"Flying Without Wings" Era Begins

Happy New Year! May this year bring happiness and success for everyone… Finally, 2020 is here… a year that we have always imagined it will bring about many major changes beyond recognition.

As 2020 comes around, we are living some of these changes; today mobile phones have become a very common thing and they can be found in the hands of everyone; the internet is chasing us wherever we go and puts us under constant pressure.

Our lives become increasingly more public; as we all share our private information via social media networks…We are living now a new life in a world which is no longer considered a small village but a small home.

The internet has negatively affected our lives and morals... it has become more difficult to know the reality of people around us, as anyone could play the role of preacher, angel or villain through words they post via "Facebook" or other platforms … yet at the same time, we live in the era of high technology, with one click or two, we can contact anyone anywhere in the world.

I remember my great professor, the Arab press icon Mustafa Amin when he asked me and my colleagues in 1986 to conduct a topic about people's imaginations of how life would be like in 2000.

We walked around the streets of Cairo and asked people about their imaginations… a student told me that women will assume the presidency and leadership positions…another young man imagined that women will live alone on the earth without men.

But a 12-years old child gave me the strangest answer ever, he told me people will have wings to fly everywhere; crowded public transportation will disappear so that each one could use his wings to fly to schools, work, and any country as well.

Today, Egyptian women have played an important role in the Egyptian political atmosphere.. We have 8 female ministers and we aspire to further empower women in Egypt.

On the contrary... old beliefs still dominate Egyptian minds and thoughts … Women's work, outfits, and their liberation, as well as magic and sorcery, are still under discussion.

I hope things will change in 2020… Never stop dreaming... as the dream is the life and future… May God make all your dreams and wishes come true.

Happy New Year….