Page 8 - Issue-23

7 ELITE Vol.1 No.23 September 2020 |

My advice to FEPS Students is to continually

develop their skills and be patient

What truly worries me is the fact that some people see that the presence of a to do more, and we hope to reach the sound equation that
Turkish or Iranian threat erases the Israeli threat, which is the most deep-
combines security and freedoms.
rooted as Israel is a colonial structure; for however long we discuss Turkish
aggressive policies, Turkey remains a natural entity in the region whose
aggression – like that of Iran – can be countered. On the contrary, there is
10. What advice do you have for our students at the
always the possible threat that Israel’s colonial behavior might expand
Faculty?
outside Palestine if the situation allows; and we know that colonialism no
longer solely relies on the military instrument.
I’d like to tell them that they have joined a distinguished
I will say that the ideal condition in my view is for us to realize that the
objective enemy of the Arab World – if I may call it so – is Israel, whatever faculty that will – God willing – qualify them to have bright
peace agreements there may be. And that there are Turkish and Iranian
individual futures and to play important roles in the
policies harming Arab interests but they can be addressed. Finally, whatever
development of their country. But they must arm themselves
our orientations towards security threats may be, we cannot allow one of
with continuous learning, reading, and enhancement of
these threats to cancel the other; any Arab state has the right to regard the
language and computer skills since this will help them in
Iranian threat as more dangerous to its security than its Israeli counterpart;
their future wherever it may be. And those who do not get the
however, it cannot come to see that the Iranian threat cancels the Israeli one
chance to do postgraduate studies must know that what they
or ever begin to ally with the latter to counter the former.
have learned at the Faculty is not the end of knowledge.
9. Domestically, how do you see the economic and political conditions in Finally, you must be patient; we are living through difficult
Egypt?
times, so don’t expect to achieve all what you hope for in a
matter of a year or two. And my long tenure at the Faculty
I am following with admiration and appreciation the effort that is being
during which I’ve stayed in touch with our graduates leads
exerted to build a strong state in Egypt. And among the features of this strong
me to tell you that there are always difficulties in the
state are its army – the world’s 9th most powerful – , a remarkably improving
beginning; but in a period of, let’s say, five years, which I
infrastructure, especially in terms of transportation networks and
think is rather short, I found that every graduate of our
communications, in addition to economic development that manifests for
Faculty had reached a prominent position in practical life.
example in the different agricultural projects and developmental projects in
Sinai.We might question the economic orientation of some projects and we
might have different priorities from those of the government, but we cannot
deny the amount of effort being exerted to build a strong E gyptian s tate.
And I think that this has helped us a lot to face the current crises; without the
economic reform program for instance – despite its severe impact on certain
Nourhan Osama, Youstina Ebeid, Maries Adel, Nadeen Hesham, Nouran Hossam, Mostafa Sayyed, Reem
groups – we wouldn’t have been able to stand in the face of the coronavirus
done
that,
I
believe
said
Omran , Zeina Tarek, Hana Henien, Hania Bahaa, Yassmine Gamal Hussein, Salma Bayoumi, Mariam Sultan,
pandemic.
Having
that
work
be
to
there
is
still
concerning the non-executive political structure; our political parties remain
Nada Hosny, Jozeph George , Farah Ezz Eldin, Aliyaa Assem, Assile Mostafa, Rana Doss, Mirna Ossama,
weak and ineffective, the legislative authority is expected
Farah Islam, Zeina Arafa.
| Vol.1 No.23 September 2020 |