The day has finally arrived. Today, the Suez Canal will host a celebration featuring historic speeches, foreign dignitaries, fireworks, commemorative coins, folkloric dancing and freshly delivered F-16s whooshing in the sky. President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi will arrive with his guests on the Mahroussa, the iconic yacht that took the former King Farouk to exile in the summer of 1952 after he was overthrown by that year's revolution, to signal the start of the inaugural ceremony. Since 6 August has now been declared a national holiday, Egyptians will have all day to celebrate the occasion up and down the country. Plans include 1,000 boats cruising the Nile in Aswan while horse-drawn buggies decorated with flowers tour the city carrying children singing patriotic songs. In Luxor, visitors will be exempt from entrance fees to all historic sites every year on 6 August. Plans also include a boat show on the Nile, folklore performances on the banks of the river, and balloons released into the sky. The inauguration is expected to broadcast live on screens at several historic sites, including at the Luxor Temple, and in main squares around the country, as well as in the governorates of Beheira and New Valley. A live broadcast of the ceremony will stream around the world, appearing on screens in New York, Tokyo, Beijing and London. In Qena, a grand public celebration is planned on the eve of the inauguration, and in the Red Sea governorates tribal leaders and clansmen will attend mass events in Halayeb and Shalateen where local troupes will entertain the crowds. In Daqahliya, parks and sports clubs will see free admission on the day of the inauguration, and there will be street parades and performances throughout the day. For weeks, the logo and sometimes also the countdown to the inauguration day have been displayed on television, in newspapers, and on the walls of tourist sites and government buildings, including the Qait Bay Fort in Alexandria. Travelers arriving at Cairo International Airport have had a special stamp put in their passports counting down the days until the inauguration of the new canal, described as “Egypt's gift to the world”. Marches have flowed through the streets of Sharqiya's capital Zagazig blaring out patriotic songs, and in Kafr Al-Sheikh a parade is planned by police and civilians under skies lit up with fireworks and laser shows. There is also a competition being held at Kafr Al-Sheikh University to design yet more stamps and coins to mark the occasion. In Al-Arish in North Sinai, youth groups are organising a massive celebratory event at the International Youth Village. “They must have got an extra shipment of flags,” said Ali, a Cairo cab driver, with a smirk. While the celebrations seem over-the-top to some, including critics of the project who have refused to comment on or off the record, most Egyptians have been heartened by the project and have taken pride in the achievement. Not only was the $8.5 billion mega-project fully funded by average Egyptians in just eight days, but as many as possible of Egypt's 90 million citizens are being included in the celebrations. Egyptians were asked to send in photographs for a collage that will appear behind President Al-Sisi when he gives his speech opening the canal. Ordinary people have also been asked to send in applications to attend the inauguration ceremony, though it is not known how many have applied and how many attended. Those who are unable to make it in person can use an Arabic hashtag on Twitter to express their feelings. “The dedication and support of the Egyptian people in funding and constructing the new canal have allowed the project to be completed in less than 12 months,” declared Mohab Mamish, chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) and the man in charge of the project. These feats alone have attracted worldwide recognition. “This is a huge undertaking on a world scale. It has been completed in a time that is frankly astonishing,” Peter Hinchliffe, secretary-general of the International Chamber of Shipping, told the UK's Guardian newspaper. Mamish gave credit to the people of Egypt for the accomplishment. “Egyptians from all walks of life have contributed to this ambitious project,” he said. “These are the unsung heroes of the new canal, and we must recognise them.” Indeed, national pride and the fortitude of the Egyptian people have been catchphrases when promoting the new canal. There have been glitches — such as the missing eagles on a batch of Egyptian flags that went up in the streets, making them look like Yemeni flags. Giant inflatable checkered bears have also gone up in Cairo's Tahrir Square to mark the occasion for no rhyme or reason, but they were quickly removed. There has also been debate about the cost of the inaugural event and who is coming and who was not invited. Ahmed Fouad II, Egypt's last king who left the country at six months old with his father in 1952, cancelled his travel arrangements to Egypt because he had not received a formal invitation despite being told by organisers that he would have a seat at the inauguration, according to Maged Farag, a close associate of the former king. Confirmed guests include the heads of state or government of Russia, China, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, South Sudan, Djibouti, Malawi, Ethiopia, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Abu Dhabi, Algeria and Lebanon.
