👁️ Orient Expressed is a video & audio podcast that aims to bring a new perspective and build bridges between East and West - with a focus on art and culture.
🧿 I’m Emmy Plaschy, your host, and also a Communications & Art Advisor.
🐪 Season 1: on Art, a discovery journey of inspiring artists from SWANA.
How Egypt’s Treasures Ended Up Around the World · Beshir Shousha
(FR, EN and AR subtitles available) This is a conversation with Egyptian storyteller and content creator Beshir Shousha about making Egypt’s history come alive through storytelling, humour and social media. We explore how Egyptians and foreigners see Egypt, the journey of its temples and obelisks abroad, and the impact of Egyptomania. We also dive into the fascinating stories behind artefacts that left Egypt, from the obelisks to Nefertiti’s bust, and the question of their restitution.
00:00 Intro · مقدمة01:20 Where his passion comes from · مصدر شغفه03:21 People's response · رد فعل الناس04:24 Meaning of being Egyptian · معنى إنك تكون مصري08:20 Foreigners vs residents' perception of Egypt · نظرة الأجانب مقارنة بالمصريين لمصر10:09 How to get the new generation interested in history? · إزاي نخلي الجيل الجديد يهتم بالتاريخ؟12:05 Why is storytelling so important? · ليه الحكي مهم؟13:22 Is humour the same in Egypt & Europe? · هل روح الفكاهة واحدة في مصر وأوروبا؟15:15 Fun break: Q&As · استراحة خفيفة: أسئلة وأجوبة21:07 Social media opening doors, literally · السوشيال ميديا بتفتح أبواب، حرفيًا23:50 The Egyptian temples that travelled abroad · المعابد المصرية اللي اتنقلت للخارج25:44 The 13 obelisks of Rome · الـ١٣ مسلة في روما27:03 The French & British transporting obelisks · نقل المسلات على إيد الفرنسيين والبريطانيين28:13 The only remaining obelisk of Heliopolis · المسلة الوحيدة المتبقية من هليوبوليس29:47 Egyptomania: a blessing or a curse for Egypt? · هوس مصر: نعمة ولا نقمة على مصر؟32:32 His wish for Egypt in 10 years · أمنيته لمصر بعد ١٠ سنين34:10 The restitution of artefacts to Egypt · استرداد الآثار لمصر34:38 How the bust of Nefertiti left Egypt · إزاي تمثال نفرتيتي خرج من مصر38:21 How artefacts left Egypt and how to retrieve them · إزاي الآثار خرجت من مصر وإزاي نقدر نستردها40:17 The story of Dendera zodiac · قصة دائرة البروج في دندرة43:14 How the French lost the Rosetta stone to the British · إزاي الفرنسيين خسروا حجر رشيد للبريطانيين😎 GUEST Beshir Shousha is an Egyptian storyteller and content creator passionate about history and culture. Through engaging and often humorous storytelling, he brings Egypt’s heritage to life for a new generation. He is also known for his work in theatre, film and digital media.🔎 FIND OUT MORE IG: / beshirshousha FB: / beshirshousha
👁️ ABOUT Orient Expressed Orient Expressed is produced by Emmy Plaschy, to bring a new perspective and build bridges between the worlds of Europe and SWANA – with a focus on art, culture, and growth.Season 2, Episode 7Emmy's outfit by: IG: / ozzie.thedesigner
23 Jun 2026
The Sphinx's Nose, Female Pharaohs & Pyramid Secrets: Egyptologist Answers · Dr Arto Belekdanian
(FR and AR subtitles available on YouTube)
This is a conversation with Egyptologist Dr Arto Belekdanian about some of Ancient Egypt's greatest mysteries, from how the pyramids were built and what happened to the Sphinx's nose to the little-known stories of female pharaohs and the artists behind iconic masterpieces like Nefertiti's bust. We also explore hieroglyphs, royal rituals and why this ancient civilisation still fascinates us today.
00:00 Intro · مقدمة02:06 Becoming an Egyptologist · كيف بدأت رحلة علم الآثار05:24 How the pyramids were built · كيف بُنيت الأهرامات08:47 Purpose of ancient Egyptian art · 11:04 Ancient Egyptian artists names revealed · اسماء فنانون من مصر القديمة · فنانون من مصر القديمة13:33 Who made Nefertiti's bust? · من صنع تمثال نفرتيتي؟17:21 Female kings explained · الفراعنة النساء22:24 Q&A: Ancient Egyptian rulers & gods · أسئلة وأجوبة: حكام وآلهة مصر القديمة23:01 Ramses II, Cleopatra and the gods · رمسيس وكليوباترا والآلهة25:43 Nefertiti as possible female pharaoh · احتمال حكم نفرتيتي28:44 Useful resources to deep dive · موارد مفيدة للتعمق في الموضوع30:33 Writing hieroglyphs on a laptop · كتابة الهيروغليفية رقمياً35:20 The mystery of the Sphinx’s nose · لغز أنف أبو الهول38:40 AI and hieroglyph translation: Fabricius · الذكاء الاصطناعي والهيروغليفية41:06 Egyptian language and pronunciation · نطق اللغة المصرية القديمة42:45 Coronation rituals in ancient Egypt · طقوس التتويج45:23 Closing reflections · ختام الحلقة▶️ Video episode https://youtu.be/IDB8PxlhptE😎 GUEST Dr Arto Belekdanian is an Egyptian-Armenian egyptologist, and an AUC & Oxford graduate, he specialises in ancient Egyptian religion, kingship and royal rituals. He very skilfully bridges academic research and knowledge sharing with wider audiences through lectures, documentaries (National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, BBC Studios), and social media.🔎 FIND OUT MORE Instagram: @arto.belekdanian👁️ ABOUT Orient Expressed Orient Expressed is produced by Emmy Plaschy, to bring a new perspective and build bridges between the worlds of Europe and SWANA – with a focus on art, culture, and growth.
Season 2, Episode 6
Shot at: Villa Layla, Cairo, Egypt
Emmy's outfit by: ALMAH
27 May 2026
Can Art Create Real Cultural Dialogue? · Louis Barthélemy · هل الفن قادر على خلق حوار بين الثقافات؟
This is a conversation with Louis Barthélemy, a French artist and designer whose colourful, symbolic and rebellious work is carried out in collaboration with artisans of the countries he travels to. We talk about identity, intuition, colonial heritage, cultural appropriation and the deconstruction of toxic masculinity.
00:00 Intro · مقدمة01:53 Who is Louis Barthélemy? · من هو لويس بارتيليمي؟03:45 First impressions of Egypt · الانطباعات الأولى عن مصر05:43 How he started working with Egyptian artisans · كيف بدأ العمل مع الحرفيين المصريين10:54 Artwork: Voyage de la Zarafa · عمل فني: رحلة الزرافة13:59 Unstitching hypermasculinity · تفكيك مفاهيم الرجولة السامة18:09 Going beyond colonial perspectives and "us vs them" · تجاوز المنظور الاستعماري وثنائية20:54 Cultural appropriation vs appreciation · بين التقدير الثقافي والاستيلاء الثقافي22:44 Fun Q&A: Louis Barthélemy & Egypt · أسئلة سريعة: لويس بارتيليمي ومصر30:06 Paulo Coelho & the "personal legend" · باولو كويلو ومفهوم «الأسطورة الشخصية»35:36 Amin Maalouf & "In the Name of Identity" · أمين معلوف وكتاب «الهويات القاتلة»
YouTube episode: https://youtu.be/R4tD-WnH8-s
😎 GUEST Louis Barthélemy is a French multidisciplinary artist and designer. He started his career in the French luxury industry before deciding to change life completely. His search for authenticity and culture storytelling lead him to create projects with artisans in Egypt, Morocco, Uzbekistan, and more. In 2025 he was awarded the Elle Decor prize for his Egyptomania collection for Balineum at the International Design Awards.
🔎 FIND OUT MORE Instagram: @louisbarthelemy
👁️ ABOUT Orient Expressed Orient Expressed is produced by Emmy Plaschy, to bring a new perspective and build bridges between the worlds of Europe and SWANA – with a focus on art, culture, and growth.Season 2, Episode 5.
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