Luong Cuong hails Egypt’s effort to preserve history while modernizing tourism, gifts replica of ancient Vietnamese drum
Vietnamese President Luong Cuong may be thousands of miles from home, but on August 4, he stood face to face with the spirit of one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Accompanied by his wife and a high-ranking delegation, Cuong toured the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza — a visit steeped in symbolism, diplomacy, and cultural respect.
The Vietnamese leader called the sprawling new museum a “testament” to Egypt’s dual ambitions: preserving its storied past while repositioning itself as a modern tourism hub.
A presidential walk through time
Cuong’s visit wasn’t just ceremonial. His tour stretched across the GEM’s core galleries, which cover more than 24,000 square meters of exhibition space. That’s a lot of history under one roof.
He stopped to view artifacts from the Pharaonic era, many of which had been hidden from public view for decades. At one point, he reportedly lingered near the colossal statue of Ramses II — a centerpiece of the museum that’s nearly 11 meters tall and weighs around 83 tons.
The president later described the experience as “humbling and enlightening,” according to Vietnamese media accompanying the delegation.
One sentence says it all: Egypt’s past, Cuong noted, still speaks to the present.
Vietnam and Egypt: two ancient cultures, one shared respect
Vietnam’s president didn’t just marvel at the museum’s collection. He drew direct connections between the legacies of Vietnam and Egypt — two nations with millennia of cultural memory and colonial resistance.
Cuong said the Arab world’s intellectual treasures — from its epic poetry to its philosophical texts — have long been admired by Vietnamese thinkers. “The values of wisdom, courage, and justice seen in Egyptian history continue to inspire generations around the world,” he said.
And then, a symbolic gesture: he presented the GEM with a replica of the Ngoc Lu bronze drum, one of Vietnam’s most iconic archaeological artifacts. The original, dating back over 2,000 years, is a national treasure.
The museum’s director accepted the gift with emotion. “This is more than a diplomatic token,” he said. “It’s a bridge between two civilizational giants.”
Small moment, big meaning.
What makes the Grand Egyptian Museum so monumental?
Let’s take a quick look at what makes the GEM one of the most anticipated cultural projects on the planet.
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Size: The GEM stretches across 480,000 square meters, making it the largest archaeological museum complex in the world.
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Proximity: It’s located just 1.2 kilometers from the Giza pyramids and about 20 kilometers from central Cairo.
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Artifacts: The museum houses over 57,000 artifacts, including the complete collection from Tutankhamun’s tomb.
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Technology: 3D projections, virtual reality, and immersive lighting systems make it feel like stepping into history.
Construction started back in 2002. After years of delays, cost overruns, and global pandemic interruptions, the museum began partial operations in 2023, with full opening expected soon.
Here’s a quick view in numbers:
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total Area | 480,000 sq.m |
| Exhibition Space | 24,000 sq.m |
| Distance from Pyramids | 1.2 km |
| Total Artifacts | 57,000 |
| Tutankhamun Collection | 5,000+ items |
| Construction Start | 2002 |
| Tech Highlights | VR, 3D displays, smart lighting |
A diplomatic backdrop that matters
This visit wasn’t random. It fits into a broader pattern of strengthening Egypt-Vietnam ties.
Vietnam and Egypt established diplomatic relations in 1963. In recent years, both countries have intensified trade, cultural exchanges, and political dialogue.
Cuong’s visit to GEM also came on the sidelines of his official state visit to Cairo, where he held talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The two leaders discussed maritime trade, education exchanges, and green energy investments.
But culture — always culture — took center stage.
A Vietnamese official told local press that the museum visit “was deeply intentional” and reflected Vietnam’s effort to place shared heritage at the heart of its foreign policy.
GEM is more than a museum. It’s Egypt’s soft power flagship
The Grand Egyptian Museum isn’t just about the past. It’s also about the future — specifically, how Egypt wants to be seen on the global stage.
The GEM is meant to reshape Cairo’s tourism image: less crowded bazaars, more curated experiences. Less chaotic charm, more architectural awe.
The project has received backing from global players, including the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which offered loans and technical expertise. The architectural design, led by Ireland’s Heneghan Peng Architects, was selected in a global competition involving over 1,500 entries.
And the stakes? High.
Tourism is one of Egypt’s top economic sectors. After years of disruptions — from political upheaval to COVID-19 — the country is banking on GEM to pull in the kind of high-value travelers who want culture, not just camel rides.
President Cuong’s visit, said one Egyptian tourism consultant, was “the best soft endorsement the museum could get this summer.”
An ancient drum, a future display
The final moment of the visit — the gifting of the Ngoc Lu drum — wasn’t just symbolic. Museum officials confirmed that the artifact will be showcased in an upcoming “Friends of Egypt” exhibition highlighting gifts from international leaders.
In the coming months, GEM plans to unveil a digital registry of diplomatic artifacts, allowing virtual visitors to explore global connections to Egypt’s past.
So yes, somewhere near a statue of Ramses or a relic from Thebes, a bronze Vietnamese drum will sit — a reminder that history doesn’t belong to one place or people.
