A group of 26 delegates from Egypt recently visited the Faculty of World Studies in the University of Tehran.
The delegates, who consisted of professors from various Egyptian universities, members and activists of NGOs, and Egyptian lawyers and scholars, met with Dr. Ali Akbar Alikhani, head of the Iraqi and Egyptian Studies program, and with other faculty at FWS.
Dr. Alikhani extended a warm welcome to the guests, and gave a brief overview about the importance of establishing an Egyptian studies major at FWS, expressing that Iran and Egypt are two nations with two great civilizations. They each have a long history, and the one common trait they have is the Islamic religion.
Dr. Alikhani insisted that the cultural, social, and religious commonalities call for deeper political, financial, and cultural relations, so as two ancient civilizations in the current age can take steps towards growth and success in various areas.
The FWS professor referred to the Islamic religion as a common religion of the Iranians and the Egyptians, and reassured that Islam is the religion of equality, peace and friendship. Having good relations with others is among its teachings. In order to have good relations, he added, there must be proper awareness, and good relations can take place when the two sides learn and understand each other. Therefore, we established the Egyptian studies major with this thought in mind to learn about the country and the people of Egypt, which can lead to better and stronger ties in the future.
Also in response to another question about student admission, Alikhani said FWS does not discriminate students based on race, nationality, sex, or religious sects, rather individuals are admitted to the programs according to their intellectual and academic achievements.
When asked about the mission, structure and scientific methods of FWS and its majors, Alikhani expressed that in order to properly teach about a region, one must teach in the country’s original language, a tactic which is carried out at FWS courses.
In the end, the guests were introduced to Dr. Javad Sharbaf, FWS Associate Dean for Finance and Administration and head of Palestinian Studies, who spoke further about the Palestinian Studies program.
