Croatia and Egypt strengthening ties, president says on visit 

(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia/Ana Marija Katić)

During his official visit to Egypt, Croatian President Zoran Milanović and First Lady Sanja Musić Milanović on Sunday visited the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, where they attended the opening of the exhibition “Echoes of Egypt: Sphinxes in Croatia.”

The exhibition, organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Cairo in cooperation with the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, marks the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Croatia and Egypt.

“In partnership with the magnificent Bibliotheca Alexandrina, we wanted to highlight another aspect of our shared cultural heritage,” President Milanović said at the opening.

“Our book donation includes works by Croatian authors dedicated to ancient and modern Egypt. The exhibition ‘Echoes of Egypt: Sphinxes in Croatia’ symbolises the friendship between our two nations – both rich in cultural and intellectual traditions,” he added.

(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia/Ana Marija Katić)

Milanović emphasised the long-standing connection between Croatia and Egypt, noting that cultural, political and demographic exchanges between the two countries “not only continue but are growing stronger.”

He expressed his gratitude to all those involved in preparing the exhibition, particularly the Croatian Embassy in Cairo and exhibition curator Tomislav Kiš, a doctoral researcher with the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU).

(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia/Ana Marija Katić)

The exhibition explores Egypt’s artistic and cultural legacy as reflected in Croatia over the centuries – from the ancient Egyptian sphinxes housed within Diocletian’s Palace in Split, to Renaissance manuscripts, Baroque and Classicist sculptures in public spaces, and the early 20th-century wave of architectural “Egyptomania.”

The sphinx, as a recurring artistic motif, has long served as a symbolic bridge connecting the two civilisations.

The exhibition will remain open at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina from 2 to 13 November 2025.

(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia/Ana Marija Katić)

The exhibition was co-funded by the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs through a public call and supported by the Archaeological Museums of Zagreb, Split and Zadar, the Split City Museum, and the State Archives in Osijek and Dubrovnik.

Before travelling to Alexandria, President Milanović attended the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo on Saturday.

(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia/Ana Marija Katić / Grand Egyptian Museum/GEM)

“Egyptian antiquity is deeply embedded in the culture and self-perception of the Egyptian people. Although Egypt is a Muslim nation, they take great pride in that ancient identity,” the president said following the event.