Egypt's Immigration Min.: We need to support "speak Arabic" initiative within universities and international schools

CAIRO - 25 May 2020: Nabila Makram, Minister of Immigration, said that the "Speak Arabic" initiative launched by the Ministry of Immigration aims to consolidate the concept of Egyptian identity among the Egyptian people at home and abroad, in addition to teach the Arabic language and our customs and traditions.

The immigration minister said: We need to activate and support the initiative to speak Arabic inside the country in foreign universities and international schools, as it is a responsibility at home and abroad.

The move was done in cooperation with Nahdet Misr Group.

The ministry made a presentation on the initiative that crowns two-year efforts.

Makram said the initiative is important to promote Arabic language and Egyptian culture among the second and third generations of Egyptian expats with the aim of linking them to their motherland.

It will help them learn more on the great Egyptian civilization and the accomplishments of the Egyptian state nowadays, she added.

"Our children are facing a war both inside and outside to erase their national identity," she said, adding that the ministry organized more than 15 camps via video conference to make Egyptian expats more connected to the homeland.

Videos promoting the initiative drew 200 million views, she said, adding that the initiative is an example of cooperation between the government and the private sector represented in Nahdet Misr Group.

The first stage of the initiative targets Egyptian children aged between 3 to 6 years old, she said, urging their parents to sit with their children to help them deal with the application.

The other stages of the initiative will target older age groups, she said, noting that the application is not for reading and writing in its usual form but it was prepared in an attractive way through a cartoon trip to shed light on Egypt's customs, tourist places and culture in an attractive way.

She added that the ministry held several sessions with writers, journalists and thinkers to listen to their ideas and opinions in this regard.

The initiative was launched by the ministry in 2019 but came into force in 2020 under the sponsorship of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.