Enchanting Egypt

I spent the summer of 2010 in Egypt, conducting research on sectarian tension for my graduate studies. This experience would later feed into a chapter of my Master's thesis on the very subject. The following is a reflection I penned reflecting on that exciting adventure. It was published both by the organization I had been working with in Cairo (the Arab West Foundation) as well as by Georgetown University.

From the airport, the driver wove into the sweltering heat of Cairo’s immense and sprawling urban jungle through the most congested, hectic, and disorderly traffic I had ever experienced. During the long drive home, we passed several rundown residences and businesses that were stacked atop of each other and towered over the sandy, rubbish-lined streets. It was definitely a far cry from the manicured orderliness of Switzerland where I had spent three weeks prior for a graduate course on international trade and development.

The abundance of minarets and bell towers coexisting and peeking over the billboards and tall buildings gave me a sense of eagerness to delve into my work. I spent the summer of 2010 working in Cairo as a researcher with the Arab West Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Dutch sociologist, Dr. Cornelis Hulsman, which aims to promote interfaith and intercultural dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims and the Arab world and the West. Though the staff was truly diverse, with people of various educational backgrounds, religious affiliations and nationalities (from Europe, the U.S., Egypt, East Asia, and South America), we all possessed a common desire to be positive agents in improving interfaith understanding and tolerance.

The Arab West Foundation gave me the liberty to design and lead my own research projects: one on Islamic televangelism and its impact on religiosity in Egypt and on influencing the representation of the faith to the West and the other on the role of education in fostering interfaith cooperation and peace building for the sake of social and economic development in Egypt.

With an estimated ten percent of its population affiliated to Christianity, Egypt is home to the largest population of Christians in any Arab or Muslim-majority country, thus rendering it a critical case in interfaith matters. The organization encouraged me to utilize the plentiful resources available throughout the city, to visit places of worship, to attend events like Ramadan iftars, and most importantly, to solicit, in person, the thoughts and opinions of relevant groups and individuals for my research. Bustling about Cairo, I battled the traffic and found myself lost in mazes of dusty streets in strange neighborhoods chasing interviews. All in all, I was able to speak with Catholic bishop Yohanna Qulta, a leading proponent for interfaith dialogue initiatives in the Middle East, Muslim scholars from al-Azhar University, the foremost authority on Sunni-Islamic theology and law, as well as several Muslim youth. I visited Bishop Qulta many times, as a Catholic, it was enlightening to hear the testimonies of his faith. I also had the honor of meeting Amr Hosny, quite a celebrated media figure who discusses Islam and applying the faith to daily life. He invited me to his studio, where I got to watch a taping of his show before interviewing him.

In addition to the research, I paid visits to mosques as well as Coptic Orthodox and Catholic churches and monasteries. On one occasion, a colleague and I were given a tour of the Azhar where we were granted access to its schools, libraries, and prayer rooms. However, perhaps my most important resources were my Egyptian Muslim colleagues who were willing to answer any and all questions I had about Islam and their views on interreligious matters. In addition to their camaraderie, I am most grateful for their openness and their inclination to reflect and share.

Without my colleagues and other friends in Cairo who provided me with all the necessary guidance, I would not have been able to manage as well as I had, for life here was challenging indeed. Aside from the health risks in sanitation, readjusting to local cultural norms and expectations, and the difficulty in mastering the art of walking across busy streets, I found a challenge in applying my elementary comprehension of Arabic and could not rely on communication in French as a back-up (although I did so with my Arab flatmates and when I attended Catholic Mass in French). The inability to effectively communicate was certainly frustrating, but the tests often resulted in unexpected, yet fruitful cultural exchanges. Needless to say, I have a lot of work to do (or continue) in language study upon my return.

Despite those challenges, I count every moment of my time in Egypt as valuable and a veritable adventure. Living with the constant interaction and observation of cultural and religious expression, I was able to visualize and experience what I had been reading about in books and articles. I am grateful that I was able to position myself as an observer, a temporary insider tapping into the pulse of Egyptian society, just trying to begin to comprehend complex issues in religion, economics, and much more. I return to the States with an enhanced perspective on faith and humanity. From my mentors, colleagues at the Arab West Foundation , the religious figures and even the everyday people with whom I have met and interacted, I have been imparted with a keener perception that seeking common ground for the sake of stabilizing peace is absolutely necessary and that intolerance and ignorance are unacceptable. Notwithstanding the guidance and recommendations of religious leaders, the basic principles of each faith, and social expectations, it is up to individuals to form their own courses of spirituality and apply them in practice. I hope to continue my studies in cultural diplomacy, especially through the religious lens with the many relevant centers around Georgetown as well as the various resources in Washington.