Cultural and humanitarian cooperation constitutes an important dimension of bilateral relations between Ukraine and Egypt. This partnership is grounded in mutual interest and respect and spans a wide range of fields—from tourism and education to science, culture, literary exchange, and interfaith dialogue.
As early as 2016, Ukrainians became the largest group of foreign visitors to Egyptian resorts. Over the next three years, they consistently ranked second in Egypt’s tourism statistics. In July 2020, following a pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Ukraine was the first country to resume tourist travel to Egypt, once again taking the lead in visitor numbers. This trend continued into 2021, when approximately 1.5 million Ukrainians visited Egypt. Even after the onset of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, the flow of Ukrainian tourists to Egypt has remained notably high.
Educational and scientific collaboration is another vital component of cultural and humanitarian ties. By 2022, nearly 4,000 Egyptian students were studying at Ukrainian universities. Conversely, Ukrainian philology students undertook internships at Cairo University each year, while Arabic language instructors from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and Kyiv National Linguistic University regularly pursued professional development at Egypt’s largest higher education institutions.
In 2021, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Kyiv National University of Theatre, Cinema and Television named after I. Karpenko-Kary and Badr University, Egypt’s largest private university. In March 2025, Badr University signed a similar agreement with the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts.
In October 2022, the Ukrainian Saturday School was established at the Embassy of Ukraine in Egypt. Run on a volunteer basis, the school offers classes in Ukrainian language and literature, history, and national traditions. Its primary audience is children from mixed Ukrainian-Egyptian families.
Literary cooperation took on new momentum in November 2017 with the presentation of the first-ever Arabic translation of Lesya Ukrainka’s works. The translators were Olena Khomytska, Director of the Egyptian Center for Arabic Language and Culture at Taras Shevchenko National University, and renowned Egyptian literary scholar and critic Dr. Samir Mundi.
In autumn 2018, during a documentary and artistic exhibition on the 1932–1933 Holodomor, another Arabic-language collection—compiled by Dr. Mundi—was presented, focusing on the chronological history of this Ukrainian tragedy. In 2022, Dr. Mundi also translated and compiled an anthology of contemporary Ukrainian poetry titled Poems from the Front Line.
In February 2024, a conference on Ukrainian-Arab literary translation was held as part of the 55th Cairo International Book Fair. The event brought together writers, journalists, professional translators, and students to discuss the evolution of translation, its role in cultural exchange, and to present new works by leading translators from both countries.
In February 2025, with support from the Embassy of Ukraine in Egypt, a series of events was held in honor of Ukrainian literature and the centenary of the magazine Vsesvit. These events took place during the 56th Cairo International Book Fair, at the Egyptian Writers’ Union, and at the publishing house "Sefsafa".
In recent years, over a dozen literary works by Ukrainian and Egyptian authors have been translated into both languages. In 2024, a collection of Ukrainian literary and historical books translated into Arabic was donated to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. In 2025, similar collections were added to the libraries of the Egyptian Writers’ Union and the Kasr Al-Nil Library in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital.
Among the most notable musical events was the performance of the Kyiv-Classic Chamber Symphony Orchestra in Sharm El-Sheikh and Cairo in September 2017, marking the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Egypt. In October 2019, a grand production of Verdi’s Aida was staged in Luxor under the baton of Oksana Lyniv, featuring 150 musicians from the INSO-Lviv orchestra and the Dumka choir.
Ukrainian cinema has also played a key role in promoting national culture in Egypt. In 2017, director Marysia Nikitiuk’s Falling was screened at the 39th Cairo International Film Festival. The following year, Serhiy Loznytsia’s Donbas won the Silver Pyramid for Best Director at the 40th edition. In November 2022, the film Pamfir received an award at the 44th Cairo International Film Festival, further underscoring the excellence of modern Ukrainian cinema.
In spring 2023, Ukrainian animated feature Mavka, inspired by Lesya Ukrainka’s The Forest Song, enjoyed a successful run in Cairo cinemas.
Throughout 2023–2024, Egypt hosted regular public screenings of contemporary Ukrainian films, including works dedicated to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. A Ukrainian film was also featured at the Alexandria International Festival for European Cinema.
Television and radio have also been important tools of cultural diplomacy. On 17 August 2021, to mark the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, Egypt’s National TV Channel 2 aired a special program on Ukrainian culture, cuisine, and examples of successful Ukrainian-Egyptian cooperation. The broadcast featured renowned chef and Ukrainian culinary ambassador Yurii Kovryzhenko.
Culinary diplomacy continued in 2024: in March and April, the popular Egyptian TV channel Sada El Balad aired two episodes of a cooking show dedicated to Ukrainian cuisine. With strong support from the Ukrainian community, audiences were introduced to traditional dishes such as kruchenyky, holubtsi, benderiki, verhuny, uzvar, and Lviv syrnyk. The shows also explored Ukrainian traditions, culture, and historical heritage.
Preserving historical memory and honoring Ukraine’s legacy in Egypt has remained a significant element of cultural dialogue. On 28 August 2020, a memorial cross and plaque were installed at the cemetery of the Monastery of St. George in Cairo at the gravesite of Admiral Andrii Pokrovsky (1862–1944), Minister of Naval Affairs of the Ukrainian State and Commander-in-Chief of the Black Sea and Azov ports. The ceremony was led by His Beatitude Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa and attended by members of the Ukrainian and Greek communities, along with invited Egyptian citizens.
Spiritual ties between Ukraine and Egypt were further strengthened during the visit of Metropolitan Epiphanius, Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, to the Patriarchate of Alexandria in March 2023. Together with Patriarch Theodore II, he led a celebratory liturgy at the Annunciation Cathedral. Following the service, the two leaders issued a joint statement condemning the intrusion of political ideologies—particularly the "Russian world" doctrine—into ecclesiastical affairs.
Archaeological cooperation between Ukraine and Egypt has also gained momentum. In October 2024, prominent Ukrainian Egyptologist Olena Romanova visited Cairo, held consultations with Egyptian colleagues, spoke at a specialist conference, visited recent excavations near the Saqqara necropolis, and delivered lectures to the Ukrainian community. Her visit also focused on the impact of war on Ukrainian archaeology and the issue of illicit artifact trafficking.
In November 2024, a group of Ukrainian students and researchers, including members of the A.Yu. Krymsky Institute of Oriental Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, joined a Polish archaeological mission at the Temple of Hatshepsut near Luxor.
As part of the initiative of the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, to promote Ukrainian literature abroad, in February 2024 the Embassy donated an extensive collection of Ukrainian literary and historical works translated into Arabic to the world-renowned Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
During the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, to Cairo in October 2024, there was a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ukraine's MFA H.Udovenko Diplomatic Academy and the Institute for Diplomatic Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt. The document is intended to facilitate the exchange of experience and expertise in the training of foreign service professionals in both countries.
In November 2025, at the initiative of the Embassy and within the project "New Global Partnerships for Ukraine", a delegation of experts from the Foreign Policy Council "Ukrainian Prism" and the Center for Middle Eastern Studies visited Cairo. The program included a roundtable entitled "Prospects for the Development of Ukrainian-Egyptian Relations in Light of Contemporary Regional and International Transformations" and a thematic photo exhibition on UNESCO World Heritage sites in Ukraine; extended meetings with five local think tanks; and the signing of Memoranda of Understanding on cooperation between the Foreign Policy Council "Ukrainian Prism" and the Shaaf Center for Futurology Studies, Crisis and Conflict Analysis, as well as between the Center for Middle Eastern Studies of Ukraine and the National Research Centre of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Another vital aspect of humanitarian cooperation is the sphere of sports. Ukrainian national teams and clubs actively participate in a variety of championships, cups, and tournaments regularly held in Egypt. Diplomats from the Embassy and representatives of the Ukrainian community frequently attend these events to support and cheer on Ukrainian athletes.