The Ministry of Immigration is organizing an event "The Arabic language is a source of inspiration and creativity
The Ministry of State for Immigration and Affairs of Egyptians Abroad organized an event under the slogan “The Arabic Language” is a source of inspiration and creativity, in cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization “UNESCO”. At the Palace of Prince Muhammad Ali in the Manial district of Cairo Governorate, within the framework of the second phase of the presidential initiative “I Speak Arabic,” and in the presence and honor of Ambassador Soha Gendi, Minister of State for Immigration and Affairs of Egyptians Abroad, Dr. Reda Hegazy, Minister of Education and Technical Education, Dr. Moamen Othman, and Dr. Noria Sanz, Regional Director of the UNESCO Office in Cairo, and Head of the Museums Sector at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
At the beginning of the event, Ambassador Soha Gendi, Minister of State for Immigration and Egyptians Abroad Affairs, delivered a speech in which she expressed her sincere pride and appreciation for the ongoing cooperation between the Ministry of Immigration and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), saying: "Egypt is one of the founding countries of UNESCO, and we have a close relationship in our common endeavors to preserve our cultural and natural heritage at the same time", saluting the children of Egyptians abroad who are following this event via live broadcast on the ministry’s platforms and the "Speak Arabic" initiative.  ;
She continued: “Perhaps our presence today in the Palace of Prince Muhammad Ali in Manial, this unique architectural masterpiece whose construction dates back nearly 90 years, is divided into three palaces and includes in its gardens a rare collection of trees and plants, is… A clear indication of our joint endeavors to celebrate our natural and cultural heritage at the same time, especially in light of the diversity, development and creativity we witness in all corners of the palace, which includes various Arab styles and arts, ranging from Fatimid, Mamluk, Ottoman, Andalusian, Levantine and Persian as well, which demonstrates the richness and diversity of Egyptian identity. And its uniqueness from others.”
She added: “This is what we seek to achieve and focus on through the second phase of the presidential initiative (I speak Arabic), which carries the slogan (Our Egyptian Roots) to emphasize the completion of the pillars of the Egyptian personality through the fusion of time and place.” Linguistic contact is the basis for the continuation of civilizations and the advancement of nations. Hence, we were keen that our message on the occasion of the celebration of World Heritage Day last April was (the link) that links our past to our present and our future, which we aspire to, generation after generation, by launching a film entitled (The Link) through the social media platforms of the Ministry and the Presidential Initiative. "I speak Arabic" To introduce our Egyptian children abroad to the civilization of Egypt, the greatest and oldest civilization known to history, which was and still is the cradle of civilizations and humanity’s passage to the world with its noble values that have been passed down through generations, and to also celebrate the Egyptian character and its diverse roots that have embodied various types of human heritage throughout the ages, and this could only be possible for us. By adhering to our language, our history, and our cultural, cultural, and human heritage, we have therefore made sure that our motto is that language is the greatest human invention throughout history, through which man communicates with others and with subsequent generations, to influence all aspects of life, and even to shape the entire world.”
She pointed out that the Ministry of Immigration celebrated with UNESCO last December, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, the International Arabic Language Day on the fiftieth anniversary of the recognition of the Arabic language as one of the six official languages of the United Nations. It is one of the five most spoken languages in the world, as it is the language spoken by the most. Of 400 million people around the world, it is the official language of 22 member states of the League of Arab States. It is also one of the six languages of the United Nations, as well as one of the languages of the African Union and one of the richest languages in the world. The number of its vocabulary without repetition has reached more than 12 million words. The Arabic language is a rich and inspiring language, and therefore its people focused on showing their creativity in the fields of culture, literature, and arts. Among them was a group of Egyptian writers and creators such as Naguib Mahfouz, Tawfiq al-Hakim, Taha Hussein, Abbas al-Akkad, and Mustafa Sadiq al-Rafi’i.
She explained. The Minister believes in the importance of the role of the Arabic language in shaping the conscience of future generations and out of our desire to deepen loyalty and belonging among the people of Egyptians abroad, the Ministry of Immigration launched the presidential initiative “I Speak Arabic” Its activities are honored by the President of the Republic’s sponsorship and aim to confront the war of erasing the identity of the people of Egypt abroad, from the second, third, fourth and fifth generations, and to strengthen and consolidate the national spirit within them, in addition to consolidating the values of peaceful coexistence, citizenship, and acceptance of others, noting that the first phase of the presidential initiative to encourage the people of Egypt has succeeded. Egyptians abroad to speak the Arabic language “I speak Arabic”, reaching more than 200 million participants from all over the world.
She continued that the launch of the second phase of the presidential initiative “I speak Arabic” Under the slogan “Our Egyptian Roots” It also aims to introduce Egyptian children abroad to the heritage of their homeland, Egypt, which is deeply rooted in history and its ancient civilization, through interactive camps, the most recent of which was last September, hosted and sponsored by the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, with the participation of about 45 children, ranging in age from 8 to 13 years, from various countries. Including Canada, France, England, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, and the United States, as well as exploiting various social media to reach our Egyptian children abroad around the world, in cooperation with Dr. Wassim El-Sisi, the Egyptian physician and historian, and Dr. Sami Abdel Aziz, former Dean of the Faculty of Mass Communication at Cairo University, with soundtracks dedicated and composed by the great musician Hani Shenouda, in order to publish a series of introductory videos about Egyptian history and civilization in cooperation with the Yaro Foundation, which specializes in providing cultural and historical services.< /p>
The Minister of Immigration also stressed the reliance on the latest methods of modern technology in launching an electronic application for the presidential initiative “I Speak Arabic,” which provides the opportunity for emerging Egyptian generations abroad to learn the Arabic language, read and write anywhere, via mobile phones and computers. Relying on the latest interactive learning methods by providing an integrated living experience of our Egyptian culture, customs and traditions, not devoid of fun and games, everyone is invited to enter the Ministry’s pages on social networking sites to download it.
Ambassador Soha Gendi drew attention to Its keenness to hold a number of educational seminars targeting our children at home who are educated in international schools in Egypt, and our children abroad from the second to fifth generation of Egyptian children, due to our interest in instilling the roots of the Arabic language in the awareness of our children at home and abroad, and celebrating the Egyptian character, its history and its cultural heritage, The most recent of which was in cooperation with Dr. Waseem El-Sisi and Dr. Maysara Abdullah, Executive Vice President of the National Museum of Civilization for Archaeological Affairs.
She continued: “From here also came our keenness to hold this important event and other related cultural events.” Out of our belief in the importance of our cultural and historical heritage and its connection over time with our adherence to our authentic Egyptian identity and our rich Arabic language, to together form the pulse of our nation and the conscience of future generations both at home and abroad. Today, as we are only one week away from (International Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development), which is celebrated on May 21 of each year in recognition of the ability of cultures and civilizations to contribute to sustainable development and considering them as crucial factors in achieving it, we must benefit from the creative potential of our cultures. Diversity and participation in an ongoing dialogue to ensure that all members of one society benefit from sustainable development. This is our goal, as we celebrate our mother language, the Arabic language, which is the source of inspiration and creativity, to develop the creativity of our Egyptian children abroad and at home and instill in them the importance of adhering to cultural and national identity in order to preserve our uniqueness and difference while respecting us. And our acceptance of the other.”
At the end of her speech, the Minister sent a message saying: “Within the framework of the presidential initiative (I speak Arabic), we will continue to work to raise promising generations of Egyptian children abroad, proud of their mother tongue and their cultural and civilizational heritage connected throughout time.” They are able to create creative spaces for themselves in the societies of the host countries and draw from the surrounding cultures without diminishing or detracting from their identity, but rather increasing their brightness and splendor and adhering to their Egyptian roots that are deeply rooted in history, creating from them a future for themselves and an elevation of their homeland that lives within them even if they do not live in it.”
For her part, Dr. Nuria Sanz, Regional Director of the UNESCO Office in Cairo, stressed the importance of paying attention to cultural diversity, social sciences, and other foundations from which cooperation can begin, noting UNESCO’s keenness to preserve cultural heritage and the identity of peoples, and continued: “Therefore, we meet today to discuss the fact that the Arabic language is a source of inspiration and creativity.” For many Arab writers and authors.
Sanz continued that there is a large team from UNESCO working in Egypt, with the civilization and history it represents, thanking the work team, explaining that the Arabic language is a language of knowledge and culture and has a great role in the spread of various sciences and knowledge, pointing out It is one of the most widely spread languages around the world, expressing her appreciation for this cultural diversity, and the beauty and splendor of Arabic calligraphy, displaying examples of it.
Sanz also pointed out that there is a large crowd of immigrants who speak the Arabic language, and therefore there is Great interest in studying the Arabic language, the harmony between the language and the culture it contains, and its role in connecting peoples and knowing their history and civilization, stressing its welcome to participate with the Ministries of Immigration in this event.
For his part, Dr. Moamen Othman, Head of the Museums Sector at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, gave a speech in which he welcomed the Minister of Immigration and the Minister of Education, explaining that the Arabic language has a role in preserving the history of the Arabs and their creativity, and making it available to worlds full of diversity, stressing that the state supports cultural activities and enhances the Egyptian identity through various activities, In cooperation between the ministries and institutions of the Egyptian state, to consolidate the national spirit and our established customs and traditions, adding that our Arabic language is a rich language.
Othman also expressed deep thanks for choosing Prince Muhammad Ali Palace to host such an event, adding to the history of the palace a national present and a feature. Culturally distinct, we are proud to have such landmarks in Egypt that history stands in respect for.
The following participated in the event: A. Areej Atallah, Program Specialist in the Humanities and Social Sciences Sector at the UNESCO Office in Cairo, Dr. Ahmed Bahi El-Din, Chairman of the Egyptian General Book Authority, and Mr. Amina Hamshari, Regional Advisor for the Humanities and Social Sciences Sector at the UNESCO Office in Doha, and Dr. Samah Abu Bakr Ezzat, writer and ambassador for children’s affairs in the presidential initiative “A Decent Life,” and Dr. Wassim El-Sisi, the great Egyptologist, the great musician Hani Shenouda, and A. Israa Saleh, founder and executive director of the “Super Abla” initiative, and A. Mahmoud Gouda, a Palestinian writer and literary figure, in the presence of a number of members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the Youth Coordination of Parties and politicians, and a group of senior writers, writers, thinkers, public figures, media figures and journalists.
The great Egyptian musician Hani Shenouda presented a number of His famous musical compositions that he composed, and the audience enjoyed them very much.
It is noteworthy that the first phase of the presidential initiative “I Speak Arabic” It was launched in November 2020, then the second phase was launched under the title “Our Egyptian Roots.” In February 2023, which reached more than about 7 million users since its launch, and it has achieved great interaction as part of a strategy to confront the lack of awareness and falsification of Egyptian history.
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