I would like to thank the Spanish Ambassador, Antonio Lopez Martinez and wife, Nichole, for their hospitality and service to the Egyptian people. I became a very good friend of them when I went to give a lecture in Seville in 2009. I will never forget this visit and the kindness of all the people that I met in Spain. Last week Ambassador Martinez and Nichole hosted a dinner in my honor. It was a great time and several other ambassadors attended.

Foreign ambassadors come to Egypt and they stay with us for 4 years. Some leave and we don’t remember them because they don’t understand the Egyptian people. I always make an effort to help many people everywhere I go but when I experience an insult to me it is like an insult to my country. Sadly this has been the case at a few of the foreign embassies in Egypt, particularly the British Embassy. The previous British Ambassador Sir Derek Plumbly and his wife Nadia were wonderful people. I hope to have good relations like this in the future. Sadly Ambassador Martinez is leaving this summer and we will be very sad to see him go. This will be the case with ambassadors from many other countries including the United States, Japan, France, Columbia, Mexico, and many other ambassadors from Latin America Egypt greatly respects these countries and their representatives and is very willing to help them. But I always believe in one to one, equal treatment for all. The ambassadors who are not nice to us will not receive Egyptian hospitality in return.

I am including a picture that I received during my dinner at the Spanish Embassy. This beautiful drawing is from the grandson of Ambassador Martinez. His name is Diego and he is six years old. I was very touched by this drawing and I wanted to share it with all of you. Diego drew the Nile and many of the monuments found along the Nile, as well as several gods. I always say that one of the favorite parts of my job is teaching children about ancient Egypt and I hope more children, like Diego, are inspired to learn about and preserve our heritage for many generations.