Luxor - Aswan: Europe and the Arabs
The United Nations Tourism Organization celebrates World Tourism Day this year under the slogan "Tourism and Peace", to highlight the role of tourism in promoting sustainable development, preserving the environment and enhancing international harmony. The United Nations daily news bulletin, a copy of which we received this morning, presented a report on the celebration of the World Day in southern Egypt. It stated that in Aswan Governorate in southern Egypt, various events and shows are held to celebrate World Tourism Day, including a display of river launches and water games, in addition to an exhibition of traditional environmental arts and crafts, to encourage tourist groups from different nationalities of the world to visit Aswan during this tourist season to enjoy the unique features it possesses in a strong message at the beginning of the winter season.

The celebration continues for 4 days, and includes the opening of the visual identity project, a parade of sailboats, another for bicycles, and a third to place the flags of countries on the dome of Mount Abu al-Hawa, in addition to a procession of horse-drawn carriages from Madkour Abu al-Ezz Garden, and fireworks.
In Luxor Governorate, World Tourism Day is celebrated in the Karnak Temple Square under the slogan "Tourism and Peace" through the holding of flute music shows, Arabian horses, singing and folkloric shows in Pharaonic costumes, in addition to artistic performances by the Luxor Folk Arts Troupe, in the presence of dozens of tourists of different nationalities who were keen to talk and take souvenir photos.
On the sidelines of the celebration of World Tourism Day, Luxor University organized a conference on climate change and its impact on cultural tourism.
Researcher Dr. Ayman Abu Zeid, tourism expert and head of the Egyptian Association for Tourism Development, believes that choosing this year's slogan (Tourism and Peace) was appropriate in light of the state of instability in many regions around the world.

"The slogan is in line with the conflicts taking place around the world, which makes the option of peace a special priority for the tourism sector, in which a large number of Egyptian youth work, especially in the governorates of Luxor and Aswan. Despite this, I am optimistic about the new tourism season, as there are indications of the arrival of tourists of different nationalities from China, India, Italy and Spain.
-But how is the connection between tourism and peace?
There is no doubt that the more peace prevails, the more tourism increases, and vice versa, as the more there is a state of conflict, the more the tourist is averse to areas of conflict, fighting and problems.
-What is your participation in the Climate Change Conference and its impact on cultural tourism?
By virtue of my specialization, my research is in archaeological astronomical tourism, and I have reached some astronomical phenomena, including the sun's perpendicularity in the Karnak Temples in Luxor, especially in the fall and spring, and I called for putting the phenomenon on the tourism map based on the fact that the ancient Egyptians used light to know Seasons and time measurement, which represents a distinct scientific value.” The World Tourism Organization's celebration coincides with the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Conference and its Impact on Cultural Tourism Areas, organized by Luxor University in cooperation with UNESCO, as Dr. Ayman Abdel Mohsen, UNESCO Project Manager in Cairo, says: "The climate agenda is one of UNESCO's priorities, and this was evident in our participation in the climate conferences (COP 27) and (COP 28). Hence our participation in the Luxor conference. The organization is interested in supporting cultural heritage, whether tangible or intangible, and protecting it from climate change. There are many projects being implemented, including the project to restore the murals in the tomb of King Amenhotep III in Luxor, with support from the Japanese government and UNESCO. We have the World Heritage Center, which supports capacity building on how to confront, adapt to and confront climate change. We also have the Urban Heritage Forum project in historic Cairo in cooperation with ten Egyptian institutions, headed by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and nine Egyptian universities, in addition to the completion of the Museum of Islamic Art, which includes the museum display and capacity building for archaeologists and restoration specialists. Discussions are underway about the work project in the Coptic Museum." Dr. Abdullah Al-Saeed, a restoration specialist at the Faculty of Archaeology at Cairo University, believes in the necessity of linking antiquities with modern sciences, which is what his research included in the conference, referring to linking tourism and antiquities with modern technology. He continued, saying: "We are trying hard to link antiquities with modern and ancient sciences, and this is what we do in archaeological sites through plant and animal remains in those areas. Then we can learn how people lived in that time period, such as the use of wheat and barley in the Greek and Roman eras in the Middle and Modern States. We were able to learn about the trade relations between Egypt, Africa and some East Asian countries through plant and animal remains. This is regarding my research paper, in addition to the important conference topics related to climate change and its impact on archaeological areas and the optimal use of technology in the tourism and antiquities sectors."
This year's celebration of World Tourism Day in the governorates of Luxor and Aswan in southern Egypt witnesses the formation of youth and volunteer teams to serve tourists, welcome them and promote tourism at airports and various tourist sites. The celebrations also include musical and folkloric performances in Pharaonic costumes by the Luxor and Aswan Folk Arts Troupes, under the slogan of this year: Tourism and Peace.