In the presence of Prof. Mohamed Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and in a scene of friendliness and brotherhood, Ain Shams University, headed by Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of the University, participated in the " Tamkeen " initiative, in which major Cairo universities participated at Cairo University.
The opening of the initiative was witnessed by Prof. Karim Hammam, Advisor to the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research for Student Activities.
The President of Ain Shams University led the scene with the participation of 200 male and female students with disabilities and normal students at the university, which consolidates the new vision of Ain Shams University and confirms the interest of the university leadership in caring for all students, especially students with special needs, to enhance the concept of inclusiveness and integration among all members of the university community.
At the beginning of his speech, Prof. Ayman Ashour expressed his deep thanks to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, for his full and unlimited support for our children with special needs and working to integrate them into all aspects of life, noting that this initiative comes within the framework of implementing the directives of Mr. President to build bridges of communication with the people of Egypt with disabilities, and based on a firm belief in their right to appropriate training and rehabilitation services, and to grant them equal opportunities that enable them to participate effectively alongside the rest of the members of society, through their participation in integrated activities alongside their colleagues and enhancing cooperation and the spirit of joint work among all students, indicating that caring for university youth and developing their capabilities is a fundamental pillar of the Egyptian state's strategy for sustainable development and Egypt's Vision 2030, as the ministry spares no effort to provide the appropriate environment to nurture student talents and motivate and enhance the leadership role of students in building Egypt's future.
His Excellency also thanked the Hope Givers Global Campaign and its founder, Captain Anwar Al-Kamouni, for their joint cooperation in implementing the initiative, as well as the distinguished artist Safaa Abu Al-Saud, the initiative’s artistic director, for her distinguished efforts in supervising the initiative’s artistic performances and enriching them with her unique creative expertise.
The Minister explained that the initiative will be launched in the seven regions of Egypt, according to the geographical division set by the "Alliance and Development" initiative in the National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research, as the first phase of the initiative will be launched today from Cairo University as a representative of the first region, Greater Cairo Region, in partnership with the rest of the region's universities, namely: (Ain Shams University, Helwan University, Benha University, the Egyptian Chinese University, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts, and Future University), extending his greetings to the university presidents in the alliance, partners in this phase of the initiative, and the various participants in it from the entities affiliated with the ministry, expressing his wishes to achieve the greatest results for our children with special needs, noting that a major international celebration will be organized at the end of the final phase of the initiative in the seventh region in Luxor with wide international participation.
Tamkeen initiative launched by the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education is a pioneering step towards achieving comprehensive integration of people with disabilities in Egyptian universities, in cooperation with the Hope Givers global campaign to raise awareness of the services, rights and duties of students towards people with special needs in Egyptian universities.
This initiative aims to provide a supportive and appropriate educational environment for all students, regardless of their physical or mental abilities.
Ain Shams University's participation was organized, supervised and implemented by the Education and Students Sector, General Administration for Youth Welfare Office, in cooperation with the for the Students Disability Service Center and the Students for Egypt Family.
The artist Safaa Abu Al-Saud, the artistic director of the Global Hope Donors Campaign, presented a musical operetta entitled "I am the Voice that Calls", and the stories of the struggles of a number of inspiring people with special needs were presented.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the Hope Givers Foundation. The memorandum of understanding was signed on behalf of the Ministry by Dr. Karim Hammam, the Minister’s Advisor for Student Activities and Director of the Leadership Preparation Institute, and Dr. Sherine Yahya, the Minister’s Advisor for Activities for Students with Disabilities, and on behalf of the Hope Givers campaign by athlete Anwar Al-Kamouni.
It is worth noting that a number of activities will be held throughout the current week in which students with special needs and normal students alike will participate, including a sign language choir and a choir for people with special needs in partnership with the Ain Shams University choir, as well as a number of awareness campaigns presented by Basira Foundation and Al-Hassan Foundation to integrate students with disabilities and normal students together, in addition to holding an art exhibition for students, in addition to participating in a sports day that includes all students together.