A Landmark Presentation at ICOM Dubai 2025: Redefining Engagement with Mummified Remains
The Civilization Rights Institute (CRI) recently delivered a groundbreaking presentation at the ICOM Dubai 2025 conference, titled “Mummies and Museology: Applying the Universal Declaration of Civilization Rights to Museum Treatment of Mummified Remains.” Presented by Prof. Ahmed Rashed, President of CRI, alongside Tarek Rashed and Basma Shaheen, this session on November 13, 2025, marked a pivotal moment in the discourse on ethical cultural engagement and the future of museums in rapidly changing communities.
The Genesis of Civilization Rights: From Luxor to a Universal Declaration
Prof. Rashed’s talk commenced with a compelling personal narrative, tracing the origins of “Civilization Rights” back to a striking observation in 1999: the existence of ‘Luxor Las Vegas’ while the original Luxor in Egypt grappled with needs and lack of support. This sparked a profound inquiry into the intellectual property rights of civilizations themselves, revealing a critical void within existing frameworks like UNESCO and ICOM, which often overlooked the foundational rights of human civilization.
What began as a personal scientific dialogue evolved through numerous discussions and debates, notably at a 2004 conference in Córdoba, Argentina, on originality versus replica. This journey culminated in a national project, shifting the focus from mere intellectual property to the broader concept of ‘Civilization Rights.’ Recognizing the universal applicability of these principles beyond a single civilization, Prof. Rashed established the Civilization Rights Institute in the United States, ultimately leading to the Universal Declaration of Civilization Rights—a comprehensive framework featuring 17 articles designed to protect the heritage of all civilizations, past, present, and future, including indigenous communities.
Mummies: A Case Study in Ethical Engagement
The presentation underscored the treatment of mummies as a profound illustration of the ethical gaps in our current museological practices. Prof. Rashed highlighted the absence of a universal framework protecting human and civilization rights over mummified remains—a concern extending beyond human mummies to include animal mummies as well. To emphasize respect and ethical considerations, the presentation notably utilized AI-generated imagery, deliberately avoiding the display of actual mummified remains.
“If I am a man and I prepare myself for the second life… I have a decision and I have a human right that I would like to be buried in a way… If I’ve been taken to be in even, even the Grand Egyptian Museum or even in the Metropolitan Museum or any of the museums, this is something which I think against the will of those who already have been buried for many years.” — Prof. Ahmed Rashed
This powerful statement encapsulates the core argument: the removal and display of mummies often violate the expressed will and human rights of the deceased, who meticulously prepared for an eternal rest in a specific original environment. The CRI advocates for recognizing the “original environment” as a fundamental right for all artifacts, classifying unauthorized removal—even across millennia—as a form of cultural crime. While immediate repatriation may be a long-term goal, acknowledging this right is the crucial first step.
Introducing Civilizology and Civilization Resilience
The talk further introduced two critical concepts advanced by CRI:
- Civilizology: Defined as a new science and a scientific approach, Civilizology shifts from studying the outcomes (like archaeology and anthropology) to understanding the inputs and processes that collaboratively create a civilization. The Great Pyramid, a universal wonder, serves as CRI’s model for Civilizology, epitomizing the interdisciplinary sciences that contributed to its creation.
- Civilization Resilience: This concept applies the principles of Civilizology and Civilization Rights to real-world challenges, aiming to foster adaptability and sustainability in cultural heritage. The 15 articles of the Universal Declaration are central to building this resilience, guiding new approaches to terms like ‘mummy,’ ‘mummification,’ and ‘display.’
The Institute plans a dedicated conference on Civilizology by the end of 2026, inviting global participation to explore this transformative scientific approach.
Pioneering New Standards: Rating Systems for the Future
In a forward-looking initiative, CRI is developing a two-tiered rating system:
- Civilization Rights Rating System: To assess the adherence of museums and research institutions to the Universal Declaration of Civilization Rights.
- Civilizology Rating System: To evaluate how institutions interpret and present cultural heritage through the lens of civilizological processes, moving beyond mere descriptive archaeology to a holistic understanding of civilization creation.
These rating systems are designed to usher in a new era for museums, fostering transparency, accountability, and a deeper respect for cultural heritage, especially for future generations leveraging advanced IT and AI. The CRI, established as a non-profit organization in the vein of institutions like National Geographic, is committed to a grassroots approach, ensuring these principles endure for generations.
Mark your calendars: June 10th is globally recognized as Civilization Right Day, a date that coincidentally aligns with the United Nations’ Civilization Dialogue initiative. CRI believes that Civilization Rights offer the ultimate goal for this dialogue, encompassing and integrating various human rights discussions into a unified quest for a truly civilized global community.
The presentation at ICOM Dubai 2025 was a powerful testament to CRI’s mission to protect heritage, promote justice, and power the global authenticity economy, paving the way for a more ethical and insightful engagement with our shared civilizational legacy.