Expatriate Copts have more often than not been the target of harsh criticism for being out of touch with their homeland and for fomenting trouble by ‘exaggerating’ on Coptic grievances at home. But lately, it appears that expatriate Coptic activists have decided to move to Egyptian turf and work among and with Egyptians at home, thereby definitely proving that their major goal is to do their bit in helping ameliorate conditions in Egypt.
Earlier this month Cairo witnessed the launching of “Hand in Hand for Egypt”, an NGO established by Michael Meunier, president of the US Copts Association. Throughout the last two years Mr Meunier had been a frequent visitor to Egypt, talking to the people and opening channels of dialogue with the Egyptian administration.
No to apathy
Mr Meunier said that Hand in Hand was an NGO that operated according to Egyptian law—incidentally, Egyptian notorious red tape took a full year-and-a-half years to licence the NGO, Mr Meunier told Watani—with the aim of promoting citizen participation in the reform process and in attaining equality and a decent life for all in Egypt. Hand in Hand, he said, planned to achieve this through offering training and exchange programmes for Egyptian young people in order for them to overcome their apathy and become active community members. The age group of 15 – 45 forms 60 per cent of Egyptian society but, sadly, its members are sorely missing from participation in political parties and activities. “We plan to exploit the current, unprecedented level of freedom in Egypt, Mr Meunier said, to attract young people to public life and to promote inter-community dialogue.”
To begin with, Mr Meunier said, Hand in Hand has on its board and among its members an excellent group of Egyptian Muslim and Coptic liberals including, to mention but a few, Tareq Higgy, Rushdy Saïd, Youssef Sidhom, Naguib Sawiris, Samia al-Muteem, and Hala Mustafa.
On the ground
Samia al-Muteem remarked that Hand in Hand was dedicated to upholding citizenship rights. With syndicate and legislative elections on all levels being held in Egypt, she said, it was necessary for young people to take part. Hand in Hand was there to train them and promote dialogue between them, ultimately to make decision-makers out of them.
But it was left to Youssef Sidhom, board chairman of Watani Corporation and chief editor of Watani newspaper, to demonstrate an on-the-ground experience in the field. Watani Youth Parliament, he said, is now eight years old and running strong. It has proved, Mr Sidhom said, that, given the opportunity and the freedom, Egypt’s young people are capable of shouldering the responsibility of public work. “Young people, he said, are entitled to this opportunity, and we in turn are entitled to take them to account for what they make out of it.” Watani’s youth parliament promotes acceptance of the other, respect of difference and plurality. Mr Sidhom asked the attendants to meet again in a year’s time to assess Hand in Hand’s one-year achievement.
Copts for Egypt
Several young attendants were members in political parties and related their experiences as such. Some applauded their parties’ encouragement of youth while others criticised parties in which a patriarchal culture reigned, denying young people any opportunity at leadership.
The young intellectual Emad Gad of Al-Ahram Strategic Studies placed the blame squarely on Egypt’s rote-learning educational system for bringing up young people incapable of creativity or accepting plurality. “It will take a full generation for any fruits of reform to be seen,” he said. The young generation needs to be educated in democracy which is erroneously seen as no more than the ballot box. Hand in Hand should help sow the seeds of a real culture of democracy based on equality, plurality, transparency, and rotation of power, Mr Gad remarked.
But is Mr Meunier giving up his work on behalf of Copts, Watani asked. “Definitely not,” he replied. “Work for Copts is work for Egypt, and work for Egypt is work for Copts.”