In the seventh part in an Egyptian Streets article series under the name of East-West Chitchat that aims to spark increased dialogue between Americans and Egyptians, Abdelrahman Amr and Michael Matthiesen explore how the 116th Congress may or may not affect political relations with Egypt. January 3rd, 2019 was a historic day for the United States as the new U.S Congress became the most diverse in history. Most of the media attention has been focused on the over 110 new women members that have been elected, but that’s not the only thing that’s historic. Egyptian readers would be interested to learn that there are eight Arab-Americans, two Muslim women, the first Palestinian woman, and the first Somali woman ever elected to this new U.S Congress. As the cherry-on-top, Nancy Pelosi returned as the first and only woman Speaker of the House. However, despite all the historical significance, the 116th Congress also ushered in a Democratic House of Representatives and a Republican Senate, the first divided government of the Trump Administration. Divided governments are known for being dramatic and not very productive. Usually, a divided government means that the focus of the Congress, President,…
How Wataneya is Influencing the Children Without Parental Care Sector in Egypt
After realizing that the quality of Egyptian orphanages were subpar, Wataneya Society began in 2008 with the sole purpose of improving the quality of care and living standards of Egypt’s orphaned youth. “In the beginning it was very difficult, because we were fighting for quality standards and no one understood what that meant. In Egypt, when we say [taking care of the] orphans, it refers to celebrations like orphans day, giving them food, clothes and that was it,” Yasmine El Hagary, Deputy Executive Director of Wataneya Society shares before adding that “Development is different than charity, and it takes time but it is more effective. It is more beneficial for the children with long-term effects as opposed to a hit and run event, party or trip.” For projects to have a trackable impact, they need to be implemented for a few years. In an attempt to introduce this concept in Egypt, Wataneya Society collaborated with the Swiss NGO Drosos Foundation and launched “Quality of Care for Children without Parental Care” project. The five year project aimed to improve the capacities of institutional care homes by collaborating with the Egyptian Ministry…
Cairo Clubs: Don’t Forget to Take Off Your “Hat”
Forever concerned that we might be under-dressed to walk the streets in Egypt, we were taken aback when the club bouncer at one of Cairo’s “it” spots pointed to our hijabi friend and told us that there was a “no hat policy”. There are, of course, a number of issues here, though once we’d established that the headscarf isn’t really a “hat”, he admitted there was indeed a “no headscarf” policy as well. A quick google search indicates that this is in fact a common problem, not only for hijabi women in Cairo but also at venues along the north coast, Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada. This is despite the fact that 90 percent of Egypt’s 80-million population are Muslim, and that 90 percent of those Muslim women wear the headscarf. The reason behind the policy wasn’t explained to us and we were left to assume that it is a misguided attempt to “protect” hijabis from the inevitable debauchery on the inside. On reflection, however, it seems more likely that the “no hats” policy is driven by something more sinister. It seems, in part, to be an issue of image; in…
Protest Against AUC’s President for Pompeo Speech
Academics at the American University in Cairo (AUC) are trying to oust the school’s president after he gave US Secretary Mike Pompeo a platform for a controversial speech last month. On Tuesday, the University Senate, which is the representative council of the university faculty with the inclusion of students, staff and administrators, passed a vote of no confidence in the President of AUC Francis J. Ricciardone to express their dismay at the operation of the University and their views on the lack of appropriate consultation before decisions are made. At a public meeting, they called for a change of the administration as Ricciardone failed to consult the staff before hosting Pompeo at the university, in which he gave a controversial speech criticizing President Barack Obama’s Middle East policies and emphasizing the goodness of Israel. The guest list to Pompeo’s controversial speech at AUC was set by the American Embassy which meant that the attendees were exclusive prohibiting members of the AUC community from attending. The academics said that though their grievances predated Pompeo’s speech, which include low morale, complaints about his management style, grievances over contracts and accusations of illegal discrimination, the situation…
West Ham Launches Investigation after Fans Hurl Racist Slurs at Mo Salah
English Premier League club West Ham United have opened an investigation after a video clip on social media showed insults being hurled at Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah during the tied Premier League match at the London Stadium on Monday 4 February. The clip, filmed by a mobile phone from West Ham supporters, shows Mohammed Salah during a corner strike. The video contains audible insults and racist slurs addressed to the Liverpool player, including comments against his religion. “People like this do not deserve anywhere in our society let alone football games,” said the user who posted the video on Twitter. A West Ham spokesman said the club had “a policy of zero tolerance for any form of violent or abusive behavior.” “Anyone who will be charged with this offense will be given details to the police and face a life ban from the London court,” he said in a statement. “We are aware of the video showing Salah was subjected to racial assault,” a statement from London’s Metropolitan Police said. “There are no arrests and investigations are continuing, “the statement said….
Opposition Parties Form a Coalition Against Extending Sisi’s Rule
Egyptian opposition parties have reportedly formed a coalition against the proposed changes to the constitution that would allow President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi for more than four years. Egypt’s parliament has given its initial approval to the constitutional changes, after two-thirds of the general committee endorsed the proposed amendments on Tuesday. The 596-seat assembly will take a final vote on Feb. 17, before having a national referendum. Abdel-Aziz El-Husseini, a senior leader in the Karama, or Dignity party, told Associated Press that 11 parties met and declared their opposition to the proposed changes. The group established a “union for the defense of the constitution” that includes secular and left-leaning parties and lawmakers, he added. In an official statement on Wednesday, Egypt’s Conservatives Party said it has decided to reject the constitutional amendments proposed by a fifth of the parliament’s deputies. “The proposed amendments lack any credible philosophy, not to mention that they lead to undermining some of the main principles preserved by Egypt’s 2014 Constitution, such as maintaining the independence of the judiciary, striking a balance among powers, and establishing a mixed parliamentary-presidential system,” the statement said. It joins the Egyptian Socialist Democratic Party (4…
Azza Fahmy Opens First US Store, Continues Preservation of Egyptian Heritage
Renowned jewellery design house, Azza Fahmy, continues to create and share eloquent jewellery inspired by Egyptian heritage with an ambitious expansion strategy for 2019. Azza Fahmy Jewellery recently announced the opening of their first American storefront at the Waldorf Astoria in Los Angeles. This location is one of 15 others across the Middle East and the United Kingdom, and adds to Azza Fahmy’s international presence. The design house has made its debut in America with an exclusive range of jewellery including both limited edition collections and bespoke pieces. Egyptian Streets spoke with managing director Fatma Ghaly to learn more about their future plans and transition to an American market as well as their designs’ reflection on Egypt’s history. Your brand approaches its designs with precision and a genuine reflection on Egypt’s past, how does this translate to an international audience? Has there been any struggles opening stores abroad? No. Azza Fahmy curates their collections based on geographic locations and differences in terms of demographics, purchasing patterns and style of jewellery, including the stone options. We have a strong understanding of the dynamics of different markets due to the extensive market…
“The Human Network”: DHL Express & Mo Salah’s Message to the World
After stirring confusion amongst his fans on social media, widely beloved Egyptian football player Mohamed Salah (Mo Salah) revealed a new campaign in collaboration with international logistics service provider DHL Express, touching upon the importance of getting connected in the real world. The footballer went on hiatus on all social media platforms as the new year began. Nearly three weeks later, he tweeted “2019 Resolutions: Get in touch, for real,” which left many fans puzzled. Now, the fans know exactly what Salah was doing. In a three minute video, Salah compares social media interactions against real life connections. He decided to leave social media and get in touch with fans in the real world. The star has millions of fans and supporters across the world, many who idolize and look up to him. “Social media is great, but when you touch something for real, it’s a different feeling. It’s a real connection,” Salah narrated. “You connect with it physically and emotionally. It’s not just another photo that disappears into a cloud.” Four fans created artwork dedicated to Salah, a person who they strongly admire. “I sent him a photo of…
Pope Francis and Grand Imam Al Azhar Sign Historical Declaration
Pope Francis and the Grand Imam Dr. Ahmed At-Tayyeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar, signed a historic joint declaration with their hopes for world peace and human co-existence in Abu Dhabi in the presence of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed on Monday night. Entitled the Human Fraternity Document, the document pledges that al-Azhar and the Vatican will work together to fight extremism, claiming to be in the name of “all victims of wars, persecution and injustice”, and warns against a “third world war being fought piecemeal”. “We resolutely declare that religions must never incite war, hateful attitudes, hostility and extremism, nor must they incite violence or the shedding of blood,” the document says. In the first ever papal visit to the Arabian peninsula, Pope Francis delivered a speech to an interfaith gathering of imams, muftis, ministers, rabbis, swamis, Zoroastrians, and Sikhs, promoting fraternity and peace. “Every form of violence must be condemned without hesitation, because we gravely profane God’s name when we use it to justify hatred and violence against a brother or sister. No violence can be justified in the name of religion,” he stated….