Under the title "Egypt: Controversy Over 'Rainbow Colors' on New Currency and Central Bank Clarification," the Al-Hurra website reported that the images of the new banknotes of twenty and ten Egyptian pounds continue to stir debate among Egyptians. Some have considered that these notes feature colors associated with the LGBTQ+ community, despite the Central Bank denying this in a clarification statement.
According to widespread images on Twitter, the banknotes display rainbow colors, which are used as a symbol by the LGBTQ+ community, creating confusion and ambiguity in Egyptian public opinion, which is divided over the reason for the adoption of these colors.
Some criticized the presence of these colors on the banknotes, claiming that they promote the "LGBTQ+ flag" through the hashtag #LGBT_flag, while others did not support this theory.
Conversely, the Central Bank of Egypt clarified that the colors seen on one of the currency samples are not part of the banknote design but rather a globally recognized watermark to combat counterfeiting, according to local media. They added that the watermark is one of the latest techniques in securing printed currency, as only one or two colors will be visible when the new banknote is moved in sunlight, making counterfeiting more difficult.
Additionally, some Twitter users criticized the new currency design, sharing images of designs they claimed were from an art competition, arguing that they would be more fitting for Egyptian civilization. The Central Bank had released images of the ten and twenty-pound denominations, featuring a picture of the Al-Fattah Al-Alim Mosque, inaugurated by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi two years ago, on the ten-pound note, while the twenty-pound note displayed the mosque of Muhammad Ali, one of the historic mosques in the Egyptian capital.
