Meet Ahmed Rashed, Founder of Initiative "Civilization’s Rights to Build Civilization"

By Maydaa Abou El-Nadar

CAIRO, Dec. 28 (SEE)- Sada El Balad English (SEE) invited Ahmed Rashed, Head of the Farouk El Baz Centre for Sustainability and Future Studies (CSFS) at the British University in Egypt, to speak about one of the initiatives and campaigns of the National Academy for Scientific Research and Technology titled “Civilization’s Rights to Build Civilization”, a scientific initiative in which he is the principle investigator that is launched to protect Egyptian heritage and civilization.

https://youtu.be/aenJjdE6fX0

Scroll down for the complete excerpts of SEE's interview with Rashed.

• First and foremost, could you give us a brief account of your academic career?

I graduated from the architecture department and was the head of that department at Mansoura University and the British University in Egypt (BUE). I got my MA in 1990 and Ph.D. in January 1995. The Ph.D.’s topic was about protecting heritage, applied studies on Luxor’s case.

• Could you give our readers a brief narration about the initiative’s main idea?

The main idea is to protect the Egyptian heritage and appreciate our ancestors’ great efforts to build such a prestigious civilization, as long as there is a material benefit out of using the heritage and civilization, Egypt has the right in this material benefit.

• From where did the initiative’s idea rise?

The project of Luxor Las Vegas had great influence on me. It is where the replica of Tutankhamen is found. In the beginning, to promote for visiting Luxor Las Vegas, the publicity’s slogan included these phrases: why visit Egypt when you find everything here! You find the tomb of Tutankhamen as Howard Carter discovered, etc.

As an Egyptian, when you visit any museum and find Egyptian heritage, you feel both happy and sad. You feel proud that all people respect your heritage, but on the other side, you feel pity for the situation of the Egyptian civilization on its own soil.

In the case of Luxor Las Vegas, the project was applied it brilliantly, so they gain trillions out of it. Last year Luxor Las Vegas’ earnings exceeded six million dollars. When I visited the place in June 1999, some questions came up to my mind, such as: who gave them the right to copy our heritage in this way? Does our civilization, which inspired them, have no material rights?

• How did you lay the first brick of your initiative?

The initiative’s idea came up to me in 1999. In May 2004, in the Argentinean city of Cordoba, there was a conference titled “Replica Verses Reality”. My paper was titled “Luxor Egypt Verses Luxor Las Vegas?!” I believe that in order to protect Luxor Egypt’s existence, and as long as its name and identity are being used, Luxor Egypt should benefit from Luxor Las Vegas.

Several of our icons are displayed abroad. These include Rosetta stone in the British Museum, Zodiac in the Louvre, and Nefertiti’s head in the Museum of Berlin.

Whether speaking about Luxor Las Vegas or these icons, they are not merely displayed for cultural outcomes. Our civilization is used to attract visitors, and it is the reason for continuous financial income in favor of these countries.

• Does the campaign include other creative fields, such as movies, fashion shows, or commercial product, inspired from our heritage?

Yes, as long as the owners are gaining financial gains; thanks to employing our civilization. Every aspect now in our lives enjoys copyrights. Ancient Egyptian civilization includes all life’s aspects. We are the only civilization in the world that has a science dubbed "Egyptology".

• To which remarkable figures did you propose the initiative’s campaign?

I proposed cause to Hossam Lotfy, Hossam Al Sahgir, and Hassan Badrawy, who are concerned about intellectual rights in Egypt. Also, the General Union of Arab Archaeologists’ General Secretary Mohamed Al Kahlawi has been showing his support.

• Didn't you think about including your initiative under intellectual rights?

In the beginning, I thought about including our campaign under intellectual rights, but these rights developed and human heritage is not part of it anymore. Keeping in mind, that intellectual rights include the doctrine of “fair use” that permits the use of the original material without permission, as the original creator could not be determined.

• Could you tell us in numbers how do other countries benefit financially from intellectual rights?

In 2017, EU achieved a financial gain of around 5.7 trillion Euros and about 82 million jobs, whether in a direct or indirect way, they were positively influenced by these rights. Also in the same year, the USA gained around 6.6 trillion dollars and about 45 million employments were created.

• Throughout the initiative’s campaign, why do you stress on using “Ancient Egyptians” and not "Pharaohs"?

"Pharaoh" is a term that is related to a profession or a person (who used to be the king of Egypt), but Ancient Egyptian refers to our ancestors. Also, I want to stress on the point that we, and the coming Egyptian generations, belong to them.

• Does the campaign address official entities?

The campaign does not address governments or the UNESCO; it addresses everybody who gives credibility to our civilization, for example, inpiduals who purchase the tickets of museums that which display our heritage. I address inpiduals.

Throughout the campaign’s process, we address also entities and companies that financially benefit from our heritage. If these entities believe that dedicating a percentage of their earnings in favor of Egypt and to protect its citizens, it is going to be a win-win situation.

• What are the current steps taken in favor of the campaign?

There is an ongoing competition that carries the campaign’s name. Contestants are requested to pick one of our rights lost abroad and create a scenario to recover it. The scenario could be a movie, a song, or a feasibility study, etc.

Thanks to this contest, demanding our rights are going to be documented. The contest is based on scientific arguments as we are establishing a new science called "Civilization’s Rights".

Everyone interested can e-mail me: [email protected] or visit the contest’s website www.c-rights.eg.et for more information. The competition’s email is: [email protected]

• What other ancient civilizations whose circumstances coincide with Egypt's?

They are ten civilizations including Peru, Greece, India, and China.