Egyptian Academy of Arts in Rome Celebrates Grand Museum Opening with Cultural Showcase
Sunday 23/November/2025 - 08:19 AM
A Cultural Tribute to the Grand Egyptian Museum
The Egyptian Academy of Arts in Rome, headed by Professor Dr. Rania Yehia, hosted a major cultural event as part of the Ministry of Culture’s celebrations marking the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum and the launch of the “Al-omr Leena” initiative. The program forms part of an eight-week series dedicated to ancient Egyptian civilization.
Alessandro Roccati Revisits Four Decades of Egyptology
At the heart of the evening was a lecture by Professor Alessandro Roccati, one of Italy’s foremost scholars in Egyptology. Roccati opened by recalling his first lecture at the Academy forty years ago during the tenure of Farouk Hosny, then Director of the Academy. He expressed gratitude for being welcomed back and began by highlighting the importance of writing traditions in Egypt, from Demotic script to Coptic literature.
Roccati reviewed the deep historical ties linking Egypt and Rome, noting that after Egypt became part of the Roman Empire in 30 BC, many Egyptians settled in Rome and brought with them religious customs and statues. This influence became evident in Roman architecture, which incorporated pyramids and obelisks engraved with hieroglyphic inscriptions.
Language Evolution and Scholarly Efforts
The scholar emphasized the gradual linguistic transition in Egypt—from Greek, Demotic, and Hieroglyphic to the emergence of the Coptic language, which remained in use until around 1500, particularly in religious traditions rooted in the Pharaonic era. He noted that generations of scholars devoted immense effort to studying and deciphering these ancient languages.
A discussion session followed, allowing Roccati to engage with attendees in a lively dialogue that reflected the Italian audience’s strong interest in Egyptian heritage.
A Musical Evening Honoring Shared Cultural Heritage
The event also featured an elegant musical performance by Italian soprano Bianca D’Amore and pianist Sabrina Cordoni, who presented celebrated Baroque works in honor of Italian composer Alessandro Scarlatti. Cordoni performed two additional pieces dedicated to the Academy and Dr. Rania Yehia: a selection from the Egyptian repertoire of Sayed Darwish and the beloved song “Helwa Ya Baladi” by the Italian-Egyptian icon Dalida. Both pieces were met with enthusiastic admiration.
Closing Honors
At the end of the evening, Dr. Rania Yehia presented certificates of appreciation to the participating artists and scholars, recognizing their contributions to a distinguished cultural night that celebrated the enduring bond between Egypt and Italy.
