Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

"SEE" interviews Egyptian girl who presented her research via "Skype"


Wed 12 Sep 2018 | 01:50 PM
Wafaa Fayez

Gehad Shawki:British Embassy refuses to issue visa for me due to my low income

Cairo-Sep.12(SEE): British Embassy denied  a visa to curator at the Egyptian museum to attend Egyptology conference in Wales due to her low income.

Gehad Shawki received an invitation to present a research paper at the annual conference for Egyptology curators and scholar in Wales. She submitted her papers to the British Embassy in Cairo to get an entry visa to UK.

Shawki said to "SEE" that she had received grants from the International Council of Museums (ICOM) to attend the conference. The grants were to cover her flights, accomodation and living expenses while in the UK.

Nonetheless, the British Embassy in Cairo rejected her visa application (twice). Immigration officials cited low income as the reason. Her monthly salary is LE 1400. In spite of that, she insisted to present her research online from Egypt, as its scheduled time.

"Obstacles are necessary, for success victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats. It was a great honor and good chance to present my paper by Skype "Beating Barriers through Museum display Luxor Museum, as a case study" in CIPEG Annual meeting." She added.

She mentioned that her family is supportive; they didn't stop her from fulfilling her dreams. In 2009, she graduated from Faculty of Arts, History Department, Minya University. After that, she worked in Luxor Museum before coming to live in Egypt in 2012. She lives in an apartment on her and has decided not to succumb traditional barriers.

Shawki who also holds a diploma in archeology, she will get her MA degree in 2 months on Museum Studies from Helwan University.She works now in Museum Curator at Basement Department and a member of Temporary Exhibition Department.

In 2017, she got a scholarship in Japan for 3 months. She is always passionate about antiquities-related events.She motivated Egyptian youth saying," Never give up your dream and you should break all the boundaries you face. I have confronted many hardships in my life, but I'm always determined to achieve my dreams.