The 2026 Ancient Capital Civilization Dialogue was held in Cairo, Egypt, under the theme of “From the Origins of Civilization to Visions of the Future: Heritage, Coexistence and Innovation.” Scholars and experts from leading Chinese and Egyptian universities, museums, cultural heritage institutions and research organizations gathered at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) to discuss topics including the origins of civilization, historical reflection, museums and knowledge dissemination.
Participants included representatives from Communication University of China, Tsinghua University, Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, the Liangzhu Museum, and the International Center for Liangzhu Studies, as well as the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Cairo University, Benha University, the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt, and the Egyptian Cabinet’s Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC).
The opening ceremony was chaired by Xiong Chengyu, Senior Professor and Dean of the Institute for Cultural Development and Communication at Communication University of China. Opening remarks were delivered by El-Tayeb Abbas, Chief Executive Officer of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization; Zhang Yaqiang, Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Egypt; and Abdel Fattah Ezz El-Din, Board Member of the Egypt-China Friendship Association and former Consul General of Egypt in Shanghai.
Speakers noted that Cairo and Hangzhou, both ancient capitals with profound historical legacies and enduring cultural vitality, represent two important centers of human civilization. They emphasized that dialogue between ancient capitals can serve as an effective platform for strengthening cultural exchanges, enhancing mutual understanding, and promoting cooperation in heritage conservation, archaeological research, museum development and knowledge sharing.
Following the opening ceremony, two thematic forums, “Civilizational Origins and Historical Reflections” and “Museums and Knowledge Dissemination”, brought together Chinese and Egyptian scholars for in-depth discussions. Participants exchanged views on the Nile River and Yangtze River civilizations, urban development, heritage conservation, and intercultural exchanges, while also exploring topics such as China-Egypt cooperation in cultural heritage protection, cultural branding of ancient capitals, strategies for museum communication and the application of digital technologies in cultural exchange.
During the event, a photo exhibition titled “Protection and Utilization of Liangzhu Cultural Heritage” was presented at NMEC. Through a series of photographs, the exhibition showcased archaeological discoveries from the Liangzhu Ancient City, its sophisticated water management system, jade culture, and ongoing efforts in heritage conservation and public engagement, attracting considerable interest from scholars, museum professionals and visitors.
The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt and has also been designated as the Year of China-Africa People-to-People Exchanges. Participants agreed that the dialogue has provided new momentum for cultural and academic cooperation between the two countries and created new opportunities for collaboration in heritage conservation, museum studies, research on urban civilizations, and digital cultural exchange.
The dialogue will continue on June 10, coinciding with the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, when additional forum sessions will be held in Liangzhu, Hangzhou. Discussions will focus on “Urban Governance and Heritage Symbiosis”and “Civilization Mutual Learning in the Digital Era”,further promoting exchanges and cooperation between the two ancient capitals and promoting broader China-Egypt cultural engagement.
