UPDATE - 1 ALEXANDRIA, April 30, 2018 - Alexandria City was the venue for a major political and cultural event last night as the leaders of Egypt, Greece and Cyprus jointly marked the launch of an initiative to make relations between the three countries closer and promote historical tourism for Greeks and Cypriots who used to live on the land of Egypt. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades oversaw the initiative's launch ceremony. Named "Roots Revival," the initiative sends a call for affinity between the three countries and beams a message of friendliness and good spirit from Egypt to everyone who lived on its territory and left human heritage and legacy. In a speech to the ceremony, President Sisi noted that the mechanism for tripartite co-operation between Egypt, Greece and Cyprus has clearly reflected the value of historical ties and has evolved into a model for the entire eastern region of the Mediterranean. The exchange of high-level visits between the three countries is also a clear indication of the shared resolve to invest the success of the mechanism in a way that maintains the security and stability of the Mediterranean region and helps realise the hopes of peoples for development and prosperity. Welcoming the presence of the presidents of Greece and Cyprus in the event, President Sisi said that the people of Egypt appreciate their participation since they represent the values of affinity, fraternity and peaceful co-existence between civilisations and cultures. President Sisi paid tribute to the participation of Greeks and Cypriots in the creation of trade and artistic and cultural revival. In this connection, President Sisi told the gathering that he does like the use of the word 'communities' since we in Egypt are keen on citizenship and that every person has the right to citizenship. The idea of the initiative was put forward by President Sisi during his visit to Cyprus in November last year and envisages week-long events for Greeks and Cypriots who used to live in Egypt, the Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Bassam Radi, said in statements to the Egyptian Radio service yesterday. A large number of senior state officials, media persons, artists and businesspersons attended the ceremony which started with the screening of "The Return" – a documentary film that depicts the life of Greeks and Cypriots in Egypt and the interaction between the cultures of Greece, Cyprus and Egypt.
