The Egyptian Academy of Arts in Rome Reviews the Outcomes of Its Activities During 2025

El Gisr – Exclusive

During 2025, the Egyptian Academy of Arts in Rome delivered a year rich with diverse cultural and artistic activities, reflecting the vitality of the creative movement and its pivotal role in strengthening Egypt’s cultural presence in Europe.

Throughout 2025, the Academy organized 26 cultural seminars across various fields, in addition to two international conferences: the first addressed intellectual property issues, while the second discussed Egyptian literature between the past and the present.

Artistic activities were equally diverse, including 18 visual arts exhibitions and 18 musical concerts, أبرز them performances by the Nour and Amal Orchestra, the Arab Youth Orchestra, and the Italian Military Music Band. The program also featured four folklore performances, two cinematic events, two theater workshops, and three visual arts workshops.

As part of its outreach to the public, the Academy organized 20 events during which its doors were opened to visitors of the Tutankhamun Replica Museum, contributing to raising awareness of ancient Egyptian civilization and strengthening cultural dialogue with European society.

The Academy also hosted several major celebrations, including an event marking the National Day and the anniversary of the July Revolution organized by the Vatican Embassy in Italy, another celebration marking the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum organized by the Egyptian Embassy in Rome and the Defense Office attached to the embassy, as well as a celebration held in coordination with the Embassy of the sister Republic of Iraq.

On the level of cultural initiatives, the Academy launched a number of key initiatives, أبرز them:

• “Lover of Egypt” Initiative

• Egypt–Italy and the Academic Neighborhood Initiative

• Eight Weeks on Ancient Egyptian Civilization

• The Egyptian Academy and Arab Civilization Initiative

In the coming phase, the Academy aims to sign three international agreements with prominent Italian institutions as part of efforts to support and enhance joint cultural and artistic cooperation. The Academy also raised the Egyptian flag within its campus and in front of the Egyptian pavilion at the Venice Biennale.

During 2025, the Academy received a number of valuable artistic donations, most notably a painting by the renowned artist Ragheb Ayad and a portrait of the legendary singer Umm Kulthum, in addition to a collection of works by distinguished Egyptian visual artists. The Academy also received a number of important Arabic and foreign books, representing a valuable addition to its library holdings.

The Academy published four books: the first documents the history of the Academy since its establishment to the present day; the second focuses on intellectual property; the third discusses Egyptian literature between the past and the present; and the fourth highlights the Academy’s achievements during the 2024–2025 artistic and cultural season.

Throughout the year, the Academy cooperated with a wide range of prominent cultural institutions and bodies, including the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Italian Parliament, Sapienza University of Rome, Tor Vergata University, the Rome University of Fine Arts, the FAI Foundation, the Municipality of Rome, the Municipality of Forano, the Santa Cecilia Conservatory, the General Directorate of Funds Investigation Music Corps, the Belgian Academy, the Philharmonic Academy, the Russian House, the Confartigianato Foundation, Naguib Mahfouz School in Milan, and the Libyan School.

The Academy’s Director, Dr. Rania Yehia, also participated in numerous international events, seminars, and conferences, and published a children’s book titled “Egypt, My Homeland” in both Arabic and Italian, as part of efforts to promote the Academy and encourage cultural tourism to Egypt.

In this context, Dr. Rania Yehia expressed her happiness with hosting these important artistic and cultural activities, emphasizing that they reflect the Academy’s role as an Egyptian cultural beacon abroad, working to build bridges of cultural cooperation between Egypt and European society from the heart of the Italian capital, Rome.