Arts
An eye-opening adventure in Egypt
With Egypt’s Ambassador in Sri Lanka Hussein El Saharty and Deputy Chief of Mission Karim Abulenein
Egypt hosted the second edition of the Forum in November 2018 under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and I found myself among the 5000 participants chosen from over 230,000 applicants, who took part in the four-day conference in sunny Sharm El-Sheikh discussing topics ranging from peace to development and creativity.
At the conference, among the unforgettable moments were hearing Jayathma Wickramanayake who currently serves as the United Nations Secretary General’s envoy on youth, Mohammed Khairat, the founder of Egyptian Streets – an independent grassroots news media organisation aimed at providing readers an alternate depiction of events in the region, Nadia Mourad, human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, a fearless fighter who was abducted by the ISIS twice and managed to escape both times and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Zundwa Mandela who spoke about his mission.
The Forum also brought the Startup Vein – an area for startup owners to share their experiences on stage to help others, as well as the 7 Pillars walkthrough museum. Participants learn about best-case practices and listen to inspirational figures discuss their startup dream.
So I took part in one of the stalls in Startup Vein where if you had a solid idea, they would present you with a certificate made out of papyrus paper. Genuine papyrus! I didn’t even know the tradition of making it still existed. So I also went ahead and did that, and got a certificate!
The World Youth Forum also saw the launch of a truly beautiful art installation, the Reviving Humanity Memorial composed of different hearts crafted by artists from around the world.
The evenings at the World Youth Forum brought the World Youth Theatre, where a multicultural play was performed among other entertaining performances. Freedom.e, an edutainment hub was filled with fun activities that delivered a multi-sensory experience.
I also met a few individuals who made all the difference to my experience in Egypt. The first was the Egyptian President, who attended the entirety of the conference.
Sherin Hassan Ewase, is another amazing individual I met who works on projects focusing on young startups and their development with a PR background just like me. It was motivating to talk to her and share our experiences.
Attending the sessions with new friends
Among the places I visited, the Farsha Mountain Lounge Café stood out due to the stunning views and the very location of the Café perched on the side – and I mean the side, not the edge – of the cliff, with one of the best views in Sharm el Sheikh. I spent a memorable evening with my new friends, singing and listening to some chilled music mix and sharing hilarious stories, all the while enjoying the breeze and the view.
I had a memorable time here with my new friends, Laila, Yasmeen, Hussein, Hesham and Mina. We stayed up the entire night just to watch the sunrise which was absolutely breathtaking.
Visiting Cairo was not planned, but of course I had to go see the pyramids! So when the Forum ended, I decided to extend my stay. Sri Lankan Ambassador to Egypt, Ramiah Yogarajan and his wife, Mandara Yogarajan were such welcoming and humble people and they invited me to stay with them and made sure I was well looked after. They treated me to such a sightseeing experience that took my breath away. Entering the Great Pyramids of Giza was truly spectacular.
Islamic Cairo
I was surprised to find that the Ambassador lived down a street called “Sri Lanka Street” down Zamalek. That’s when I learnt Egypt loves Sri Lanka so much that they named a street after the name of our country.
A friend took me to every corner of Islamic Cairo, explaining the history and the stories of the mosques and other ancient pillars. He told me about the multicultural unity within the area.
To be able to attend forums like this where there are people from different cultures, various backgrounds – it opens up your eyes to so many things. If it weren’t for Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Sri Lanka, Hussein El-Saharty and Deputy Chief of Mission Karim Abulenein I would not have had this experience to share.
Entering the business world at the age of 18, I have so far worked in media, advertising, real estate, legal and financial technology. Today, at the age of 23, I work as a Corporate Communications and Marketing Manager for a renowned company in Sri Lanka.
My next step—which I’ve already started working on—is to create a start-up with a social impact. I strongly believe that the diverse ideas and knowledge exchanged throughout my journey, has led me to think of innovative processes to make the world a better place. This journey to Egypt has helped me further my beliefs, – when I came back from this Forum, I came back full of dreams and a heart full of love for Egypt.
Visiting the Great Pyramid of Giza