Renovation Work On Egypt Pyramid Sparks Debate

A video displaying renovation work on Egypt's Menkaure pyramid in Giza has sparked debate on social media, one expert called it "absurdity." On the other hand, Mostafa Waziri who leads Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities has praised it as "the project of the century." The video was shared on Facebook last Friday, Waziri revealed workers placing granite blocks on the pyramid's base. This pyramid is situated next to the Sphinx and the larger Khafre and Cheops pyramids in Giza.

Originally, the pyramid was covered in granite but it lost some of its outer layer over time. The renovation project aims to bring back the pyramid's original appearance by reconstructing the granite layer. The renovation work is expected to take three years and  Waziri leading the Egyptian-Japanese mission overseeing the project, described it as "Egypt's gift to the world in the 21st century."

However,  many upset individuals left comments expressing criticism of the renovation work on the post. "Impossible!" wrote Monica Hanna, the Egyptologist. "The only thing missing was to add tiling to the pyramid of Menkaure! When are we going to stop the absurdity in the management of Egyptian heritage?" she added.

Other users responded with sarcasm. "When will the project to straighten the Tower of Pisa be planned?" questioed one. 

"Rather than tiles, why not wallpaper the pyramids?" asked a second user.

The preservation of heritage in Egypt, a country heavily reliant on tourism is a frequent topic of intense discussion. Recent instances of demolishing parts of Cairo's historic areas have sparked significant activism from civil society. Although political activities are largely restricted, civil society has concentrated its efforts on issues related to urban planning and heritage preservation.

The current debate is centered on the fifteenth-century Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi mosque in Alexandria, Egypt's second-largest city. Local authorities launched an investigation after a contractor overseeing renovations chose to repaint the intricate, carved and coloured ceilings of the city's largest mosque in white, sparking controversy.