The Executive Board of UNESCO has officially nominated Khaled El-Enany of Egypt for the position of Director-General of the Organization. His candidacy will now be submitted to all UNESCO Member States for a final vote on 6 November 2025, during the Organization’s General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. If elected, El-Enany will succeed Audrey Azoulay in mid-November.
An Esteemed Scholar of Egyptology
Born in 1971, Khaled Ahmed El-Enany Ali Ezz is a renowned Egyptologist and Professor of Egyptology at Helwan University, where he has taught for over three decades. Over the course of his academic career, he has held several leadership positions including Vice Dean of the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality, Director of the Open Learning Center, and Head of the Tour Guide Department.
He earned his PhD in Egyptology from Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 University in France, where he has also served as a visiting professor on multiple occasions.
Leadership in Culture and Tourism
Beyond academia, El-Enany has played a transformative role in Egypt’s cultural and tourism sectors. He served as Director of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (2014–2016) and Director of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (2015–2016). His ministerial tenure began in 2016 when he was appointed Minister of Antiquities, later becoming Minister of Tourism and Antiquities (2016–2022).
During this period, El-Enany oversaw key archaeological discoveries, major museum inaugurations, and ambitious tourism development projects that elevated Egypt’s global cultural standing.
Global Recognition and Influence
El-Enany is a member of several international learned societies and has been recognized with numerous international distinctions. In November 2024, he was appointed Special Ambassador for Cultural Tourism by the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) and later became patron of the African World Heritage Fund.
Fluent in Arabic, French, and English, El-Enany’s multilingualism and global expertise position him as a strong candidate to lead UNESCO at a time when cultural heritage, education, and international cooperation face mounting global challenges.
