The celebration highlighted the deepening cultural ties and historic friendship between the two nations.
The Russian embassy in Cairo organized a concert at the Cairo Opera House on 12 June, on the occasion of the National Day of the Russian Federation.
The concert featured the internationally acclaimed Russian National Ballet Kostroma.
Russian National Ballet “Kostroma”.
An array of high-profile Egyptian officials attended the event, including Minister of Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Mahmoud Fawzy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Sherif Farouk, Minister of Civil Aviation Sameh ElHefny, and Minister of Public Business Sector Mohamed Shimy.
Several ambassadors, diplomats, and public figures also attended the event.
Russia’s Kostroma National Ballet and Egypt’s Reda Troupe in a joint show.
The night was a dazzling showcase of Russian and Egyptian cultural heritage.
The highlight of the evening was a joint performance by Egypt’s renowned Reda Troupe for Folkloric Arts and the acclaimed Russian National Ballet Kostroma.
The Cairo audience was treated to a mesmerizing fusion of folkloric dances, bringing to life a vibrant celebration of both nations’ traditions.
In his speech, Russian ambassador to Egypt Georgiy Borisenko expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Culture and the Cairo Opera House for hosting the celebration, emphasizing the strong and evolving ties between Russia and Egypt.
He also underscored Russia’s historic role in upholding justice, referencing the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazism and its efforts to combat colonialism.
The ambassador criticized NATO’s recent expansionist policies, accusing the alliance of provoking conflict by pushing Ukraine into a proxy war.
“Despite over 29,000 sanctions imposed by Western powers dreaming of a return to colonialism, our economy has advanced significantly—thanks to our industrial and agricultural base, and most importantly, the spiritual strength of our people,” Borisenko said.
Russian Ambassador to Egypt Georgiy Borisenko delivers a speech on the Russian National Day at the Opera House.
The performance by the Kostroma ballet has captivated audiences in 27 countries. It has been viewed over 7 million times, as the troupe performs 80 shows a year, presenting an epic portrayal of Russia’s diverse history and multi-ethnic identity.
The production featured scenes from early Christianity in Russia, the Tsarist era, the revolution, the first manned space mission, and the cultural life of peoples from the Caucasus and Siberia.
Through dramatic staging and historical visuals, the performance conveyed a unified narrative of Russia’s development, religious coexistence, and ethnic harmony.
With cutting-edge stage technology, elaborate costumes, and innovative choreography, the show immersed the audience in the emotional and cultural depth of Russian tradition.
The seamless blend of artistic creativity and historical storytelling earned enthusiastic applause from the packed auditorium.
Russian National Ballet Kostroma performing at the Cairo Opera House.
Sherif Gad, president of the Association of Graduates of Russian and Soviet Universities and secretary-general of the Egyptian-Russian Friendship Association, noted that the association’s delegation had attended to congratulate the Russian ambassador personally.
He also highlighted the recent initiatives to enhance cultural cooperation between the two countries, particularly collaborations with Egypt’s Academy of Arts, the Reda Troupe, and the Kostroma ensemble, as an important step in strengthening bilateral cultural ties.
The Russian National Ballet Kostroma toured Cairo in June as part of the Global Dance Overture project, which aims to exchange choreography experiences between the BRICS countries.
This tour aims to build cultural ties and a stronger understanding between Russia and Egypt, within a programme that includes the BRICS member countries, to preserve and spread folk art and contribute to maintaining and disseminating traditional folk dance forms globally.
Before the concert, a seminar was held at the Egyptian Academy of Arts to introduce the academy's students to the characteristics of Russian theatrical dances during the opening show. The Kostroma ballet troupe also reviewed the elements of national Russian dances.
It featured ambassador Borisenko, Kostroma producer and president Elena Tsarenko, Head of Cultural Production Sector at Egypt’s Ministry of Culture Khaled Galal, General Director of the Reda Folk Dance troupe Enas Abdel-Aziz, and Vice-President of the Academy of Arts Hesham Gamal.
Russian and Egyptian artists performed a clip from a Russian folk performance together.
In the end, a large-scale group show entitled "The Round Dance of Friendship" was performed.
The Egyptian students who participated in the event were also invited to an internship in Russia to promote this cultural interaction.
Kostroma is an independent, non-profit institution and one of the newest professional dance companies in the Russian Federation that performs this type of folk art.
In 2013, the administration of the Russian city of Kostroma officially recognized the ballet as "the national heritage of the Kostroma region."
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