Visit to Mexico City
by Dr. Zahi Hawass

I went to Mexico City recently to open the exhibition “Isis and the Feathered Serpent.” We arrived in Mexico, and went to the National Museum to see the exhibition. It was really beautiful – it even included objects that I have never seen in Egypt. The lighting was incredible, and the design of the exhibit was one of the best I have ever seen.

The next day, we held the opening ceremony with Mr. Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, President of Mexico. I was honored give him an explanation of the exhibition, which is the first to showcase the ancient cultures of Mexico and Egypt alongside one another.

I also gave a lecture about my discoveries. It was overbooked, and another 900 people had to watch it outside on a TV screen. I was happy that Farouk Hosni, Egypt’s Minister of Culture, was at the lecture. I introduced him to the public, and asked them to support him in his campaign to become the next director of UNESCO. He was well received.

Other members of the Egyptian delegation included:

-         Mohamed Ghoniem, Consultant to the Minister of Culture for the Grand Museum.

-         Hosna Rashid, businesswoman and honorary consul of Mexico in Alexandria.

-         Mo’taz Raslan, businessman.

-         Mona Ragab, editor of El-Ahram Newspaper.

The Minister of Culture invited us for lunch, and also, the Association of Friends of Egypt invited us to a very nice dinner.

One of the best things about the trip was meeting all the people who were responsible for making this beautiful exhibition a success. I would like to thank some of them here:

General Board

H.E. Felipe Calderon Hinojosa
President of Mexico
Honorary Chairman

Jose Natividad Gonzales Paras
Governor of the State of Nuevo Leon
Executive Chairman

Sergio Vela Martinez
President of the National Council for Culture and the Arts
Vice Chairman

Adalberto Madero Quiroga
Mayor of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon
Vice Chairman

Josefina Vazquez Mota
Secretary of Public education
Board Member 

Patricia Espinosa Cantellano
Secretary of Foreign Affaires
Board Member

Rodolfo Elizondo Torres
Secretary of Tourism
Board Member

Juan Carlos Romero Hicks
General Director of the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACTY)
Board Member

Ruben Eduardo Martinez Donde
Secretary of Finance and General Treasurer of the State of Nuevo Leon
Board Member

Sergio Gutierrez Mauguerza
Executive President of Parque Fundidora
Board Member

Romeo Flores Caballero
President of the Council for Culture and the Arts of Nuevo Leon
Board member

Othon Ruiz Montemayor
Executive President of the Corporation of Strategic Projects of Nuevo Leon
Board Member

Ramon De La Pena Manrique
Secretary of Human Development of the Municipality of Monterrey
Board Member

Federico Toussaint Elosua
President of the Chamber of Transformation Industry of Nuevo Leon
Board Member

Guillermo Manuel Zambrano
President of the Employers’ Confederation of Mexico (COPARMEX), Nuevo Leon
Board Member

Jose Antonio Gonzales ParaTrevino
Rector of the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon
Board Member

Rafael Rangel Sostmann
Rector of the Instituto Tecnologico  y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey
Board Member

Francisco Javier Azcunaga Guerra
Rector of the University of Monterrey
Board Member

Juan Ramon de la Fuente Ramiirez
Rector of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)
Board Member

Francoise Riviere
Assistant Director-General for Culture, UNESCO
Board Member

Mireia Belil Boladeras
Director General of the Universal Forum of Cultures Foundation
Board Member

Ferderico Sada Gonzalez
Entrepreneur
Board Member

Board of Directors 

Othon Ruiz Montemayor
Executive Chairman

Ruben Eduardo Martinez Donde
Vice President

Sergio Gutierrez Muguerza
Vice President

Nina Zambrano Trevino
Director

Julia Moreira de Garcia
Director

Francisco Garza Zambrano
Director

Jorge Luis Ramos Santos
Director

Jamie Benavides Pompa
Director

Jorge Ivan Salazar Tamez
Technical Secretary

Technical Board

Pedro Ramirez Vazquez
General Technical Advisor

Enrique Krauze Kleimbort
Dialogues Technical Advisor

Marinela Servitje de Lerdo de Tejada
Exhibitions Technical Advisor

Alfonso de Maria y Campos
General Director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH)
Cultural Technical Advisor

Maria Teresa Franco Gonzales Salas
General Director of the National Institute of Fine Arts (NBA)
Cultural Technical Advisor

Forum Monterrey 2007

Hector Valenzuela Loustanau
Director of Operation and Administration

Directorship of Exhibitions

Eliseo Garza Salinas
Director

Gina Ulloa Cristoforo
Deputy Director of Collections

Alejandro Rodriguez Rodriguez
Publications Manager

Edgardo Ramon Ramiez
Administrative Manager  

Iris Sabrina Romero Castillo
Administrative Assistant

Jaime Robles Puga
Operations Manager

Enrique Gonzalez Reyes
Operation Deputy Manager

Luis Lauro Moncada Bazaldua
Installations Coordinator

Arturo Lopez Briseno
Installations Supervisor

Mayra Medina Martinez
Suppliers Coordinator

BACK to The Plateau Homepage