SCA Annual Egyptology Symposium

drhawass.com (Zahi Hawass)

Every year I arrange a meeting for all the archaeologists working for the SCA. The meeting takes place at the office in Zamalek over a two day period. At this meeting, everyone who managed a project over the previous year is invited to give a presentation of their work. The topics range from archaeological excavation, conservation and restoration work and site management. All the presentations from this meeting are published in Arabic for use in future research.

In addition to the presentations, I honor everyone who is retiring for their committed years of service to the SCA. Every person is given a certificate of achievement, as well as a small token of my personal appreciation. Every year I look forward to giving a speech to these retirees because I have been privileged to work with them through the years. Without their dedicated work, the SCA would not be the success that it is today.

This annual symposium is also a time for all the archaeologists of the SCA to get together and discuss what they have accomplished, where the SCA should go in the future, what is working within the SCA and what needs to be addressed. I’m also very proud of the fact that with each year more and more SCA employees are becoming better trained in archaeological methodology and practices. Since I became the Secretary General of the SCA, I have been very determined to ensure that all SCA staff are properly trained and have access to field schools, lectures and archaeological workshops. Over the seven years of this symposium I have become more and more confident in the work of the SCA archaeologists and I am confident now that they are capable of doing first class work.