Minister of Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs Nabila Markam appointed Egyptian actor Adham el-Sharqawy – a US resident– as the first ambassador for the presidential initiative, Etkalem Arabi “Speak Arabic”.
Makram, in a meeting with Sharqawy, said she was pleased that one of the second and third-generations of Egyptian expats starred in a TV show that was a big boom in their homeland.
Sharqawy played “Big Zee” in the TV series “Newton Game,” which was aired during the holy fasting month of Ramadan. Sharqawy spoke Egyptian Arabic very well, the minister said, praising his keenness to maintain his native language and identity, the Ministry of Immigration and Expatriates Affairs said in a statement.
Etkalem Arabi is a national move to get young expatriates to know about Egyptian history and ancient civilisation, besides the achievements of today.
Unfortunately, Egyptians at home and abroad are facing “a war to obliviate their identity” through exposure to different cultures.
“We are not against them learning other languages, provided that it should not come on the expense of their own,” the statement quoted Minister Makram as saying.
She added that “more than 15 camps of the initiative have been held through the ‘Zoom’ application, and that the initiative has also been widely promoted through various social media platforms, a matter that achieved great interaction from our children abroad.
For his part, Sharqawy praised efforts exerted by the Ministry of Immigration to meet needs of Egyptians abroad. He also expressed his admiration of the “Speak Arabic” initiative and its goals.
Sharqawy told Makram he is glad and honoured to be selected as global ambassador of Speak Arabic initiative. He added, “I am fortunate to participate in this cultural programme organised by the Ministry.”
