'Rainbow' mosque in new banknotes riles Egyptians
The Central Bank of Egypt shared its initial designs for the new Egyptian banknotes, but was heavily criticized when many Egyptians took the reflective watermark for an LGBT pride flag.
CAIRO — The first pictures of Egypt's new banknotes, known as the “plastic banknotes,” were published online Aug. 1. The images went viral as many viewers were offended by the 20-pound note's watermark of the Great Mosque of Muhammad Ali, which appears rainbow colored in pictures some said resembles the LGBT pride flag.
In July, the Egyptian government announced plans to change some of its traditional banknotes to polymer bills with new designs, starting with the 10- and 20-pound notes. The Central Bank of Egypt plans to launch the new banknotes at the beginning of November.
These notes will have a longer life span than paper notes with their durability and resistance to moisture. They are also made of recyclable materials.
The new banknotes follow the highest security standards used in money printing worldwide, making them extremely difficult to counterfeit.
