Written by Sanya Jain
Updated:August 16, 2021
-NDTV
A YouTuber in Egypt is reportedly facing legal action for claiming to have turned the Pyramids of Giza blue for a gender reveal party. YouTuber Siamand Mustafa shared a video of the pyramids bathed in blue light to announce the gender of his unborn child. According to The Mirror, Mr Mustafa claimed that he spent several days arranging for permissions and documents so the pyramids could be lit up in blue just for him.
The video he shared on YouTube last week was titled “First gender reveal party held by the pyramids” and it has gone viral with over 4 million views on the video sharing platform. The video shows Siamand Mustafa and his wife Shahad, who are expecting their second child together, standing in front of the pyramids with their friends. A light show then turns the ancient structures blue, indicating that the couple would be having a baby boy.
While Mr Mustafa has claimed that the pyramids were lit up just for his gender reveal stunt, authorities in Egypt say that the pyramids were painted blue for an entirely different event.
“A few days ago, the Pyramids were lit up in blue and orange in coordination between the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Ministry of Health on the occasion of World Liver Day, as well as on the occasion of the celebration of the elimination of Hepatitis C in Egypt,” said Mohamed Abdelaziz, who runs the Sound and Light Company that arranges all celebratory events at the pyramids.
According to Arab News, an Egyptian official in charge of the site also noted that “private parties are strictly prohibited near the pyramids, and … the pyramids are not used for advertising purposes.”
Mr Abdelaziz confirmed that legal action is being taken against Mr Mustafa over the video.
Gender reveal parties are a relatively recent trend, but they are often in the news for the lengths that expecting parents go to in order to arrange elaborate stunts. Last year, UAE-based Syrian influencers Anas and Asala Marwah hosted a gender reveal at the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
