Under the patronage of Mr. Khaled El-Toukhy, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Misr University for Science and Technology, and Professor Dr. Nihad El-Mahboub, President of the University, the Opera House at Misr University hosted the university’s celebration of World Arabic Language Day on Monday, December 2024. This event, recognized annually on December 18 by UNESCO, was held in collaboration with the Alexandria University Forum for Poetry and Arts. The university president, Professor Dr. Nihad El-Mahboub, welcomed the forum delegation and distinguished guests, alongside Professor Dr. Emad Khalil, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development, Professor Dr. Magdy Abdelkader, Vice President for Postgraduate Studies and Research, Professor Dr. Ahmed Samir, Vice President for International Relations, Professor Dr. Mokhtar El-Zawahiri, Vice President for Documentation and Information, and Professor Dr. Mohamed Ismail Hamid, Advisor to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The event was attended by numerous deans, faculty members, department heads, university students, and researchers from the Arab Heritage Center.
The celebration began with a recitation of the Holy Qur’an by Ahmed Khalil, a student from the Faculty of Pharmacy. This was followed by an opening speech by Professor Dr. Anas El-Feky, General Supervisor of the event, who welcomed the attendees and praised the university’s dedication to the Arabic language since its establishment by Dr. Souad Kafafi, a pioneer of private education in Egypt, and continued under the leadership of Mr. Khaled El-Toukhy. He highlighted the university’s academic and practical initiatives, including the integration of a mandatory Arabic language course as part of general university requirements to reinforce national identity in higher education.
He also commended the Arab Heritage Center, established under the patronage of Mr. Khaled El-Toukhy, for its achievements, such as winning the Arabic Language Academy Award for “Talkhees Al-Bayan”, the Best Book Award in Heritage Research for the encyclopedia “Al-Shazur Al-Dhahabiya in Medical Terminology”, and the Best Book Award at the Cairo International Book Fair for “Al-Mughni” by Ibn Al-Bitar.
Dr. El-Feky also lauded the Faculty of Languages and Translation for its commitment to Arabic language education, including mandatory courses for all university students and specialized courses for translation students. He further acknowledged the collaborative efforts of the Arab Heritage Center, the Youth Welfare Office, and other faculties such as Dentistry, Medicine, and Archaeology in organizing and preparing the event. Special recognition was given to the Faculty of Mass Communication for its professional audiovisual coverage of the celebration.
Professor Dr. Emad Khalil, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development, delivered a keynote speech highlighting the continued patronage of Mr. Khaled El-Toukhy and welcoming the guests. He emphasized that the university’s annual celebration of World Arabic Language Day reflects pride in the nation’s cultural identity and heritage, which aligns with the university’s dual mission of community service and scientific research.
Professor Dr. Nihad El-Mahboub, the university president, reiterated the importance of this celebration, noting the integration of Arabic language courses across all faculties and the significant role of the Arab Heritage Center, led by Dr. Anas El-Feky. He stressed that the center’s diverse activities contribute to preserving Arab heritage and promoting the Arabic language, which supports the university’s broader mission.
The event included a poetry performance by the university’s recitation team, featuring a poem by Professor Dr. Anas Atiya El-Feky titled “أنا العربية الفصحى“.
The Youth Welfare Orchestra and Choir, under the direction of Maestro Dr. Mohamed Yehia, performed songs in classical Arabic, reflecting on the Arab world’s current realities, the tragedy of Gaza, and the Palestinian cause. Highlights included “يا سماء الشرق طوفي بالضياء” and ” اسلمي يا مصر.”
This was followed by a captivating musical performance of “مضناك” by Ahmed Shawqi, composed by Mohamed Abdel Wahab, and performed by Professor Dr. Ahmed Adel, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Translation.
The Alexandria University Literary Forum presented a theatrical performance titled “Al-Andalus: A Postponed Spring.” The production featured poetry, acting, singing, and choreography, supervised by Professor Dr. Nagwa Saber and directed by Ahmed Samir. The event concluded with Professor Dr. Nihad El-Mahboub presenting the university’s shield to Professor Dr. Nagwa Saber, President of the Alexandria Poetry and Arts Forum, in recognition of her contributions