I am sorry that I cannot be here in person today, but I am sure that you all know that I am with you in spirit. Since I was appointed head of the antiquities service in Egypt, I have made it a priority to stop the illegal export of our cultural heritage, and to repatriate stolen artifacts. I created a new department focused on repatriation issues, and began a campaign that has gained the respect of the international community. To date, our team has brought back over 5,000 objects. This has been done with the active assistance of museums, Egyptologists, and even auction houses, who have recognized the legitimacy of our claims. Worldwide policing agencies have also been important partners in our fight to reclaim our heritage. Last April, we held an international conference in Cairo dedicated to the repatriation of stolen antiquities; this was attended by over 25 countries. Our goal was to build cooperation among countries affected by archaeological theft, to develop and implement ways in which that we can work together to protect and reclaim our heritage. The conference was a great success, and one important result was a document called the Cairo Communique, the text of which can be found on the website of the antiquities department. My office had started planning this year’s conference, but this has of necessity been postponed.

Although I have resigned from my position as head of the antiquities department, due to the current situation, I will continue to do everything in my power to help my country fight against the illicit trafficking of antiquities. In these dark days, when some of our most important sites are suffering from the depredations of the looters and opportunists who are taking advantage of the current power vacuum, we call upon the international community for help. The antiquities department has issued lists of antiquities known to be missing from the Egyptian Museum and from storage magazines that have been robbed; we call upon you to help us circulate these lists and watch out for these pieces should they appear on the black market. As we struggle to restore order to our sites, we call upon you for ideas and support, which we will welcome gladly.

The Egyptian Museum, Cairo, has finalized its list of missing antiquities.  A copy of the list can be found at the Supreme Council of Antiquities website.