At the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Czech Institute of Egyptology, the members of the institute are, together with the heads of the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, preparing several events in the Czech Republic as well as in Egypt to commemorate this anniversary. The first of four exhibitions was opened on November 27th, 2007.

The first of the exhibitions to take place in Egypt, Saving the Monuments of Nubia. The Czech Participation in the International Campaign to Save the Monuments in Nubia, is housed in the in the prestigious Museum of Nubia at Aswan, which is enjoying a steady influx of international visitors. It commemorates Czech (Czechoslovak) participation in the aforementioned archaeological rescue works in Nubia. In the course of these works in the early 1960s, the Czech archaeological team conducted a large-scale epigraphic and archaeological exploration of approximately one third of the Nile valley in the Egyptian party of Lower Nubia. Over 200 rock inscriptions were discovered and recorded, as well as over 5000 rock drawings, dated to various periods of ancient Egyptian history from the prehistoric times to the early Islamic period. Besides the epigraphic and archaeological survey, the Czech team also conducted archaeological excavations on the cemeteries of the Ballan culture at Wadi Qitna and Kalabsha. Two special exploration projects took place as well, one consisted of the rediscovery of the then lost South Temple as Tafa (which could still be seen in the end of the 19th century, but disappeared under layers of mud after the construction of the first Aswan dam), the other in the excavation and documentation of the Roman fortress at Qertasi. The results of the Nubian campaign have been to a large extent published.

The exhibition at Aswan should remain open for one to two years.

In this connection we would like to note the fact that at the last UNESCO conference, the Czech Republic has again been elected as member of the Board for the Nubian Museum at Aswan.

Partner of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Czech Institute of Egyptology is ČD Cargo, a.s.