Dr. Zahi Hawass

Dr. Zahi Hawass is a world-famous Egyptologist and former Egyptian Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs. He received a BA from Alexandria University in Greek and Roman archeology, a diploma in Egyptology from Cairo University, and an MA and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied as a Fulbright Fellow. He has made many famous discoveries in Egypt, including the Valley of Golden Mummies at Bahariya and the tombs of the pyramid builders.

Recently he discovered a lost golden city in the Valley of the Kings which was chosen by Archaeology magazine as the most important discovery of 2021. He has written numerous academic books and scholarly articles on his excavations, including sixteen books about Tutankhamun and many children’s books. He has appeared in documentaries produced by the BBC, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, the History Channel, PBS and Netflix, has received numerous awards and honors, including an Emmy award for a documentary on ancient Egypt, and was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in 2006.

He serves as a UN Ambassador for Global Cultural Heritage and as the UN World Tourism Organization’s Ambassador for Responsible Tourism. In addition to his archaeological work and publications, Hawass lectures internationally; his 2025 tour across the United States and Canada included 33 cities. He has received thirteen honorary doctorates from institutions in thirteen different countries, the most recent conferred by Shanghai International Studies University in early January 2026.