The Statement of The Presidency of the Protestant Church in Egypt, Regarding the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris 2024

You can find below the statement issued by The Presidency of the Protestant Church in Egypt, headed by Rev. Dr. Andrea Zaki, President of the Protestant Churches in Egypt, regarding the opening ceremony of the Olympic games in Paris 2024.

Cairo, 28 July 2024.

The Presidency of the Protestant Church of Egypt, headed by Rev. Dr. Andrea Zaki, expresses its deep sorrow over the inappropriate artwork presented in the opening ceremony of the Olympic games in Paris 2024, which contained a scene embodying the symbolism of the “Last Supper” image, that holds great significance in the history of Christian faith and doctrine.

We also stress that The Olympic Games ceremonies should never be used as a platform for religious or cultural conflict or for an attempt of offense in any shape or form. On the contrary, these ceremonies should play their historical role in accommodating and encouraging athletes from all over the world, respecting diversity and promoting understanding among peoples, nations and cultures. What happened in Paris strikes the roots of moral values aimed by the athleticism of the Olympic games, We warn that such acts may cause the International Olympic Committee to lose its distinctive athletic identity and humanitarian message.

“The preservation of human dignity is the basis of the authentic moral values of religions, and the freedom of art and creation is the fundamental source for achieving universal peace and rapprochement between humans, which requires international respect from everyone and consideration for all different human sanctities and backgrounds.”

Rev. Dr. Andrea Zaki
President of the Protestant Churches of Egypt