Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
In an atmosphere filled with joy and happiness, reminiscent of Ramadan nights in his homeland, Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, Egypt's Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, the European Union, and NATO, participated in a group iftar organized by the "Egypt Lovers Association in Belgium." The event was attended by approximately 200 members of the Egyptian community in Belgium. They enjoyed folkloric performances of the tanoura, traditional dancing, songs, and Egyptian drinks and food. A number of young Egyptians from the community also showcased their artistic talents through patriotic songs, which was greatly appreciated and interacted with by the participants. Some sang "Helwa Ya Baladi" (My Beautiful Country) and other songs by famous Egyptian singers. Participants were keen to shake hands with the ambassador and his wife and take photos with them. After breakfast, Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid delivered a speech in which he emphasized the Egyptian state's commitment to supporting and empowering members of the Egyptian community in host countries. He emphasized their national and cultural role as representatives of Egypt in their various work and residence locations, and the embassy's readiness to participate in organizing cultural events with community groups in Belgium. The Egyptian ambassador also highlighted the state's efforts to communicate with Egyptians abroad, connecting them to their homeland by organizing a number of events and visits to Egypt. He also emphasized their developmental role by launching several initiatives that encourage them to invest in Egypt, such as offering housing, investment, and agricultural land, as well as the Egyptian Expatriates Cars Initiative. On the other hand, Ambassador Abu Zeid reviewed the development efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration in consular services, adopting an integrated and ambitious plan to digitize consular services to expedite implementation procedures in coordination with relevant authorities. He also launched an initiative to settle military status and dispatch committees to issue national ID cards. At the end of his speech, he encouraged members of the Egyptian community to interact positively with the embassy by submitting suggestions and ideas to improve services or to organize events that enhance and support Egypt's image in the European community. The attendees praised the excellent organization of the celebration and the efforts of the organizers, led by Professor Nasr Suleiman, Professor Sahar Adly, Professor Jihan Thabet, and Professor Youssef Abdel Qader. The latter, an official in the Egypt Lovers Association, told Europe and the Arabs, "For some time, members of the Egyptian community have been wanting to organize activities that bring them together. The idea of ​​organizing a group iftar for Egyptian families came from our association, the Egypt Lovers Association, in cooperation with all members of the community. We proposed the initiative and everyone participated. We hope to organize more activities that bring us together, our children, and future generations together." Nasr Suleiman, from the Egypt Lovers Association in Belgium, said that the iftar was also attended by the ambassador and other embassy members, members of the Ministry of Endowments delegation, and many members of the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church in Belgium, in an Egyptian Ramadan atmosphere and with the attendance of students coming from Egypt. Joy and happiness were evident on the faces of the community members, and they were keen to praise the wonderful organization and the great efforts of the organizers of the Egypt Lovers Association in Belgium. They are looking forward to another activity. Reza Al-Khatib, a member of the community in Brussels, said, "There is an indescribable feeling of happiness. The iftar was an opportunity to get to know each other better. We actually met new people we had never seen before at the group iftar." Zain Ahmed Al-Nabi, a member of the community in Antwerp, said, "I made sure to bring my family with me to participate in this iftar so that the children could experience the special Ramadan atmosphere that we don't have here in the diaspora. It was a very happy occasion." An Egyptian woman said, "We felt like we were among family and relatives in our homeland. It was a great joy and a beautiful Ramadan night in the Egyptian style."