A Russian delegation laid flowers at the statue of Yuri Gagarin at the Egyptian Space Agency.
A Russian delegation laid flowers at a statue of Gagarin at the Egyptian Space Agency in Cairo, part of a programme aimed at highlighting his legacy and promoting international collaboration in space science.
The visit commemorated Gagarin’s historic 1961 mission aboard Vostok 1, which made him the first person in space, as well as his state visit to Egypt the following year, when he was received by then-president Gamal Abdel-Nasser and awarded the country’s highest honour, the Order of the Nile.
Organized by the Russian House in Cairo, the Russian School, and the Egyptian Space Agency, the event sought to underline the symbolic and scientific significance of Gagarin’s feat and explore pathways for continued Egyptian-Russian cooperation in space research.
Russian citizen laying flowers at the statue of Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in BA. photo courtesy of BA
Arsenii Matiushchenko, acting director of Russian Cultural Centres in Egypt, led the delegation and said Gagarin’s mission “was not only a giant leap for science, but a defining moment in how humanity views the universe”.
Valery Pribytkov, director of the Russian School in Cairo, echoed the sentiment, describing the flight as “a universal emblem of what ambition and science can achieve”.
Following the wreath-laying, the Russian delegation toured the Egyptian Space Agency’s facilities, including its laboratories and equipment, which form part of the country’s growing ambitions in the field of space research.
In Alexandria, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina hosted a parallel event featuring a photo exhibition on Gagarin’s life and legacy, as well as a screening of a documentary chronicling his 1962 visit to Egypt.
The exhibition was opened by Heba El-Rafaey, head of the Bibliotheca’s external relations and media sector, who noted that the event coincided with what would have been Gagarin’s 91st birthday.
Matiushchenko, from the Russian Cultural Center and El-Rafaey, from BA open Gagarin photo exhibition at the library.
“Today, we remember him not only as a pioneer of space but also as a symbol of global friendship,” she said.
The Planetarium Science Centre at the library also hosted a space-themed drawing competition for children, with winners receiving certificates in a ceremony that concluded with another wreath-laying at a statue of Gagarin within the library grounds.
Matiushchenko, speaking at the Alexandria event, praised the Bibliotheca’s efforts to foster cultural and scientific ties between Egypt and Russia, and recalled Gagarin’s 1962 tour of several Egyptian cities.
“His trip became a landmark in the history of our bilateral relations,” he said, adding that it led to several agreements in science and education that remain foundational to this day.
Gagarin’s brief journey into space lasted just 108 minutes but left a lasting impact on global scientific cooperation.
More than six decades later, his name continues to serve as a rallying point for cross-border collaboration and curiosity about the cosmos.
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