Lawsuit to Protect the Pyramids from the Threat of Loud Concerts: High-Frequency Vibrations and Laser Lights Endanger the Monument’s Integrity

The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) has filed a new lawsuit before the Administrative Court (Case No. 1958 of Judicial Year 80) seeking an order to suspend and annul the government’s negative decision to refrain from taking the necessary legal measures to protect the Giza Pyramids area and its archaeological sanctuary. The lawsuit calls for the activation of the supervisory and regulatory roles of the competent authorities in addressing unauthorized activities and events currently taking place within the protected site—particularly the organization of loud nighttime concerts that employ sound equipment producing high-frequency vibrations capable of destabilizing the ancient stone structures, and laser lighting systems that do not comply with international standards for illumination at heritage sites.

Filed by ECESR on behalf of Dr. Monica Hanna, Egyptologist and Assistant Professor of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage; Sally Salah El-Din, tour guide and independent researcher; and Malek Adly, cassation lawyer and advocate for the protection of cultural heritage, the lawsuit is directed against the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, and the Governor of Giza, in their official capacities. The plaintiffs also request the prohibition of any excavation or construction works, whether temporary or permanent, within the archaeological zone for the purpose of hosting such events.

In its official statement, the Center explained that the lawsuit is grounded in the provisions of the Egyptian Constitution, Law No. 117 of 1983 on the Protection of Antiquities, and the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, which obligates the Egyptian State to adopt all necessary legislative and administrative measures to ensure the preservation of its heritage sites as part of the collective patrimony of both the Egyptian people and humanity.

The statement further emphasized that the administrative authorities have failed to fulfill their legal duty to protect the site despite being fully aware of the ongoing nighttime festivities held within the archaeological sanctuary, involving the use of the aforementioned equipment and accompanied by temporary and permanent excavation and construction works carried out to facilitate such events. These practices, the Center warned, pose a serious risk to the structural integrity of the Pyramids and their surrounding heritage environment, constituting a violation of the principle of legality and of the State’s constitutional obligation to safeguard public property and national heritage.

The Center cautioned that the continuation of such practices would damage Egypt’s tourism reputation and project a negative image regarding the State’s compliance with international standards for heritage site management. Moreover, these actions represent a breach of the principle of equal opportunity in the use and management of public resources.

Accordingly, the lawsuit urges the Court to issue an urgent ruling suspending all concerts and events within the archaeological sanctuary and to compel the administrative authorities to take immediate protective measures, including the securing and rehabilitation of the site in accordance with international conservation standards. The plaintiffs also call for a comprehensive review of existing contracts with private companies to ensure transparency and the protection of public funds.

The ECESR concluded by stressing that the protection of Egypt’s cultural heritage is a national and constitutional duty that admits no negligence, affirming that the preservation of the Pyramids—one of the foremost symbols of Egyptian identity and human civilization—is a shared responsibility of the State and society alike, in fulfillment of the right of future generations to a safe and sustainable heritage.