first-hand.
Participants engaged in a series of educational and interactive activities designed to showcase the advantages of multilingualism for both personal and professional development. During the afternoon program, the “cultural station” of the Embassy of Switzerland in Egypt introduced visitors to the multilingual nature of the country. During a short quiz, participants allocated words from one of Switzerland’s four national languages (German, French, Italian, and Rumansh) to the correct language region. To top it off, visitors could enjoy some traditional Swiss raclette.
The event was held under the auspices of EUNIC Egypt (European Union National Institutes for Culture). Together with the Embassy of Switzerland in Egypt, it was co-organized by the Instituto Cervantes, Czech Centres and the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Cairo, Leitorado do Camões, Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua – Cairo, Embassy of Greece and Greek Cultural Centre, Goethe-Institut Kairo, Embassy of France in Egypt, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Cairo, Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Cairo, Embassy of Sweden in Cairo, Embassy of Ukraine in Cairo.
6th Edition of MedFest Festival
At the 6th Edition of Medfest Festival, Swiss-Egyptian director Christophe Saber captivated the audience with the screening of three short films: "Discipline," "La Vie en Rose Comme dans les Films," and "Punchline." Attendees then engaged in an insightful and lively discussion, delving into the themes and storytelling of the films. Christophe also shared his unique approach to filmmaking, reflecting on how his dual Swiss-Egyptian heritage has influenced his creative journey and shaped his perspective as a filmmaker. The Embassy’s partnership with Medfest comes within the context of its series of activities on the occasion of the 90-years anniversary of the Friendship Treaty between Switzerland and Egypt. Founded in 2017, Medfest Egypt is a short film festival with a focus on the relationship between cinema and health.
Concert “Strings of Friendship”
The Embassy of Switzerland continued its event series dedicated to the 90-years anniversary of the Friendship Treaty between Switzerland and Egypt by inviting the internationally acclaimed Swiss pianist Joseph-Maurice Weder to Cairo.
In his first musical appearance in Egypt and the African continent, the Steinway artist mesmerized his audience during a concert titled “Strings of Friendship” at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization on 11 September together with the exceptional Swiss-Egyptian violinist Medhat Abdel-Salam. During their performances, the two artists explored classical music from Eastern and Western composers ranging from Johann Sebastian Bach to Mona Ghoneim, Frédéric Chopin and César Franck, symbolizing the friendship between East and West, and between Egypt and Switzerland. The concert was attended by Egyptian government officials, Egyptian and foreign ambassadors, representatives of the UN and cultural institutes, as well as members of the Egyptian and the Swiss community.
Joseph-Maurice Weder also made a visit to the Cairo Conservatoire, part of the renowned Academy of Arts. During a four-hour Masterclass, Weder transferred his long professional experience to a selected number of piano students, offering them new inputs and perspectives on their ways of creating art on their instruments. The Masterclass was followed by a concert, in which he played some of the most famous pieces composed by Frédéric Chopin. For a peak into Weder’s performance at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and his interpretation of Chopin, please click here.
Opening Event with “Saype”
On 8 June 2024, H.E. Yvonne Baumann, Ambassador of Switzerland to Egypt together with Mr. Amr El Kady, CEO of the Egyptian Tourism Authority, launched the commemoration of the 90-years anniversary of the Friendship Treaty between Switzerland and Egypt.
On the Giza Plateau, in front of the Pyramids, they revealed a giant fresco of 900 square meters created by the Swiss-based artist, Saype, that symbolizes the friendship between the two people. The event was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities represented by the Egyptian Tourism Authority, in partnership with Orascom Pyramids Entertainment and powered by the Swiss company, Nestlé.
The world-renowned artist Saype paints large images on different soils using 100% biodegradable materials made of natural pigments made of chalk and coal. The fresco of two holding hands was first painted in 2019 in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It conveys a message of friendship and togetherness.
Since 2019, the fresco has been created in many places around the world. For the 20th step of his worldwide project, it has finally arrived at the last remaining Wonder of the Ancient World, the Pyramids of Giza. This emblematic site was chosen not just for its beauty, but also because it embodies eternity. It symbolizes the continuity and interconnection of humanity through time.