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ELITE Vol.1, Issue 42, April 2022
Vol.1, Issue 42, April 2022

Dr. Amani added that that momentum coincided with Prince There are those who say that the concept of civil society is
Talal bin Abdulaziz's intention - may God have mercy on him - western in nature and that those who focus on voluntary non-
to establish an Arab network that would support and animate governmental organizations overlook the special nature of
NGO's, and that would work on studying them and introducing civil and voluntary work in the Arab world and the related
their role. At that time, the Prince was in America and announced phenomena of charitable societies, endowments, and various
said intention to some American professors, and their reactions forms of solidarity that are of a religious and sometimes tribal
indicated that Dr. Amani Kandil was the right person for this job, nature. What do you think about the extent of the
not them. comprehensiveness of the concept of civil society in describing
Indeed, it was communicated and then contracted with them and and understanding these phenomena?
the United Nations provided that Dr. Amani would be the
founder of the Arab Network for NGOs, headquartered in Cairo Dr. Amani refuted our inquiry by mentioning her 2011 published
and that it would focus its interests on developing the capabilities book "What role does civil society play?" in which she talks about
of NGOs and Arab civil society. This was a significant move how the role of civil society in Western societies is to contribute to
because its work at that time started encompassing all Arab achieving social stability and a balance between interests.
countries, so it was imperative to conduct a survey, research, and However, the hypothesis regarding Egypt says, for example, that it
study in all Arab countries and also build a strong research is civil society that will achieve democracy and political reform as
network. Additionally, Dr. Amani worked on training and if it were a magic wand, and that for it Egypt was given millions
upgrading the capabilities of the members of that network; she of dollars before and after the January revolution. In reality, it
taught them a lot, from attracting professors of sociology and would be a complete omission of the fact that civil society is a
politics to conducting many studies that were published under the cultural, socio-political entity par excellence, and is not subject to
name "The Arab Network for NGOs." She also paid great import. She followed, elaborating that the Western literature we
attention to training, enriching knowledge, and experiences, read and benefit from is undoubtedly important, but it must be
which are inseparable from each other. adapted to the living reality. It should not stand still in its place,
Dr. Amani continued, explaining that working on the continuous rather it should continue developing.
diligent development of the capabilities of the research team and Our interview touched upon another stage in the life of our guest
its knowledge and awareness of the issues of the country in when a higher authority asked her to conduct a study on civil
which it is working is necessary. Accordingly, an excellent associations in Upper Egypt. Its subject was extreme poverty,
training and knowledge program was devised to prepare qualified deplorable health, and deteriorating social conditions, all of which
trainers. Despite the long and fruitful trip that benefited our created a fertile ground for Muslim Brotherhood groups to sow
guest, she decided to retire from regular work and travel and to their seed and plow it. An example of this can be found in seven
resign from the Arab Network in 2016. The doctor commented of the governorates of Upper Egypt, where about eight thousand
that since her resignation, the network has unfortunately not been civil associations were established after the January revolution
quite as active or influential. with the aim of imposing hegemony on the poor by securing their
Dr. Amani directed some advice to any researcher who would food and expenses!
like to break into the field of NGOs, urging them to have a broad, That is why Dr. Amani values the Hayah Karima (Decent Life)
comprehensive, critical and comparative vision, because we are Program, which cares about Upper Egypt so that people do not fall
not talking about a single, homogeneous entity, but rather an into the clutches of those who traffic their religion and their lives.
entity that reflects a branching cultural, social and political Therefore, she has presented parts of the Decent Life Program in
phenomenon par excellence! her book, which will be published soon.

In your career, there are two interesting stations: your work
on the radio and your work with the the Center for Social and
Criminological Research. How have these two stations formed
the background and interests of Dr. Amani Kandil?

We were introduced by Dr. Amani to another spectrum of her
memories other than the one in the beginning of our conversation.
She told us that her love for radio work had first emerged back
when she was one of the shining lights of her school's morning
broadcast, as testified and praised by many of her teachers. She
followed in this passion of hers, impacted by senior media figure,
Mr. Hamdi Kandil - May God have mercy on him - her cousin,
until the opportunity came to apply for radio tests, through which
she was accepted.

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