Egypt always gives people the impression of mystery; the Pyramids, the Sphinx, the River Nile, and the Aswan Dam are all antiquities and scenic spots in dream.

2006, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the People's Republic of China, Egypt confirmed its participation in the Expo Shanghai and started the preparatory works aggressively.

Mr. Khaled Abdel Rahman, the Consul-General of Egypt in Shanghai, told our reporter: "The primary motive of our participation is to present Egypt's achievements of late years as well as to further promote the development of our bilateral relations." In the eye of Khaled, Shanghai is a "dynamic city", which gives him infinite surprises. Well then, what surprises would Egypt bring for the Expo Shanghai? Let's get the answer from Khaled.

Sino-Egypt Friendly Relation, Long Standing and Secure

China and Egypt, far apart, however, enjoy a long history of friendship. Khaled said: "Through the ages, China and Egypt have established a close bilateral and trade relation. Taking this opportunity offered by the Expo, we do hope to attract more investments from worldwide countries, particularly China, and make our bilateral economic links tighter and tighter." According to Khaled, another important aspect of the intercourse between China and Egypt is tourism. Egypt, a country of great tourism resources, including its long history, brilliant culture, a large number of scenic spots and historical sites, is provided with all the advantages necessary to develop its tourist industry. The recent years witness a continuous increase in number of Chinese people traveling to Egypt. "I am confident that the Expo Shanghai would intensify our bilateral exchange and in-depth cooperation."

Participation in World Expo, Exhibition of the Ancient and Modern Egypt

Khaled indicated: "The six-month-long Expo to be held in Shanghai will be a great and important opportunity for Egypt to exhibit its achievements and attract investments and tourists. We will organize exhibitions, with the best manner, to present Egypt in an all round way. Visitors are expected to be provided with some nice remembrances of our presentation." At present, the development of exhibiting plan for the Egyptian Pavilion at the Expo Shanghai is under way and close to completion. At the next stage of preparation, a joint committee will be set up by relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Ministry of Trade, etc, to discuss issues related to our participation. We will attend the Second Participants Meeting and communicate with the Expo Organizer for final confirmation of some particular issues concerning construction of our pavilion.

Speaking of exhibits, Khaled indicated: "We will show a modern and ancient Egypt. As one of the four world-famous ancient civilizations, Egypt has always been known as the 'Museum of World Historical Sites and Antiquities', which is represented by the mysterious Pyramids and Sphinx, the giant mural paintings from heaven and the complicated hieroglyphs. They are all symbols of Egypt and its ancient civilization. Our pavilion will offer a lot of introductions to the widely beloved Egyptian culture, allowing more people to have some knowledge of Egypt and promoting the development of its tourist industry. Of course, the Egyptian Pavilion will introduce various forms for exhibitions, such as Egyptian dances and movies. These unique cultural activities will be a highlight to attract visitors."

Alexandria, A potential Applicant for Exhibition in the UBPA

The Urban Best Practices Area is a great innovation introduced by Shanghai Expo Organizer, who has issued a global invitation for collection of the best practices and cases to be exhibited in the Area. Khaled said: "We are very interested in this project. Many Egyptian cities have some remarkable practices and experiences in environmental protection. We have not decided about our participation yet, however, Alexandria, a sister city of Shanghai, will probably submit the application.”Located in northwest of the Nile Delta, Alexandria is a famous historical city, known as "Pearl of the Mediterranean." In 1999, Alexandria and Shanghai established a sister-city tie; since then, the tow cities has maintained an exchange of visits of delegations composed of government officials almost every year. Also, the Expo Shanghai gives great inspirations to the city of Alexandria.

The Expo Shanghai, Highlight in World Expo History

"Shanghai is experiencing a high speed development. Peoples from all over the world might be quite familiar with the name of 'Shanghai'; nevertheless, when they place themselves amid the city, they will be shocked," Khaled said to our reporter, who can distinguish a sense of appreciation and applause from his words for the rapid development Shanghai achieved in recent years.

In the opinion of Khaled, The Expo Shanghai is the first universal exposition to be hosted by a developing country, which, undoubtedly, will intensify its significance. The Expo will be bound to bring visitors unexpected surprises, and become a highlight in World Expo history and exert a significant influence upon future Expos. After Beijing's successful application to host the Olympic Games 2008, Shanghai won the bid to host World Expo 2010. Thus, China becomes a widely recognized candidate of competence to hold large-scale international events. The Expo Shanghai will be a manifesto that a developing country has the capability in organizing a "successful, wonderful, unforgettable" universal exposition, which will also give inspirations to other developing countries.

According to Khaled, there is a popular saying in Egypt and some other Arab countries, "Egypt, the mother of life." That means living in Egypt is of great wonderfulness, amenity and excitement. "Shanghai is also a livable city. In particular, the World Expo to be held in Shanghai will incorporate extra amenities into the city. I am looking forward to the Expo 2010, which, I bet, will be a great success."