On September 24, 2026, Ayman Attia, Governor of Alexandria, encouraged the residents of Alexandria and Egypt, as well as heritage and antiquities enthusiasts, to support the National Museum of Alexandria and vote for the "Secrets of the Sunken City" exhibition. This exhibition has made it to the final list for the ICOM COMMS Awards 2026 in the Best Press Office Campaign category.
The Governor emphasized that the exhibition's qualification for the final list of a specialized international award in museum communication is an important occasion to support one of the most prominent projects highlighting Alexandria's history and archaeological heritage. The exhibition showcases the city's rich cultural and historical significance, particularly the submerged archaeological sites along its coastlines.
Ayman Attia pointed out that the National Museum of Alexandria's participation in this international competition highlights the city's cultural, civilizational, and historical components. He stressed the importance of concerted efforts by Alexandrians, institutions, and heritage enthusiasts to support the exhibition and vote for it, which will enhance Alexandria's presence and heritage on the international stage.
The "Secrets of the Sunken City" exhibition, hosted by the National Museum of Alexandria, qualified for the final list of the award due to its accompanying media strategy. This strategy presented Egypt's submerged cultural heritage in a contemporary and attractive manner, contributing to the story of sunken cities reaching a wide audience locally and internationally.
The exhibition featured 86 archaeological pieces from discoveries in Egypt's sunken cities, primarily from Canopus and Heraklion in Abu Qir Bay, in addition to the Eastern Port site in Alexandria. This reflects an important aspect of the city's and region's historical heritage. Egypt's participation also includes the "100 Days of Heritage Facts" campaign, which has qualified for the final list in the Best Digital or Social Media Campaign category.
The ICOM COMMS Awards celebrate excellence, innovation, and creativity in museum communication, marketing, media relations, and public engagement. The Alexandria Governorate has invited all residents, Egyptians, and global heritage enthusiasts to support the National Museum of Alexandria's "Secrets of the Sunken City" exhibition and vote for it in the Best Press Office Campaign category.
The voting process will continue until October 10, 2026, and the winners will be announced during the joint annual conference of ICOM COMMS and ICOMON 2026, scheduled to take place from December 2 to 4, 2026, in Vantaa, Finland.
Key points
- The "Secrets of the Sunken City" exhibition has qualified for the final list of the ICOM COMMS Awards 2026 in the Best Press Office Campaign category.
- The exhibition showcases 86 archaeological pieces from discoveries in Egypt's sunken cities.
- The voting process for the ICOM COMMS Awards 2026 will continue until October 10, 2026.
