Hollande's participation in Egyptian antiquities event hailed

French President Francois Hollande's presence to inaugurate an exhibition for Egypt's sunken antiquities reflects the profound and distinguished relations between Egypt and France, said a source at the Elysee.

The exhibition, dubbed "Osiris… Egypt's Sunken Mysteries", comes after a joint action between Cairo and Paris, the source said.

The presence of Hollande at the conference stresses France's commitment to defend the world cultural heritage, the source noted.

Hollande is expected to inaugurate the exhibition on Monday in the presence of Egypt's tourism minister at the premises of the Arab World Institute in Paris.

It will open for the public on Tuesday and run till January 31 with the aim of promoting for tourism in Egypt.

The exhibition will illustrate the “legend of Osiris”, the Egyptian god of the afterlife. Osiris, so the legend says, was killed and cut into pieces by his brother Seth.

Osiris’ sister-wife Isis reassembled the pieces which led to his resurrection in order to conceive their son Horus. Osiris was therefore worshiped for bringing new life to death, including the circle of vegetation and the flooding of the Nile.

The “legend of Osiris” is one of the great founding myths of ancient Egypt. It was remembered, perpetuated and renewed in the annual celebration of the “Mysteries of Osiris”, one of the great religious ceremonies of ancient Egypt.