The Great Debate

I really enjoyed a magnificent debate between well-known archaeologist Dr. Zahi Hawass and the Egyptian archaeology enthusiast Dr. Waseem El-Sissy. It was moderated by the distinguished journalist Hamdy Rizk, and attended by a constellation of specialists including Dr. Mamdouh El-Damaty, former Minister of Antiquities, Dr. Mohamed Hassan, Professor of Egyptian Antiquities, and journalist Ehab El-Hadari, Managing Editor of Al-Akhbar newspaper.

It wasn't just a debate; it wasn't merely dry, academic discussion. Rather, it was an open space for thought, for love, and for respectful disagreement.

The debate was profound and raised very important topics, but at its core, it was a beautiful debate between two schools of thought: the school of strict science based on evidence, and the school of passion that attempts to bring history closer to the people.

Dr. Zahi Hawass, with his experience and global prestige, presented the clear, decisive scientific opinion that accepts only what the evidence proves. This is his role, and this is what we respect him for, as he protects history from falsification and draws definitive lines between science and imagination.

In contrast, Dr. Waseem El-Sissy... yes, he is a physician, not an archaeologist, but we all know he is one of the Egyptology lovers most capable of engaging the public. He speaks with love and passion; he doesn't just explain, he tells stories, sparks curiosity, ignites the imagination, and makes the viewer feel that this history belongs to them.

It is true that some of his statements linked science with imagination, and it is true that talking about prophets in the Valley of the Kings or about visitors from space is not based on a scientific foundation. However, this type of discussion is not new to our culture. It was mentioned before by Dr. Mostafa Mahmoud when he spoke about the Prophet Idris, and by Anis Mansour in "Those Who Descended from the Sky." All of them say this out of love and adoration for Egypt and its antiquities.

Dr. Waseem El-Sissy is not required to be a translator of papyri or an excavator at archaeological sites. His role is similar to that of an artist or a novelist: he plants a sense of belonging and increases the admiration of people and the world for the Egyptian civilization.

Meanwhile, the role of archaeologist Dr. Zahi Hawass and his colleagues, the scientists and specialists—including two former Ministers of Antiquities, Dr. Zahi Hawass and Dr. Mamdouh El-Damaty—remains to examine, verify, and declare archaeological facts based on scientific evidence.

The beauty of the debate was that each side adhered to his space and respected the space of the other. journalist Hamdy Rizk ran the dialogue professionally, listened to everyone, and broadcast it in an episode of his program "Nazra" on Sada El Balad channel.

People loved this debate because it neither excluded science nor criminalized passion. It respected the mind and did not kill the imagination. It proved that Egyptian civilization is broad enough to accommodate a firm archeologist and a dreamy enthusiast in a single scene.

We hope that such debates, at this level of respect and depth, will be repeated, because in this era, we need science with its evidence and truth, but we also need passion, and we all love Egypt's history.