The Nile Collar, symbol of great achievements
Egypt, Local, 1/4/2000

According to Egyptian law, the Nile Collar is the highest ranking of all Egyptian decorations. It is granted exclusively to kings, heads of state and those who rendered great services on the national or human level in general.

The Order is handed by the president in person. Holder of the Order is given a handwritten certificate in ëDiwanií calligraphy on a special kind of paper known as ëBarshawmaní. The certificate derives its importance from the signature of the president.

The Nile Collar is a chain of pure gold with three square-shaped units adorned with colored enamel. The first three units are repeated successively to form a system of values related to the ancient Egyptian civilization.

The first unit symbolizes the protection of the country against evils, the second happiness and prosperity brought about by the Nile, the third good and continuity.

Every unit is connected with the other through a circular-shaped golden flower decorated with the blue turquoise and red ruby stones. The Grand Order of the Nile has a jewel linked with the chain by a decorated clip coated with enamel turquoise and ruby stones with a motif in the middle showing the Nile that unified the North represented by papyrus and the South represented by lotus.

Since the promulgation of its relevant law, the Nile Collar has been awarded to many Egyptian and foreign dignitaries. For example, the Order was granted 14 times by late president Gamal Abdel-Nasser.

The first to be granted the Grand Order of the Nile were nine members of the July Revolution Command Council in recognition of their role in the service and protection of the country, namely:

1. Gamal Salem. 2. Abdel-Latif El-Boghdadi. 3. Zakaria Mohii El-Din. 4. Mohamed Anwar El-Sadat. 5. Hussein El-Shafei. 6. Abdel-Hakim Amer. 7. Kamal El-Din Hussein. 8. Hassan Ibrahim. 9. Gamal Abdel-Nasser. (The law provided for the right to grant the Order to himself.)

In 1959, president Nasser awarded the Nile Collar to Mr. Ahmed Lotfi El-Sayed, the chairman of the Arabic Language Academy.

On February 18, 1962, the Order was awarded to the name of Salah Salem, late member of the July Revolution Command Council.

On July 26, 1964, the Order was warded to Mr. Ali Sabri, then prime minister and minister of planning.

On December 18, 1965, the Order was awarded to Dr. Taha Hussein.

President Sadat awarded the Order to the following:

Dr. Mahmoud Fawzi, vice-president and foreign minister on October 23, 1974. Renowned playwright Tawfik El-Hakim on August 5, 1979. The name of Talaat Harb, pioneer of national economy. The name of late Imam Mohammed Abdo, an outstanding Muslim scholar.

Under President Mubarak, the Order was awarded to the following:

Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz on the occasion of winning Nobel Prize for Literature, 1988. Egyptian scientist Ahmed Zewail on the occasion of winning Nobel Prize for Chemistry, 1999. French President Jacques Chirac on the occasion of his first visit to Egypt. King Fahed Ibn Abdel-Aziz of Saudi Arabia.

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