The Japanese Ambassador to Cairo, Mr. Oka Hiroshi, and Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University, attended a ceremony at the Faculty of Al-Alsun for the handover of a valuable collection of books gifted by the "Read About Japan" project. The event was attended by Prof. Ghada Farouk, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development and Acting Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research; Prof. Salwa Rashad, Dean of the Faculty of Al-Alsun; Prof. Shahira Samir, Executive Director of the International Relations and Academic Cooperation Sector, along with faculty members and students.

In his speech, Ambassador Oka Hiroshi expressed his delight at attending the event and praised the fruitful cooperation between Ain Shams University and the Japanese Embassy. He also spoke highly of the "Read About Japan" project, through which 157 carefully selected books on Japan, covering topics in culture, arts, politics, women, and natural disasters in Japan, were gifted. He expressed his hope that students would benefit from these resources and expand their knowledge of Japan through them.

The ambassador also commended the Japanese Language Department at the Faculty of Al-Alsun and the proficiency of its students and graduates in the Japanese language, hoping for further fruitful cooperation between the university and the Japanese Embassy.

Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University, welcomed the Japanese ambassador to the Faculty of Al-Alsun, one of the oldest faculties at the university, founded in 1835 by the Egyptian writer, translator, and thinker Refaa Al-Tahtawi. He expressed sincere appreciation to the Japanese Embassy and the “Read About Japan” project for their invaluable gift, which provides a wealth of resources for researchers and students across various fields, such as literature, history, the Japanese language, politics, and economics, enriching the university’s libraries with valuable information for scholars. He emphasized the longstanding ties between Ain Shams University, the Faculty of Al-Alsun, and the Japanese Embassy, built upon decades of strong bonds between Egypt and Japan. He hoped that these books would help deepen Egyptian youth's understanding of Japan, its culture, language, and history, and praised the notable role of the Japanese Embassy and institutions in fostering relations between the two nations.

Prof. Zain El-Abedeen highlighted the strong ties between Ain Shams University and Japanese universities, with various partnerships and exchange visits, such as a recent visit from Kyushu University to Ain Shams University this month to expand collaboration areas. He noted that a prior agreement had been signed between the two universities, and he expressed his hopes for continued constructive cooperation with all universities and educational institutions in Japan.

Prof. Salwa Rashad, Dean of the Faculty of Al-Alsun, thanked the Japanese Embassy for the books donated to the faculty, emphasizing that they are an excellent addition to the cultural resources available to students, especially the collection on Japanese history, culture, philosophy, literature, and arts.

She added that these ongoing initiatives over the past years come as part of the distinguished relations between Egypt and Japan, which have seen significant growth in several areas. In the field of higher education, both the Egyptian and Japanese sides have created momentum, establishing the Japanese Language Department at the Faculty of Al-Alsun, the second such department in Egypt, marking a great opportunity to consider the future of Japanese studies in the Middle East and North Africa. To achieve this, a distinguished group of Japanese experts has been enlisted to enhance Japanese studies. Recently, the department succeeded in promoting its master's and doctoral graduates to teaching positions as faculty members and assistant lecturers.

In her remarks, Dr. Salwa highlighted that graduates of the department are highly sought after for various career opportunities in teaching, translation, interpretation, tourism, media, and diplomatic fields.