Q1. Please introduce yourself and your works.
Q2. What is the most valuable culture and soul in your country?
Q3. Is there a similar point, or unsimilar point with Japanese characters?
Q4. If there is a cultural gap between teenagers and elders, please tell us about it.
Q1. Please introduce yourself and your works.
As a passenger of Egypt to Japan, my primary responsibility, my primary job is to build friendship between Egypt and Japan. Our relationship today is about 143 years old. Because in 1862 and 1864 the Edo government sent deligation to Egypt and this was called your collabition and they stayed for 10 days. And they, it was 34 samurai, built or put, if I may say, the first seed of cooperation or friendship between Egypt and Japan. Afterwards, both of Egyptian and Japanese people became very interested in each other.
At the time of Nichiro-senso, Russian and Japanese war, there were a lot of interest in Egypt about Japan. And there everyone was proud and happy how an eastern country like Japan can emerge victory over one of the greatest neighbor powers. At that time, the name of general Togo became a very big name in Egypt. My job is really to see how to build this friendship politically, economically, socially, especially between university student in Egypt and university student in Japan. You are the future. You have to be able to we are really reach out to you.
Egyptian student highly admire Japanese student. Because they know they are very serious, they are very studious. And they like the Japanese experience. And I know that Japanese people also highly respect and admire Egypt for its culture and civilization. So I think there is a lot of friendship, a lot of admiration and respect between two peoples and two students. My job is to connect enjures in Egypt to enjures in Japan, the companies in Egypt to the companies in Japan. I think it`s very wonderful job to see the fruit of this endever come true as many Japanese coming back from Egypt and enjoy very much, as many enjores project they do every day. We have been very happy to see the emperor visit to Aichi, Egypt exposition. For us it was one of the biggest signs and symbols of friendship between two countries.
Q2. What is the most valuable culture and soul in your country?
Well, the Egyptian people, are very having 7000 years old country, 7000 years old civilization, as the first Bunmeinohassyouchi, so as one of the oldest countries in the world. For Egypt civilization is the second home as world civilization or civility and is something to declare very proud of. And that all thing is ready to value, dignity, honor, success, building a great civilization for humanity, contributing to humanity.
These are things which we are proud of. The modern Egyptian is proud of its ancient civilization they built 7000 years ago. Today as Egyptians have tradition of very religious people. They respect customs, they respect other people, they respect other religions, they like to interact.
So I think it`s one thing of Egyptian character is the love for civilization, the love for interacting with others with dignity, with respect, with justice. Justice is very important value for Egyptians. They like to see that everyone instreated peope, they like to spend respect. We like to respect and we like others also to treat us with the same respect. So I think these are some of deep values. And we respect the Japanese also, the ability and to be able to preserve identity something to be very proud of.
Q3. Is there a similar point, or unsimilar point with Japanese characters?
I think there is always the gap between the older generation and the younger generation. And these gap is not always dark, sometimes it is healthy. Even with my sons, I always feel that they use new expressions, new things, the addiction to the internet, the website, always playing on the internet. And there is the gap obviously in Egypt as there is many other countries between the older generation and the younger generation with new expressions, new educations, new ways of life. But I think this is also healthy.
Because the new generation have lots of things we didn`t choose to the compitalization, electronizaion of life, the new thinking. They are very imaginative and creative. And I think out of this creativity, out of this new kinds of thinking, we image even a better future for tomorrow. So I don`t look at it negative. Sometimes the people say, “Well, look at the new generation. They are bringing things, they are not as diciplined ” But, Yes, they are not as discipline, but I think they are more creative, they are more free to express the idea, they are more innovative. And this is very important both in Egypt and Japan.
Q4. If there is a cultural gap between teenagers and elders, please tell us about it.
The most thing of ambassador is good-will, understanding, reaching out. The job of ambassador is to promote understanding, peace, and justice. Remember, justice. The world today is full of injustice. And the good ambassador has throw good-will, throw reaching out, throw understanding, the understanding others. We cannot afford this world not understanding each other. Today, Islam, is one of the greatest religions in the world, and yet there is misunderstood. So we expect, from our part of the world, that Japanese student understand more the Arab people, understand more Islam, and understand how great to contribute.
And I think this is the job of ambassador, to reach out, to help co-existance, to bridge the gaps and differences between different countries, and between especially us, perhaps the Moslem world, and Japan. We are part of the East, and how we can bridge the differences and realize ultimately as a good ambassador that what unites is much bigger than what divides. And I think this is the point. And this could be done by knowledge, by co-existance, and by reaching out.
Q5. What action do you hope about Waseda Ambassador?
Well, I want to tell the student in Japan that as regards Egypt you are welcome in Egypt. The Japanese and Egyptian is welcome, highly respect the Japanese people. So we want you to please, perhaps if you haven`t visited us, come and visit to Egypt, interact. We think we have the great country, we have the great tradition, we have the great culture. Building on it, Japan can play a very important role in world politics. And we look forward the Japanese role, the prime minister Koizumi has been said the next poll his process, helping the Palestinians. We have very good relationship. And we hope for the Japanese new generation to feel closer to Arab world and Moslem world in Egypt. And you are welcome at any time to visit. And we hope you can learn more about us. And we look forward to learning more about you. Because there is so many exciting things in Egypt. It is more than just the Pyramid.
Egypt is more than the Sfincks and Pyramid or the ancient culture. There is so many things related to Arab culture, Isramic culture, Copted culture, Mediteranian. Things related to also tourism of the Red Sea, of the health tourism. Many other things that Egypt is proud to be. So you are welcome to Egypt. I want to tell you that Egypt and Japan can enjoy the friendest relationship in the world.
Q6. Please give a message to students in Japan.
I understand that Waseda university is helping the people of Africa, contributing to that.
This is the very norbal thing to do. I think people of Africa, the children of Africa need your help.
And this is the great priviledge for your student to be involved to this.
During the Waseda festival, you must also realize that Egypt and Waseda are a long-term relationship.
We have a very good relationship with a professor Ishimura. For a long time, ----.
We are building right now with Waseda university and my good friend, Shirai-sensei.
A Japanese logical university in Egypt Which will be competent in the Arab world, the new model of cooperation, the new model of education building between Japan and Egypt for the benefit of all the Arab world and Africa. We are also entering Waseda in many other kinds of education cooperation. So we feel close to Waseda and I feel close to Waseda university and student of Waseda. So please any time feel free to the embassy of Egypt in Tokyo and you are welcome and we can exchange any information if you like.
Thank you.
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