The governor of Aswan has decided to go ahead with the annual celebration to commemorate the biannual solar phenomenon at the Great Temple of Abu Simbel despite Egypt’s current security concerns and mourning over the deaths at Port Said Stadium earlier this month.
A smaller, symbolic celebration will be held inside the Great Temple, located south of Aswan, to send a positive message to potential tourists.
The celebration, which will be held on Tuesday, will include artistic shows and a sound-and-light show telling the story of how the Great and Small temples were saved from drowning, said Aswan Governor Mostafa al-Sayed.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization will also screen a film about the efforts to rescue the Abu Simbel temples.
The sunlight phenomenon takes place every 22 February and 22 October. During the 20 minutes that it takes place, rays of the sun light up all the sculptures on the temple’s back wall, aside from that of Ptah, the ancient god of the underworld.
