Dear Friends,

The Center for Arab-West Understanding works to provide our interns with unique insights into Egypt and the broader Middle East. On April 22nd, Dialogue Across Borders sponsored a lecture at St. John the Baptist Anglican/Episcopal Church in Maadi on “Coptic Orthodox Approaches to Prayer and Fasting.” Mr. Sherif Mourad, a lecturer with the Alexandria School who completed a ThM in systematic theology from Agora University, provided valuable insights into the practice and spirituality of prayer and fasting in the Coptic Orthodox tradition. During the lecture, Mourad discussed different modes of prayer, the significance of the Coptic Orthodox prayer book, the Agpeya, and referenced the work of Father Mattā al-Miskīn (d.2006), one of the greatest Coptic Orthodox spiritual leaders in the last century. Our database editor, Ms. Noha Heraiba, composed some brief reflections on this lecture which we will be publishing soon. We look forward to further cooperation with Sherif and the Alexandria School. 

(CAWU staff and interns after the lecture.)

On March 28th, we had the opportunity to meet with H.E. Ambassador Mohamed El-Orabi, chairman of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs and a senior Egyptian diplomat with a long and distinguished career. Ambassador El-Orabi served as Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2011 and as the Egyptian Ambassador to Germany from 2001-2008, among other senior posts. Ambassador El-Orabi discussed international relations, Egyptian perspectives on the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the country’s pivotal role at present in working to end the brutal Israeli siege in Gaza, among other topics. For this, he also drew on his own experience as deputy chief in the Egyptian embassy in Israel during the height of the Oslo peace process from 1994-1998. Our team is grateful for his time and insights and the warm reception we received at the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs. 

(Our team meets with H.E. Ambassador El-Orabi at the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs.)

At present, our interns are working on research projects focused on Egypt-EU relations, interreligious dialogue in Egypt, Coptic and Muslim practices related to marriage, and Egyptian organizations that are providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the present crisis. We are looking forward to the arrival of several new interns for the summer season.

 
With best wishes,

Matthew Anderson

Director - Center for Arab-West Understanding

Executive Editor - Dialogue Across Borders (Brill)