“Mohamed Ali Turned Egypt into a Strong Modern State”
“I think it is the duty of the media to get to know one another as we really are. The media in both countries repeats what the western media writes about us. I think an effort ought to be made on both sides to know one another directly and not through a third party. As for culture I think there should be more exchange in literature and the arts. More translations should be done between Arabic and Albanian,” says the prominent Egyptian writer, Mohamed Salmawy
By Genc Mlloja
Senior Diplomatic Editor
“I have travelled almost all over the world but I have never visited Albania in spite of the close links we Egyptians have with this important Balkan country. Albania is a country rich in history and its people are a proud nation that has managed to keep its identity under all sorts of occupations, whether Ottoman or Soviet,” has said Mr. Mohamed Salmawy, a prominent Egyptian writer.
Mr. Mohamed Salmawy made that comment in an exclusive interview with Albanian Daily News via email prior to his visit to Albania on September 15 which will last until September 20 this year.
A prominent Egyptian writer widely recognized throughout the Arab World Mr. Salmawy was a long time President of the Writers Union of Egypt, Secretary General of both the Arab Writers Union and the African Asian Writers Union. He is the author of more than 30 books ranging from creative writing to political and cultural topics. He is a syndicated columnist in a number of leading newspapers and his literary works have been widely translated. His outstanding novel, “Butterfly Wings”, in which he predicted the 25 January 2011 revolution in Egypt, was translated into Italian, English, French, Romanian and Urdu, while his autobiography, “A Day, or Just About” has been celebrated as one of the best in recent years.
“In spite of all the positions I have held and to which I have been elected over the years I like to think of myself simply as a writer,” he noted answering a question by Albanian Daily News.
Throughout his extensive career, Mohamed Salmawy held a number of posts, including Undersecretary of State for Culture, Assistant Minister of Information, Editor in Chief of Al-Ahram Hebdo newspaper, Chairman of the Editorial Board of Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper. He was a member of the Committee of Fifty entrusted with writing Egypt’s constitution in 2014 and was voted unanimously as the Committee’s official spokesman. He holds a number of decorations from various countries, including Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (France) 1995, Grande Officiale (Italy) 2006, Crown Medal – Commandeur (Belgium) 2008, State Order of Merit for Literature (Egypt) 2013.
Asked about the motives of his trip to Albania Mr. Salmawy revealed that he had been asked to write the story for a feature film of an international scope on the life of Mohamed Ali, the great Albanian. The Arab Balkans Friendship Association (ABFA) is the main producer of the project of the international movie about Mohamed Ali’s life, and as the Chairman and Founder of ABFA, Salah Abou El Magd have a 15-year long friendship with Mr. Salmawy he could convince him to undertake the initiative to write the story. This happened during a visit of ABFA delegation to Egypt last February and now the ABFA has invited Mr. Salmawy to pay a visit to Albania to write the Albanian culture part of the story.
“I was happy to be asked to write the story for a feature film of an international scope on the life of Mohamed Ali, the great Albanian who was born in Kavala, and came to Egypt as a military leader to end Bonaparte’s invasion of our country, which like Albania, was under Ottoman rule. But once Mohamed Ali set foot in the land of the Nile he realized its great potential and didn’t want to leave. It is at this point that the love story begins between Albania and Egypt,” said the Egyptian writer.
Mohamed Ali (1769–1849) was a commander in the Ottoman army that was sent to drive Napoleon’s forces out of Egypt, but upon the French withdrawal, seized power himself and forced the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II to recognize him as Wali, or Governor of Egypt in 1805. He traced his ancestry back to Ibrahim Aga, from Korca, Albania, who had moved to Kavala. Demonstrating his grander ambitions, he took the title of Khedive; however, this was not sanctioned by the Sublime Porte.
Mohamed Ali transformed Egypt into a regional power which he saw as the natural successor to the decaying Ottoman Empire. He constructed a military state with around four percent of the populace serving the army to raise Egypt to a powerful positioning in the Ottoman Empire in a way showing various similarities to the Soviet strategies (without communism) conducted in the 20th century. He summed up his vision for Egypt in this way: “I am well aware that the (Ottoman) Empire is heading by the day toward destruction. … On her ruins I will build a vast kingdom … up to the Euphrates and the Tigris.”
The history of Egypt under the Mohamed Ali dynasty lasted from 1805 to 1953. Farouk I of Egypt (February 11, 1920 – March 18, 1965), was the tenth ruler from the Mohamed Ali Dynasty and the penultimate King of Egypt and Sudan, succeeding his father, Fuad I, in 1936. His sister Fawzia was Queen of Iran for eight years. His full title was “His Majesty Farouk I, by the grace of God, King of Egypt and Sudan, Sovereign of Nubia, of Kordofan, and of Darfur.” He was overthrown in the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, and was forced to abdicate in favor of his infant son Ahmed Fuad, who succeeded him as King Fuad II. He died in exile in Italy. His son was king for less than a year; Egypt became a republic in 1953,
During the interview with Albanian Daily News Mr. Salmawy said: “Mohamed Ali turned Egypt into a strong modern state with an army, an efficient government apparatus, and a new educational system. In the process he was Egyptianised, and so were his children who all spoke Arabic fluently and did not consider themselves Ottoman but Egyptian.”
Answering a question on the current relationship between Albania and Egypt, the prominent Egyptian writer, Mr. Salmawy underscored that the officials in Cairo and Tirana should be aware of the close relations Egypt and Albania have had over the years. “The similarity in the conditions of both countries makes the co-operation between them much easier, and even much more beneficial than that with other countries whose conditions are different,” Mr. Mohamed Salmawy said in the interview which follows:
Albanian Daily News: Mr. Salmawy it is a privilege to share with you some ideas on your expected trip to Albania from 15 to 20 September this year. First of all, it would be interesting for the readers of Albanian Daily News to learn from you some information on your career…
Mr. Mohamed Salmawy: In spite of all the positions I have held and to which I have been elected over the years I like to think of myself simply as a writer. I think being a writer is far superior to holding high positions in society. Who now remembers the high officials in England during the last quarter of the 16th century?
But we all remember Shakespeare whose plays were shown at that time. In the same way we remember Goethe, Tolstoy or Racine.
- Which has been the incitement of your visit to this Balkan country, and what do you know on it and its people as well as Albanians’ links with Egypt?
- I have travelled almost all over the world but I have never visited Albania in spite of the close links we Egyptians have with this important Balkan country. Albania is a country rich in history and its people are a proud nation that has managed to keep its identity under all sorts of occupations, whether Ottoman or Soviet.
- Could you share with ADN’s readers which have been the motives for you to undertake the initiative on a movie on Mohamed Ali of Egypt, who, as it’s known, was born to an Albanian family whose origins were from Korca? In this frame, could you please unveil some details of your visit’s agenda?
- I was happy to be asked to write the story for a feature film of an international scope on the life of Mohamed Ali, the great Albanian who was born in Kavala, and came to Egypt as a military leader to end Bonaparte’s invasion of our country, which like Albania, was under Ottoman rule.
But once Mohamed Ali set foot in the land of the Nile he realized its great potential and didn’t want to leave. It is at this point that the love story begins between Albania and Egypt.
Mohamed Ali turned Egypt into a strong modern state with an army, an efficient government apparatus, and a new educational system. In the process he was Egyptianised, and so were his children who all spoke Arabic fluently and did not consider themselves Ottoman but Egyptian.
During my visit I intend to acquaint myself with Mohamed Ali’s country of origin and visit his birthplace.
- Mr. Salmawy your CV is ample evidence of a multi dimensional career. Please could you tell us which has been your most beloved aspect of your career still attracting you greatly?
- On reaching the age of 65 I decided to start gradually freeing myself of all my executive responsibilities. I resigned from the editorship of Al-Ahram Hebdo newspaper, from the Presidency of the Arab Writers Union, and all other posts.
The last thing I did was writing Egypt’s new constitution as a member of the committee of 50 that drafted it in 2014. Having accomplished that I now devote all my time to writing, reading, traveling and enjoying the company of my five grandchildren.
- Given your prestigious status, what advice would you suggest to officials of the two countries to expand further the relationship between Albania and Egypt?
- I think the officials of both countries should be aware of the close relations Egypt and Albania have had over the years. The similarity in the conditions of both countries makes the co-operation between them much easier, and even much more beneficial than that with other countries whose conditions are different.
- In addition, according to you, in what way could media, culture in general, contribute to bring Egyptians and Albanians closer as people with a rich heritage of traditional friendship? But also the respective regions, the Balkans and Middle East?
- I think it is the duty of the media to get to know one another as we really are. The media in both countries repeats what the western media writes about us. I think an effort ought to be made on both sides to know one another directly and not through a third party. As for culture I think there should be more exchange in literature and the arts. More translations should be done between Arabic and Albanian.
We have great writers on both sides. Naguib Mahfouz and Ismail Kadare are world famous but we read them from European translations. There are others like Dritëro Agolli and Gjergj Fishta etc. but we don’t know them because some of them have not been translated in Europe.
We should do our own translations, our own films, our own music and painting. I am hoping that this grand film on the life of Mohamed Ali will be an important step in this direction.
