[:en]Heliopolis University and the Center for Arab-West Understanding host successful International Summer School[:ar]مركز التقارب بين العرب والغرب وجامعة هليوبوليس يستضيفان مدرسة صيفية دولية ناجحة[:]

[:en]From June 26 to July 7, the Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development and the Center for Arab-West Understanding jointly administered a highly successful intercultural summer school. The school was sponsored through the SGP party (Reformed Political Party) in the Netherlands who support strong relations between Egypt and Europe. Most sessions of the summer school were held on the campus of Heliopolis University, but there were also numerous excursions to important sites in and around Cairo.

More than twenty students arrived from countries as diverse as Egypt, Tunisia, Brazil, India, South Korea, Austria, and the Netherlands. They participated in a program which combined constructive dialogue, academic instruction, team-building exercises, as well as music and the arts. They explored important topics such as cultural relations between Europe and the Middle East, interreligious dialogue, and the role of the arts in intercultural dialogue. Pedagogically, the summer school emphasized interactive learning through dialogue rather than more traditional approaches. The school also provided students with the opportunity to visit several sites, including the Pyramids, the Egyptian Museum, and Sekem Farms. The student group also visited Salam Medical Center in al-Qanatir directed by Dr. Freddy al-Baiady, a former member of the Egyptian Shura Council. Beyond offering medical services to many low-income families, the center models interfaith cooperation as both Christians and Muslims work together. Interfaith cooperation for a sustainable future was an important theme of the school.

The summer school hosted several prominent lecturers, including Dr. Hasan Wageih, professor of political science and linguistics at al-Azhar University; Mr. Bas Belder, Dutch member of the European Parliament; Dr. Hoda Awad, professor of political science at Misr University, Dr. Ahmad al-Ghobashy, professor of history at the Heliopolis University, and Johan Snell, senior journalism professor at Ede’s Christian University in the Netherlands.

The feedback from students at the summer school has been very positive. Students from diverse countries, cultures, and religious viewpoints were able to communicate constructively with one another and develop positive relationships. The Heliopolis University and the Center for Arab-West Understanding are now talking about further cooperation including organizing a new summer school next year.

Matthew Anderson

[:ar]من يوم 26 من يونيو إلى 7 من يوليو، أدارت بنجاح جامعة هليوبوليس للتنمية المستدامة مع مركز التقارب بين العرب والغرب CAWU مدرسة صيفية لتعدد الثقافات. حدث ذلك برعاية الحزب الهولندي SGP (الحزب السياسي الإصلاحي) الذي يدعم توطيد العلاقات بين مصر وأوروبا. عُقدت معظم دورات المدرسة الصيفية في حرم جامعة هليوبوليس، ولكن كانت هناك أيضًا العديد من الرحلات إلى المواقع المهمة في القاهرة وما حولها.

حضر المدرسة الصيفية أكثر من عشرين طالبًا من دول مختلفة مثل مصر وتونس والبرازيل والهند وكوريا الجنوبية والنمسا وهولندا. وقد شاركوا في برنامج يجمع بين الحوار البناء، والتعليم الأكاديمي، وتمارين بناء الفريق، بالإضافة إلى الموسيقى والفنون. واستكشفوا موضوعات مهمة مثل العلاقات الثقافية بين أوروبا والشرق الأوسط، والحوار بين الأديان، ودور الفنون في التواصل بين الثقافات. ومن الناحية التربوية، قدمت المدرسة الصيفية التعلّم التفاعلي من خلال الحوار بدلاً من الطرق التقليدية. كما أعطت المدرسة الطلاب فرصة زيارة العديد من المزارات السياحية، بما في ذلك الأهرامات، والمتحف المصري، ومزارع سيكم. كذلك زارت مجموعة الطلاب مركز السلام الطبي بالقناطر الخيرية والذي يديره الدكتور فريدي البياضي، عضو سابق في مجلس الشورى المصري. وإلى جانب تقديم الخدمات الطبية للعديد من الأسر ذات الدخل المنخفض، يعمل المركز على تطوير التعاون بين الأديان، حيث يعمل فيه المسيحيون والمسلمون معاً. وقد كان التعاون بين الأديان من أجل مستقبل مستدام موضوعًا مهمًا للدراسة في المدرسة الصيفية.

استضافت المدرسة الصيفية عدد من المحاضرين البارزين، من بينهم الدكتور حسن وجيه، أستاذ العلوم السياسية واللغويات بجامعة الأزهر، والسيد باس بيلدر، عضو هولندي في البرلمان الأوروبي، والدكتورة هدى عوض، أستاذ العلوم السياسية بجامعة مصر، والدكتور أحمد الغباشي، أستاذ التاريخ بجامعة هليوبوليس، وجوان سنايل، أستاذ الصحافة البارز في جامعة إيدي المسيحية في هولندا.

كانت ردود الفعل من الطلاب في المدرسة الصيفية إيجابية للغاية. وكان الطلاب المشاركون من مختلف البلدان والثقافات وذوي وجهات نظر دينية مختلفة قادرين على التواصل بشكل بنّاء مع بعضهم البعض وإنشاء علاقات إيجابية. يبحدث الآن مركز التقارب بين العرب والغرب وجامعة هليوبوبيس عن مزيد من سبل التعاون، من بينها تنظيم مدرسة صيفية جديدة في العام المقبل.

ماثيو أندرسون

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MED-WET Partners Participate in Fundão Agricultural Innovation Fair, October 2024, Portugal

[:en] The MED-WET partners, including the team from Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development, had the opportunity to showcase their excellent results at the Fundão Agricultural Innovation Fair, held during (9-13) October 2024 in Portugal. This event provided a wonderful platform to widely share the project’s advancements, exchange insights, and engage with various international stakeholders in the water, energy and agricultural sectors. During the fair, the HUSD team actively participated in a parallel conference, where they delivered in-depth presentations and speech covering the MED-WET’s goals, achievements, and importance in advancing sustainable water management for climate-resilient agriculture among the rural and desert communities. At the heart of their presence was the MED-WET stand, which attracted significant attention of the majority of participants. It served as a focal point for information dissemination, providing an interactive space where farmers, agricultural experts, policymakers, and researchers could learn more about the project’s innovative approaches to water conservation and irrigation technology in arid regions. The stand featured detailed explanations of the project’s outcomes, including key findings and 3-D prototypes of the three technologies “Constructed Wetlands in Sekem El-Wahat, Solar energy-driven desalination for greenhouse agriculture in Malta and the SLECI Irrigation technology in Portugal and Morocco”. This obviously proven the MED-WET’s success in realizing efficient water management practices that contributed to sustainable farming and addressed water scarcity challenges in the Mediterranean region. Overall, the Fundão Agricultural Innovation Fair was a highly productive experience for all participants. It allowed the MED-WET team to expand their network, raise awareness about the critical issue of water scarcity, and underscore the project’s role in promoting sustainable agricultural practices across the Mediterranean region. The fair highlighted the increasing importance of collaborative efforts in addressing water conservation and irrigation challenges in agriculture, reinforcing the relevance of the MED-WET initiative. [:]

[:en]Showcasing the Med-Wet Project: Partners Participated in the Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Marketplace in Cairo[:]

[:en] One of the Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development’s successful research projects called “MED-WET” is selected among the top successful and highest performing 20 EU–Prima projects worldwide this year 2024. An international conference and fair was conducted on 3 Oct., 2024 in Cairo organized by Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in association with the European Commission (EC) office in Cairo. In which, a team from HUSD and MED-WET’s partner countries from Malta and Germany presented the key results of the MED-WET project, including the successfully developed three technologies (Constructed Wetlands in Sekem El-Wahat, Solar energy-driven desalination for greenhouse agriculture in Malta and the SLECI Irrigation technology in Portugal and Morocco). That mega event allowed HUSD to showcase the innovative solution of the low-cost, low-energy and nature-based “Instream Constructed Wetland” model addressing water challenges and climate change in the Mediterranean. Such innovations aim to conserve water, improve irrigation efficiency and tackle water scarcity (climate-resilient agriculture). The marketplace offered meaningful exchanges with international partners. HUSD’s team discussed potential collaborations with stakeholders who are interested in new research projects, which will help further amplify the impact of the Med-Wet project. The conversations done with promising future partners underscored the importance of cross-border cooperation and innovation in addressing complex environmental challenges, on the top of them “water scarcity and climate change”. [:]

[:en]Announcement: Heliopolis University Low Carbon Energy Report Released![:]

[:en]Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development is proud to announce the release of our latest report on Low Carbon Energy Usage across campus! This report highlights our commitment to a greener future by measuring the amount of low-carbon energy utilized in our operations. Through this analysis, we’re taking bold steps toward sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint. Key Highlights: A detailed breakdown of renewable energy sources powering our campus Insights on energy efficiency improvements across our facilities Actionable goals for expanding clean energy use in the coming years Together, we’re paving the way for a more sustainable and energy-efficient future. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this report possible! Stay tuned for more updates as we continue working towards a 100% low-carbon campus! #HeliopolisUniversity #SustainableFuture #LowCarbonEnergy #CleanEnergy See the report here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/122aDtID_M3wxZSzZnKuzx-VcHolUbxh5/view?usp=sharing[:]