Throughout the past week Cairo has been hosting the ninth congress of the International Association of Coptic Studies (IACS), organised by the St Mark Foundation for Coptic Studies. The congress, which wrapped up yesterday, was marked by a large participation of scholars and researchers from the world over, who are interested in—even fascinated by—Coptic studies. The research presented revealed the significance of Coptic civilisation and its great contribution to human heritage.
Some 150 scholars attended the congress, 40 of whom are Egyptian—Muslims as well as Christians. Other participants came from Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Crete, Czech Republic, England, France, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain and the United States. The wide interest demonstrated that Coptic civilisation—as a significant tributary to human civilisation at large—has drawn the attention of researchers from the four corners of the world.
Coptic civilisation is an integral part of Egyptian civilisation. The Coptic era, which lasted around seven centuries, offered a magnificent contribution in terms of human thought, art, literature, architecture, industry and trade. Similar to various components of Egyptian civilisation, the Coptic era is the heritage of the entire populace of Egypt. This unquestionable reality should be stressed in different spheres including our media, education and culture. The Coptic civilisation constitutes, side by side with other components of Egyptian civilisation, the unique character of the Egyptian identity. The narrow-minded claim shared by some Muslims and Copts that Coptic civilisation belongs to Copts only is thus, by all measures, a sin against the homeland. It creates a gap between Egyptian Muslims and Christians and divides the country’s heritage on religious grounds. It is about time to abandon such a prejudiced perspective for a deeper and more genuine understanding, to view Egyptian history as one coherent text which extends over various epochs and belongs to all Egyptians at large.
Such a national outlook should produce pride and comfort at the considerable research presented in this congress. New insight was shed on the preaching of St Mark the Evangelist in Egypt, the biography of Church fathers, the history of the hermitic and monastic movements, the history of Egyptian Christianity, and phases of transformation from Coptic to Arabic. Coptic culture, music, linguistics and thought, manuscripts and documents, as well as the rich Coptic architectural heritage were all highlighted.
The invaluable academic effort and exchange of information and experience involved in the congress warrants publicity to acquaint everyone interested in Coptic studies of the huge accomplishment achieved. I am confident that IACS will have these works published in a worthy volume. However, and owing to the academic nature of the congress, it has been missing its due share of publicity in the media. This makes it all the more important to figure out a way to present this wealth of information on Egyptian heritage to the Egyptian people.
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