Under the patronage of Prof. Dr. Mohamed Diaa Zein El-Abidin, President of Ain Shams University, Prof. Dr. Ghada Farouk, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Center, and with the generous hosting of Prof. Dr. Hanan Metwally, Dean of the Faculty of Arts
Within the framework of the 2024-2025 cultural season of the Middle East Research and Future Studies Center headed by Dr. Hatem El-Abd
The Center, in cooperation with the Faculty of Arts, organized a new symposium from the series of "Writer and Book" symposia that the Center started last year and aims to introduce university youth to the most important writers, authors and thinkers and to learn about their works and literary experiences
The symposium hosted the great writer and novelist Amr El-Adly, and his brother, the great philosopher Emad El-Adly
The symposium was held at the Faculty of Arts in the presence of Prof. Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, Vice Dean of the Faculty for Education and Student Affairs, Prof. Dr. Hatem Rabie, Vice Dean of the Faculty for Graduate Studies and Research, and Prof. Dr. Hanan Salem, Vice Dean for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs, and the seminar was moderated by Dr. Hatem Al-Abd.
Dr. Hanan Salem began the seminar by welcoming the honorable attendees, where she praised the efforts of the Middle East Research Center and its keenness to raise the level of cultural awareness by hosting two of the most important intellectual and literary figures of our time to learn about their experiences and benefit from their expertise. Her Excellency also stressed the importance of the university's role in raising young people in a correct and conscious manner, and ensuring knowledge of their language and ideas to succeed in communicating with them, and to be able to confront the fourth and fifth generation wars that target them.
Then, Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim took the floor, extending his sincere thanks to the two honorable guests and to Dr. Hatem Al-Abd, for giving the opportunity to the youth of the college to dialogue with two prominent writers of thought and literature. His Excellency also stressed the keenness of the Faculty of Arts to always support all institutions that work to raise university students, and to establish high moral values in them and enable them to face current challenges.
Dr. Hatem Al-Abd, moderated the symposium, and expressed his deep thanks and appreciation to Dr. Hanan Kamel, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and to the faculty administration, for their continuous support of the Middle East Research Center. Dr. Al-Abd praised the rich intellectual history and cultural output of the two thinkers, Al-Adly, who are considered among the most prominent figures in thought and literature in the Arab world.
The philosopher Emad Al-Adly then took the floor, pointing out that philosophical thought faces many difficulties, the most important of which is the complex style that many philosophers adhere to, as well as the historical context and inherited and misguided ideas that consider philosophy as a gateway to atheism, while in reality philosophy is based on teaching people how to think, and how to contemplate and reflect on the facts and events around them. Philosophy also means teaching people how to live their lives with the least amount of pain, and also helps them accept others, with their different ideas and convictions, and thus spread peace among people. Hence, the keenness of the great thinker and writer Emad El-Adly to spread philosophical thought with a new perspective and innovative thinking that suits the language and tools of this era, through a monthly cultural salon called "The Philosophical Corridor", which he tours all over Egypt to light the lamp of knowledge and open closed doors to the wings of thought and literature.
The great writer and novelist Amr El-Adly pointed out that he loved literature and art in all its forms since his childhood, then he developed a special interest in the art of writing novels, so much so that he had his first theatrical performance of one of his works when he was eighteen years old, and he was greatly influenced in his writings by the great writer Youssef Idris, and by his style and how he mastered the reins of language and his good use of words. His Excellency confirmed that he faced many challenges during his journey to search for the self, and went through many stages and changes, but the most important challenge that a person must face at all is to adhere to his dream, and strive hard to possess the ideal tools to achieve that dream, and trust in himself and in his ability to succeed until he ultimately achieves his goal.
At the end of the symposium, the Adly brothers advised the youth to contemplate and consider all the ideas presented, and then accept them consciously and rationally, or rebel against them wisely and rationally, and strive relentlessly to achieve success, without being bound by the obsessions of the past, or clinging to distant future hopes, while adhering to the moment we live in, so that we live it in the best possible way. The discussion was also opened to the attendees and all their inquiries were answered by the two great guests. Then, Dr. Hatem Al-Abd presented certificates of appreciation to the Adly brothers, expressing his sincere thanks and gratitude to them for sharing their rich and inspiring experiences and expertise with us.
