President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has stressed the prime importance of stability achieved over the past years, which, he added, “came at a cost,” with Egypt making significant sacrifices, foremost among them the lives of members of the Armed Forces, police and judiciary who were killed, as well as worshippers in mosques and churches.
He also highlighted the financial resources spent to achieve stability and combat terrorism, reiterating the importance of reminding the public of the insecurity the country experienced between 2011 and 2013, and stressed the importance of stability in the collective consciousness of the Egyptian people.
President Sisi made the remarks during the opening session of the Egypt Forum 2026 which he inaugurated in the New Capital, on Monday.
House of Representatives Speaker Hisham Badawi, Senate Speaker Essam Farid and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, attended the event, together with several ministers and senior state officials.
The opening session began with a recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an, followed by a documentary titled “What Do We Expect from the Forum?” and a segment called “Where We Started,” Presidency Spokesman Mohamed El-Shennawy said.
A documentary, titled “If You Met the President, What Would You Tell Him?” was then screened, followed by an address by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.
The programme also featured a film titled “Egypt Through the Eyes of the World,” a segment called “What Does It Mean to Be Egyptian?” and a musical performance of the song “Masry” by a children’s choir from the Cairo Opera House.
The second part of the session focused on national identity and public awareness. It included documentaries and discussions on how awareness is shaped, how Generation Z chooses its sources of information, the negative effects of social media, misinformation and the use of technology.
In further remarks, President Sisi said the forum’s preparations had prioritised providing accurate and comprehensive government data, listening to different views, discussing them and accepting criticism.
He stressed the importance of public awareness and confronting attempts to undermine Egypt’s national memory, particularly through social media.
Such efforts had also taken place before 2014, the president said, adding that attempts to weaken the role of a populous and strategically important country like Egypt would continue.
Sisi described this as a struggle involving both the state and the people.
He said his repeated references to the events of 2011 were intended to remind Egyptians of that period and reinforce the importance of preserving the state, particularly among children and young people who had not lived through it. While differences in opinion were acceptable, he said, safeguarding the Egyptian state was a line that must not be crossed.
He stressed the importance of keeping alive the memory of the period from 2011 to 2013, when, he said, people did not feel safe, and highlighted the importance of stability in the public consciousness.
Addressing concerns about the use of social media, Sisi said moderation was needed in all aspects of life, and warned against efforts to isolate individuals and mobilise groups of citizens in ways that could harm their country.
The president also emphasised the responsibility of Egyptian families in striking a balance between technological progress and supervising their children’s use of digital platforms and devices.
The forum aims to review what had been accomplished across different state sectors and compare conditions before and after development projects, Sisi stressed.
It would also give citizens an opportunity to follow progress closely and understand what had been achieved within the available resources and circumstances to address long-standing problems, the president added.
He said the forum was intended to reassure citizens about their country, adding: “individuals eventually leave, Egypt remains”.
Egyptians have embarked on a genuine phase of state-building in recent years, despite the significant risks involved in making some decisions, Sisi added.
These decisions had been necessary, taking into account Egypt’s population growth of nearly 30 million since 2011, the president noted.
Sisi urged citizens to focus on the details and data presented during the forum, given their direct impact on daily life.
He said that the government would explain what it had done in recent years, what the situation might have been without the measures taken, and what was expected in the future.
