Under the patronage of Prof. Dr. Mohamed Diaa, President of Ain Shams University, Prof. Dr. Ghada Farouk, Vice President of the University for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs and Chairman of the Center’s Board of Directors, and within the framework of Ain Shams University’s keenness to develop the political awareness of university employees and urge them to the national duty of casting their votes, the Center for Middle East Research and Future Studies, headed by Dr. Hatem Al-Abd, a symposium entitled Participation in the Presidential Elections: Developing electoral awareness towards university employees under the slogan “Ain Shams University Elects”

Dr. Hatem Al-Abd, Director of the Middle East Research Center at Ain Shams University, Ambassador Youssef Mostafa Zadeh, member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Abdullah Al-Maghazi, member of the House of Representatives and former Assistant Prime Minister delivered lectures at the symposium.

Dr. Hatem Al-Abd, Director of the Middle East Research and Future Studies Center, welcomed the guests and attendees, stressing the importance of active and positive participation in the presidential elections, which is a constitutional right, a national duty, and an important constitutional entitlement in the path of the Egyptian state in order to strengthen a modern, democratic civil state, and complete the building of the new republic. Which is a dream for all Egyptians.

In the speech of Prof. Abdullah Al-Moghazy, a member of the House of Representatives and former Assistant Prime Minister, stressed his extreme pride in his presence at Ain Shams University, noting that the most important guarantee for the presidential elections was achieved in judicial supervision as one of the most important outcomes of the national dialogue, pointing out that the presence of judiciary personnel achieves great confidence for voters. In the electoral process, as a completely neutral and independent body, he explained that the Commission guaranteed and provided mechanisms for monitoring and following up violations. His Excellency also pointed out that his guarantee is more important, which is the Egyptian citizen himself, which is an essential guarantee for knowing what is going on in the electoral process by following up on the elections through civil society organizations.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Youssef Zadeh, member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, stressed the importance of the political stage that Egypt is going through, and that citizens’ participation in the presidential elections is a national duty and a constitutional entitlement, and all Egyptian citizens at home and abroad must participate effectively and intensively in order to contribute to drawing the map of Egypt’s future. And choose its political leaders with free and independent will.

His Excellency also pointed out the importance of external monitoring of the elections by international organizations, which confirms to the international community the transparency and integrity of the elections.

At the end of the symposium, the floor was opened for discussion between the guests and the attendees, which enriched the dialogue.