Khaled El Anany is an Egyptian Egyptologist and former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities (2016–2022). In 2025, he became the first Arab elected Director-General of UNESCO. With a background in heritage preservation and academia, he aims to strengthen global cultural cooperation and promote education and inclusive preservation of humanity’s shared heritage.
Khaled El-Enany Ezz EOTW #7 (11 November 2025)
Khaled El Anany, born in Giza in 1971, is a renowned Egyptologist and academic who earned his PhD from Paul-Valéry University in France. He began as a professor of Egyptology at Helwan University before entering public service.
Appointed Minister of Antiquities in 2016 and later Minister of Tourism and Antiquities in 2019, he led Egypt’s major heritage initiatives, including the opening of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and preparations for the Grand Egyptian Museum. El Anany championed tourism-heritage integration and cultural diplomacy, though his tenure also faced criticism over heritage site management. In 2025, he was elected Director-General of UNESCO — the organization’s first Arab leader — with a vision centered on heritage as “humanity’s memory,” inclusive education, and cultural dialogue.
His leadership marks a historic moment for Arab and African representation in global cultural governance, and he faces the challenge of guiding UNESCO through financial and geopolitical pressures while reasserting its role in global heritage preservation.