The first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions Egypt is normally the Pyramids of Giza. The second might have to do with archaeology and the country’s rich and vast ancient civilization, or, at times, its tourism industry. Boats, however, will be further down the list if they come to mind at all. While they may seem less glamorous than the local monuments and cultural sites, Egypt actually has a long and rich history of seafaring. When better to recognize that than on a day globally dedicated to its practitioners? International Day of the Seafarer is commemorated annually on 25 June. It was established in Manila in 2010 at a diplomatic conference to amend a treaty on seafarers’ training and certification. Every year, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) proposes a different theme for a related social media campaign. The theme for 2023 is #OceansWorthProtecting, and the campaign can be found running on the organization’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The day serves to “recognize the unique contribution made by seafarers from all over the world to international seaborne trade, the world economy and civil society as a whole,” according…
