جريدة الدستور : نرشح هذه الكلمه لتكون مسوده برنامجه فى الانتخابات الرئاسيه
08/05/2009
محمد البرادعى :مصر تمر بمرحله حرجه رغم انها ارض الفرص .. والحريه تاتى من الحكم الرشيد واحترام حقوق الانسان
ترجمه وإعداد :علاء مصباح
نص الكلمة بالإنجليزية:08/05/2009
محمد البرادعى :مصر تمر بمرحله حرجه رغم انها ارض الفرص .. والحريه تاتى من الحكم الرشيد واحترام حقوق الانسان
ترجمه وإعداد :علاء مصباح
في التاسع من فبراير 2006 ألقي د.محمد البرادعي كلمة في حفل تخرج طلاب الجامعة الأمريكية «خريف 2005»، وفي الكلمة التي ألقاها مدير الوكالة الدولية للطاقة النووية باللغة الإنجليزية، قدَّم الرجل ما يمكن وصفه بـ«عصير خبراته» مسترجعًا بعض اللحظات الثرية والعصيبة في مسيرة حياته، رابطًا بين الشخصي والعام، داعيًا طلاب الجامعة الأمريكية - والشباب وطلاب العلم بصفة عامة - إلي عدم التوقف عن التفكير وطلب العلم واستغلال الفرص المتاحة،
مؤكدًا -رغم أنه عاش التفوق خارج الوطن - أن فرص النجاح في مصر كبيرة، وأن مصر تحتاج أبناءها الآن أكثر من أي وقت مضي، ليرفعوا عنها ميراث التأخر والتخلف الذي تعيش فيه منذ سنوات، وأن الحرية هي مفتاح النجاح، هي نفس الحرية التي لا يمكن أن تأتي إلا عبر «حكم رشيد» يحترم حقوق الإنسان ويقدم للشعب الرخاء الاقتصادي والرعاية الاجتماعية.
كلمة البرادعي- إن أراد - تصلح مسودة لبرنامج انتخابي لواحد من أبرز الكفاءات المصرية المهاجرة، التي ربما أن الآوان لتعود إلي الجذور وتشارك بفاعلية في تطوير الوطن، وتعكس الكلمة ثقافة عالية وإلمامًا بالعلوم والفنون والسياسة، وقدرة لافتة علي اختيار الجمل والعبارات الموجزة المؤثرة دون خطابية زاعقة، بدرجة تجعلها ممتعة في قراءتها بقدر الاستفادة التي يخرج منها قارئها.
نص الكلمة
عندما كنت في طريقي من قصر ملك النرويج إلي مدينة أوسلو لتسلم جائزة نوبل للسلام وجدت نفسي أراجع تاريخي والأحداث المهمة في حياتي والدروس التي تعلمتها علي طول الطريق، وأود أن أشاركها معكم.
أولا: لا تتوقف عن التفكير و طلب العلم و استغل الفرص المتاحة أمامك.أتذكر أنني كنت طفلاً فضوليًا أحب أن أتعلم وأستكشف بنفسي. أمي تقول لي إنني كنت كلما ابتعت لعبة جديدة أكسرها أجزاء صغيرة لاستكشفها. أفهم الآن لماذا كنت افعل ذلك. لأنني كنت أريد أن أعرف كيف تعمل هذه اللعبة؟كنت دائما أطرح أسئلة كثيرة ما تتسبب في مشاكل لوالدي. في المدرسة والجامعة ضقت ذرعا من الموضوعات الإجبارية في التعليم. أعرف أنه كان من الضروري أن أتعلمها لكنني شعرت بالخلاص عندما انتهيت منها.عندما بدأت الدراسة في جامعة نيويورك فوجئت بالبروفيسور يعطينا «امتحان المنزل «take-home exam»أي امتحان تحله في بيتك ومسموح لك باستخدام أي كتاب في العالم. عندها تعلمت أن التعليم ليس كم تحفظ من المعلومات؛ لكنه تطوير قدراتك لتستخدمها في استكشاف نفسك والعالم الذي يحيط بك.إن تعليمنا يزودنا بالمعرفة والأدوات التي نحتاجها لنفكر ولابد أن نشكر أساتذتنا علي ذلك. وعلي هذا لدي معلومة مهمة لكم: الجزء الأساسي مما تتعلمه في حياتك يأتي بعد أن تنتهي من التعليم الرسمي.لقد قال الفيلسوف مورتيمر ألدير: «لا أحد يكتفي من التعليم في المدرسة مهما كانت مدة تعلمه أو مدي كفاءة هذا التعليم»، والسبب أن هدف التعليم هو توسيع مداركك وعقولنا -علي عكس أجسادنا - يمكنها أن تستمر في النمو كلما استمررنا في الحياة. كان ذلك صحيحا في حالتي.لذلك فنصيحتي لكم أن تستمروا في التعلم، أنتم الآن تتركون الجامعة لتخرجوا إلي الفصل الأوسع للتعلم: «العالم الحقيقي». الحياة مثل امتحان بيت مستمر take-home» «examفي نيويورك حيث بدأت عملي الدبلوماسي كان العالم كله متاحًا لاستكشافه لي. قررت أن أستغل وقتي هناك لعمل دكتوراة مستغلا المنحة التي فزت بها. كان ذلك غريبا بالنسبة لأصدقائي وزملائي أن أترك العمل الدبلوماسي لأعود أدرس من جديد وأسكن مع طلبة في مسكن للطلبة.ووجدتني أحاول أن أستوعب العالم الجديد الذي أحياه محاولا أن أتعلم ما لم أتعلمه في مصر. بدأت أذهب إلي الأوبرا وألعب البيسبول، وأدرس الفن الحديث وأستوعب الناس المختلفين الذين يسكنون هذه المدينة.باختصار لقد خضت خبرات جديدة.وتعلمت من خلال تجربتي أنه لا توجد حقيقة كاملة. لا يوجد أبيض أو أسود. فقط توجد منطقة رمادية كبيرة تتمدد كلما حاولنا أن نفهم العالم ونفهم أنفسنا. الحقيقة الوحيدة أننا كلنا جزء من عالم واحد وكلنا نتشارك القيم الأساسية. يجب أن نكون جميعا فخورين بجذورنا وهويتنا وثقافتنا.
ثانيا : عش حياتك واستمتع بها . لكن يجب أيضا أن نتذكر أن أحلامنا وطموحاتنا ومخاوفنا وحبنا للحرية هي أشياء يريدها الكل وأشياء مشتركة بيننا جميعا كبشر. ما يوحدنا جميعا كبشر أقيم بكثير مما يفرقنا.كل واحد منا تأتيه فرصة واحدة علي الأقل في حياته، المهم أن تستغل هذه الفرصة جيدا عندما تسنح لك.. أول فرصة جاءت لي منذ سنوات قليلة عندما عدت إلي مصر وذهبت منها إلي جنيف كدبلوماسي رفيع المستوي، وعندما ذهبت لمكتبي ذات صباح وجدت خطابا من أستاذي في جامعة نيويورك يقدم لي عرضا للعمل في الأمم المتحدة. وكانت هذه هي بداية 25 عاما من خدمة المجتمع الدولي، المهنة التي أنا مستمر فيها حتي الآن.لا شك أن أباءكم وأساتذتكم قد أوضحوا لكم أنهم أكثر خبرة منكم ولابد أن تسمعوا لنصائحهم، وهذه ضرورة لا شك فيها. لأنك أيضا لابد أن تستمع إلي صوتك الداخلي. كونك مختلفا مبتكرا تفعل شيئا يميزك عن الآخرين. عقلك هو ما يميزك كإنسان عن أي عضو في قطيع من الماشية. لابد أن تستكشف نفسك وتعبر عن رأيك وتعيش حياتك وليس حياة أي شخص آخر.يجب أن تتحلوا بالفضول وحب التجربة الذي كنتم عليه عندما كنتم أطفالا..يجب أن تظلوا أطفالا يكبرون. لديك حياة واحدة تعيشها. يجب أن تكون لديك الشجاعة لتعبر عن نفسك وعن معتقداتك، وأن تتبع ما تشعر به. إذا فعلت ذلك ربما تخسر معارك قليلة لكنك ستربح الحرب.لقد مررت بمواقف كثيرة صعبة مؤخرا كان ضروريا فيها أن أقول الحقيقة بقوة في أوقات السلم والحرب.وفي نهاية المطاف سيلاحظ الناس ما فعلته،وها أنا ذا أتلقي دكتوراة فخرية في القانون من الجامعة الأمريكية اليوم.لكن المكافأة العظمي هي الإحساس بالرضا والثقة في مبادئك وفي أن تكون صادقا مع نفسك. إن ذهني الآن يستعيد ذكري لقائي لتلك المرأة التي تخرجت في الجامعة الأمريكية والتي شاركتني الحياة لثلاثين عاما. إنها زوجتي عايدة. كنا نعيش معا في شقة متواضعة في شارع الفلكي في بداية زواجنا. كان أحد أهدافنا في الحياة أن ننتقل لشقة أكبر تستوعبنا مع ابنتنا ليلي وكلبنا الكبير دانيل وأن نكسب مالا أكثر من 76 جنيها مصريا مرتبي كالسكرتير الثالث في وزارة الخارجية!
ثانيا : عش حياتك واستمتع بها . لكن يجب أيضا أن نتذكر أن أحلامنا وطموحاتنا ومخاوفنا وحبنا للحرية هي أشياء يريدها الكل وأشياء مشتركة بيننا جميعا كبشر. ما يوحدنا جميعا كبشر أقيم بكثير مما يفرقنا.كل واحد منا تأتيه فرصة واحدة علي الأقل في حياته، المهم أن تستغل هذه الفرصة جيدا عندما تسنح لك.. أول فرصة جاءت لي منذ سنوات قليلة عندما عدت إلي مصر وذهبت منها إلي جنيف كدبلوماسي رفيع المستوي، وعندما ذهبت لمكتبي ذات صباح وجدت خطابا من أستاذي في جامعة نيويورك يقدم لي عرضا للعمل في الأمم المتحدة. وكانت هذه هي بداية 25 عاما من خدمة المجتمع الدولي، المهنة التي أنا مستمر فيها حتي الآن.لا شك أن أباءكم وأساتذتكم قد أوضحوا لكم أنهم أكثر خبرة منكم ولابد أن تسمعوا لنصائحهم، وهذه ضرورة لا شك فيها. لأنك أيضا لابد أن تستمع إلي صوتك الداخلي. كونك مختلفا مبتكرا تفعل شيئا يميزك عن الآخرين. عقلك هو ما يميزك كإنسان عن أي عضو في قطيع من الماشية. لابد أن تستكشف نفسك وتعبر عن رأيك وتعيش حياتك وليس حياة أي شخص آخر.يجب أن تتحلوا بالفضول وحب التجربة الذي كنتم عليه عندما كنتم أطفالا..يجب أن تظلوا أطفالا يكبرون. لديك حياة واحدة تعيشها. يجب أن تكون لديك الشجاعة لتعبر عن نفسك وعن معتقداتك، وأن تتبع ما تشعر به. إذا فعلت ذلك ربما تخسر معارك قليلة لكنك ستربح الحرب.لقد مررت بمواقف كثيرة صعبة مؤخرا كان ضروريا فيها أن أقول الحقيقة بقوة في أوقات السلم والحرب.وفي نهاية المطاف سيلاحظ الناس ما فعلته،وها أنا ذا أتلقي دكتوراة فخرية في القانون من الجامعة الأمريكية اليوم.لكن المكافأة العظمي هي الإحساس بالرضا والثقة في مبادئك وفي أن تكون صادقا مع نفسك. إن ذهني الآن يستعيد ذكري لقائي لتلك المرأة التي تخرجت في الجامعة الأمريكية والتي شاركتني الحياة لثلاثين عاما. إنها زوجتي عايدة. كنا نعيش معا في شقة متواضعة في شارع الفلكي في بداية زواجنا. كان أحد أهدافنا في الحياة أن ننتقل لشقة أكبر تستوعبنا مع ابنتنا ليلي وكلبنا الكبير دانيل وأن نكسب مالا أكثر من 76 جنيها مصريا مرتبي كالسكرتير الثالث في وزارة الخارجية!
مصر أرض الفرص. لديك هنا الفرصة لتحقق أحلامك الشخصية وتقوم بواجبك الاجتماعي تجاه بلدك. كونك تنتمي لإحدي أفضل المؤسسات التعليمية في البلد يؤهلك لأن تصنع فارقا وتقدم شيئا مختلفا. في أي مجال تختاره للعمل يمكنك أن تشارك في صنع مستقبل بلدك.مصر تحتاجك الآن أكثر من أي وقت مضي. في تقرير الأمم المتحدة للتنمية البشرية 2005 كانت مصر تحتل المرتبة 119 من بين 177 بسبب معدل الأمية الذي يصل الي44 % و بسبب مستوي المعيشة. أكثر من 55 % من مجتمعنا - لاسيما المرأة والأقليات- خارج الحياة السياسية تماما.. هذا هو موقفنا الآن، ولديك الاختيار..يمكنك أن تعيش منعزلا عن هذا الموقف ويمكنك أن تشارك في صنع مجتمع خلاَّق وبنَّاء.المصريون مبتكرون وأكفاء. ضعهم في البيئة الصحيحة ولسوف يتجاوزون توقعاتك. العمل لتحسين ظروف المعيشة لمواطنيك هو أذكي استثمار يمكنك أن تقوم به في مستقبلك ومستقبل هذه البلد.. أناس قليلون علي الأرض شاركوا بفاعلية في صنع الحضارة. قدمت مصر للعالم أول أبجدية عرفها التاريخ، وكانت مهد أول عقيدة عرفها التاريخ البشري، في حضارتنا الفرعونية كانت المرأة مساوية تماما للرجل وكانت هناك ملكات وفراعنة من النساء. تمر مصر الآن بمرحلة حرجة من الانتقال. من مجتمع مغلق إلي مجتمع متحضر حر يقوم علي الديمقراطية و تقبل الاختلاف. الشباب هم من يمكنهم أن يتقدموا بهذه الأمة. يمكنك أن تفعل ذلك بالحرص أن يتمتع الآخرون بمدي الحرية التي تتمتع بها. الحرية التي تتكلم بها. الحرية التي تتعبد بها. الحرية من الخوف. الحرية من الحاجة.. الحرية تأتي من الحكم الرشيد، من احترام حقوق الإنسان، من الرخاء الاقتصادي والرعاية الاجتماعية. الحرية تخرج أفضل ما فيك و أفضل ما فيك سيأخذك إلي ما تريد..
إن رسائلي إليكم اليوم بسيطة للغاية. لا تتوقف علي التعلم و التفكير. استعد لاستغلال الفرصة عندما تأتيك. عامل الآخرين بتفهم، إننا جميعا جزء من الأسرة البشرية. عش حياتك الخاصة واستمتع بها. كن فخورا بتاريخك وميراثك و شارك بقوة في مستقبل بلدك
Statement To Commencement Ceremony At American University in Cairo (AUC)
by IAEA Director General Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei
As I was on my way from the palace of the King of Norway to the Oslo city hall to
As I was on my way from the palace of the King of Norway to the Oslo city hall to
receive the Nobel Peace Prize, I found myself reminiscing about my life - the twists and turns it had taken, and the lessons I had learned along the way.
1. Keep thinking and learning, and use your opportunities: I remembered that I was a very curious child. I liked to explore and discover. My mother used to lament that once I got a new toy, I would break it to pieces in no time. To me that made perfect sense - how else would I learn how things worked? I was known to ask questions that often got me into trouble with my parents. Both at school and university, I hated rote learning and the often boring subjects that were part of the curriculum. I knew I had to go through it, but (like I'm sure you are feeling today) I was quite relieved when it was over. So when I started my graduate work at New York University, I was baffled one Friday afternoon to be handed a so-called "take-home" exam! I was told that I had all the books in the world to consult over the weekend before I handed in my answers Monday morning. It gradually dawned on me then, and I came to realize to my great relief - that education is not really about how much they try to cram into your head. It is about developing the intellectual skills to be able to keep on learning about yourself and the world you live in. Our education provides us with some knowledge and the tools to think, and we should thank our professors for that. But I have news for you: the major part of what you learn will come after your formal education. The philosopher Mortimer Adler put it well when he said that, "No one can be fully educated in school, no matter how long the schooling or how good it is." This is because - he went on to say, "The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live." This could not be more true in my case. So the first point I would make to you is this: Keep thinking and learning. You may be closing the door on the university classroom, but you are about to enter the biggest classroom of all: the "real world". Life is like an extended take-home exam. You have many references at your disposal, but ultimately you will need to turn in your answers. And the questions are tough. How should I live my life? What values will I uphold? Where do I want to make a contribution? In New York, where I was posted as a junior diplomat, a whole new world was there for me, and I was ready with an open mind to take it all in. I decided to take time off to do a doctoral degree, taking advantage of a scholarship I had earned while doing my Master's part time. This was against the advice of my "wise" colleagues and friends, who could not for the life of them understand why I should leave the easy life of the foreign service and go back to living in a dorm on a shoe string budget. Along with my studies, I immersed myself fully in the "new world", trying to learn and understand as much as I could about the many things I was not exposed to in Egypt. I got myself a cheap subscription to the opera, went to baseball games, learned about modern art - which became one of my passions - and more importantly was eager to get to know and understand the many different people that inhabited this melting pot of a city. In short, I honed my skills, and broadened my experience. Perhaps one important lesson I learned from this time is that there is no ultimate truth, no black or white, but mostly a vast grey area that continues to evolve, as we keep trying to understand the world and ourselves. Maybe the only ultimate truth is that we are all part of one human family with shared core values. We should all be proud of our roots, our identity and culture, but we should always remember that our hopes, our fears, our sense of justice and our longing for freedom are common to us all. What unites us is much more than what divides us. And the sooner we realize this, the better off we are. Everyone gets an opportunity at least once in a lifetime, but when an opportunity knocks on your door you have to be ready. And my first opportunity came a few years after I had returned to Egypt, and then gone on to Geneva - this time as a mid-level diplomat - when I went to my office one morning to find a letter from one of my former professors in New York, offering me an exciting job with the United Nations. Professors could be useful after all! This was the start of 25 years of international civil service, the career in which I continue today.
2. Live your own life, and take joy in it: I have no doubt that your parents and professors have made it clear that they are the reservoir of wisdom and good advice, and that you should listen to them. And you should. But ultimately, you must listen to your inner voice. Being different, creative, dissident or in the minority is sometimes painful. But that is what distinguishes a thinking human being from a member in a herd of sheep. You should assert yourself, express your views and live your life, and not anybody else's. You should retain the curiosity, excitement and spontaneity of your childhood. You should continue to be a grownup child. You have one life and it is yours to live. And above all, you should have the courage to express your own convictions and beliefs and follow your conscience. If you do that you may lose a few battles, but you will win the war. My late father, the President of the Egyptian Bar Association, was harassed in 1961 when, in the midst of the most repressive era in modern Egyptian history, he dared to call for democracy and a free press - as he believed deeply that freedom is our hope and our salvation. I too have gone through difficult times in recent years, when I had to speak truth to power on matters of war and peace. But at the end of the day, sticking to principles pays off. Stamps were issued to commemorate my father, and to recognize my work, and I am also receiving a Doctorate of Laws degree here today. But beyond this recognition, the biggest pay-off in sticking to your principles is the deep satisfaction that you have been true to yourself. My mind now goes back to the time when I met this amazing fresh AUC graduate with whom I have been sharing my life for the last 30 years. I remember the modest apartment my wife Aida and I had in Falaki Street, not far from your university, at the beginning of our marriage. One of our main goals in life at that time was to get a bigger apartment to accommodate our newborn daughter, Laila, and our huge dog, Daniel - and more importantly, to earn more money than the 76 Egyptian Pounds per month I was taking home as Third Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But as you grow older - more "mature" would be the politically correct word - you realize that once you have achieved a decent standard of living, material acquisitions add little to your happiness or sense of fulfillment. It is the non-material aspects that bring meaning and value to your life: the joy of bringing a smile to a child's face, helping a sick person, taking a walk on the beach or sharing a moment with a friend. I am not telling you to give up your dream of having a fancy car or a nice home - but I am telling you that this alone is not the road to happiness.
3. Be proud of your heritage, and have trust in yourself: Egypt is a land of ample opportunity. The opportunity both to achieve your personal dreams and to fulfill your social responsibility, with the satisfaction that comes from both. Being in one of the country's best learning institutions, you have a head start and are in a unique position to make a difference. But with that privilege comes responsibility. Whatever career you choose to pursue, I would ask you to be engaged in the future of our country. Egypt needs you now more than at any time before - your skills, your energy and your contribution. The 2005 United Nations Human Development Report, which ranks countries according to their level of human development, ranks Egypt as number 119 out of 177 countries. This is because our illiteracy rate continues to be at 44%, and our standard of living and life expectancy continue to be below average. Moreover, 50% of our society - women, as well as minorities - remain completely marginalized in political life. Given this situation, you have a choice to make: you can choose to live in isolation as part of the ghetto of the privileged, or you can choose to be genuinely engaged in building a fair, inclusive and dynamic society. Egyptians are creative and resourceful, with a deep sense of humanity. Put them in the right environment, and they will excel. Working to improve the conditions of life for your fellow citizens is therefore the smartest investment you can make in your future and the future of this country. Few peoples on earth have contributed so much to civilization. Egypt is credited with developing the earliest known alphabet. Egypt was the birthplace of the earliest monotheistic religion in human history. The scientific method of understanding the natural world can be traced back to Egypt. In ancient Egyptian culture, women were equal to men, both as a matter of law and in practice - and some of them went on to be queens and pharaohs. This is a legacy that should give us a good deal of pride and inspiration. Egypt is now going through a critical period of transition: from autocracy to a nascent democracy - from a repressive society based on conformity and exclusion to a free society based on diversity and inclusion. As young people, it is you who can make a difference and move this country forward. You can do this through working hard to ensure that everyone enjoys the freedoms they are entitled to. The freedom to speak. The freedom to worship. The freedom from fear. And the freedom from want. With freedom comes good governance, respect for human rights, economic prosperity and social solidarity. Freedom brings out the best in you, and the best in you will take you to where you want to go.
So my messages to you today are simple. Keep thinking and learning. Be ready for opportunity when it comes. Treat others with the understanding that we are all part of one human family. Live your own life, and take joy in it. Be proud of your heritage. And engage fully in the future of our country.
God bless you all.
1. Keep thinking and learning, and use your opportunities: I remembered that I was a very curious child. I liked to explore and discover. My mother used to lament that once I got a new toy, I would break it to pieces in no time. To me that made perfect sense - how else would I learn how things worked? I was known to ask questions that often got me into trouble with my parents. Both at school and university, I hated rote learning and the often boring subjects that were part of the curriculum. I knew I had to go through it, but (like I'm sure you are feeling today) I was quite relieved when it was over. So when I started my graduate work at New York University, I was baffled one Friday afternoon to be handed a so-called "take-home" exam! I was told that I had all the books in the world to consult over the weekend before I handed in my answers Monday morning. It gradually dawned on me then, and I came to realize to my great relief - that education is not really about how much they try to cram into your head. It is about developing the intellectual skills to be able to keep on learning about yourself and the world you live in. Our education provides us with some knowledge and the tools to think, and we should thank our professors for that. But I have news for you: the major part of what you learn will come after your formal education. The philosopher Mortimer Adler put it well when he said that, "No one can be fully educated in school, no matter how long the schooling or how good it is." This is because - he went on to say, "The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live." This could not be more true in my case. So the first point I would make to you is this: Keep thinking and learning. You may be closing the door on the university classroom, but you are about to enter the biggest classroom of all: the "real world". Life is like an extended take-home exam. You have many references at your disposal, but ultimately you will need to turn in your answers. And the questions are tough. How should I live my life? What values will I uphold? Where do I want to make a contribution? In New York, where I was posted as a junior diplomat, a whole new world was there for me, and I was ready with an open mind to take it all in. I decided to take time off to do a doctoral degree, taking advantage of a scholarship I had earned while doing my Master's part time. This was against the advice of my "wise" colleagues and friends, who could not for the life of them understand why I should leave the easy life of the foreign service and go back to living in a dorm on a shoe string budget. Along with my studies, I immersed myself fully in the "new world", trying to learn and understand as much as I could about the many things I was not exposed to in Egypt. I got myself a cheap subscription to the opera, went to baseball games, learned about modern art - which became one of my passions - and more importantly was eager to get to know and understand the many different people that inhabited this melting pot of a city. In short, I honed my skills, and broadened my experience. Perhaps one important lesson I learned from this time is that there is no ultimate truth, no black or white, but mostly a vast grey area that continues to evolve, as we keep trying to understand the world and ourselves. Maybe the only ultimate truth is that we are all part of one human family with shared core values. We should all be proud of our roots, our identity and culture, but we should always remember that our hopes, our fears, our sense of justice and our longing for freedom are common to us all. What unites us is much more than what divides us. And the sooner we realize this, the better off we are. Everyone gets an opportunity at least once in a lifetime, but when an opportunity knocks on your door you have to be ready. And my first opportunity came a few years after I had returned to Egypt, and then gone on to Geneva - this time as a mid-level diplomat - when I went to my office one morning to find a letter from one of my former professors in New York, offering me an exciting job with the United Nations. Professors could be useful after all! This was the start of 25 years of international civil service, the career in which I continue today.
2. Live your own life, and take joy in it: I have no doubt that your parents and professors have made it clear that they are the reservoir of wisdom and good advice, and that you should listen to them. And you should. But ultimately, you must listen to your inner voice. Being different, creative, dissident or in the minority is sometimes painful. But that is what distinguishes a thinking human being from a member in a herd of sheep. You should assert yourself, express your views and live your life, and not anybody else's. You should retain the curiosity, excitement and spontaneity of your childhood. You should continue to be a grownup child. You have one life and it is yours to live. And above all, you should have the courage to express your own convictions and beliefs and follow your conscience. If you do that you may lose a few battles, but you will win the war. My late father, the President of the Egyptian Bar Association, was harassed in 1961 when, in the midst of the most repressive era in modern Egyptian history, he dared to call for democracy and a free press - as he believed deeply that freedom is our hope and our salvation. I too have gone through difficult times in recent years, when I had to speak truth to power on matters of war and peace. But at the end of the day, sticking to principles pays off. Stamps were issued to commemorate my father, and to recognize my work, and I am also receiving a Doctorate of Laws degree here today. But beyond this recognition, the biggest pay-off in sticking to your principles is the deep satisfaction that you have been true to yourself. My mind now goes back to the time when I met this amazing fresh AUC graduate with whom I have been sharing my life for the last 30 years. I remember the modest apartment my wife Aida and I had in Falaki Street, not far from your university, at the beginning of our marriage. One of our main goals in life at that time was to get a bigger apartment to accommodate our newborn daughter, Laila, and our huge dog, Daniel - and more importantly, to earn more money than the 76 Egyptian Pounds per month I was taking home as Third Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But as you grow older - more "mature" would be the politically correct word - you realize that once you have achieved a decent standard of living, material acquisitions add little to your happiness or sense of fulfillment. It is the non-material aspects that bring meaning and value to your life: the joy of bringing a smile to a child's face, helping a sick person, taking a walk on the beach or sharing a moment with a friend. I am not telling you to give up your dream of having a fancy car or a nice home - but I am telling you that this alone is not the road to happiness.
3. Be proud of your heritage, and have trust in yourself: Egypt is a land of ample opportunity. The opportunity both to achieve your personal dreams and to fulfill your social responsibility, with the satisfaction that comes from both. Being in one of the country's best learning institutions, you have a head start and are in a unique position to make a difference. But with that privilege comes responsibility. Whatever career you choose to pursue, I would ask you to be engaged in the future of our country. Egypt needs you now more than at any time before - your skills, your energy and your contribution. The 2005 United Nations Human Development Report, which ranks countries according to their level of human development, ranks Egypt as number 119 out of 177 countries. This is because our illiteracy rate continues to be at 44%, and our standard of living and life expectancy continue to be below average. Moreover, 50% of our society - women, as well as minorities - remain completely marginalized in political life. Given this situation, you have a choice to make: you can choose to live in isolation as part of the ghetto of the privileged, or you can choose to be genuinely engaged in building a fair, inclusive and dynamic society. Egyptians are creative and resourceful, with a deep sense of humanity. Put them in the right environment, and they will excel. Working to improve the conditions of life for your fellow citizens is therefore the smartest investment you can make in your future and the future of this country. Few peoples on earth have contributed so much to civilization. Egypt is credited with developing the earliest known alphabet. Egypt was the birthplace of the earliest monotheistic religion in human history. The scientific method of understanding the natural world can be traced back to Egypt. In ancient Egyptian culture, women were equal to men, both as a matter of law and in practice - and some of them went on to be queens and pharaohs. This is a legacy that should give us a good deal of pride and inspiration. Egypt is now going through a critical period of transition: from autocracy to a nascent democracy - from a repressive society based on conformity and exclusion to a free society based on diversity and inclusion. As young people, it is you who can make a difference and move this country forward. You can do this through working hard to ensure that everyone enjoys the freedoms they are entitled to. The freedom to speak. The freedom to worship. The freedom from fear. And the freedom from want. With freedom comes good governance, respect for human rights, economic prosperity and social solidarity. Freedom brings out the best in you, and the best in you will take you to where you want to go.
So my messages to you today are simple. Keep thinking and learning. Be ready for opportunity when it comes. Treat others with the understanding that we are all part of one human family. Live your own life, and take joy in it. Be proud of your heritage. And engage fully in the future of our country.
God bless you all.
