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Prof. Ghada Farouk, Vice President of Ain Shams University for Community Service and Environmental Development, inaugurated the activities of the First Annual Environmental Forum of the Faculty of Arts, held under the patronage of Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zein El-Abedeen, President of the University. The forum was chaired by Prof. Hanan Kamel Metwaly, Dean of the Faculty and President of the Forum, with Prof. Hanan Salem, Vice Dean for Community Service and Environmental Development, serving as Vice President of the Forum. The event was attended by Prof. Mohamed Ibrahim Hassan Mohamed, Vice Dean for Education and Student Affairs, Prof. Hatem Rabie Hassan, Vice Dean for Graduate Studies and Research, along with a distinguished group of professors, researchers, experts, and specialists.

In her opening speech, Prof. Ghada Farouk emphasized that environmental issues are no longer an intellectual luxury or an elite matter with limited impact, but have instead become a collective responsibility that requires the solidarity of all, noting that universities play a pivotal role in preparing generations that are more aware and capable of addressing future challenges.

She added that the forum confirms that the university is no longer merely a space for the exchange of knowledge, but has become a genuine platform for shaping awareness and a space for rethinking our relationship with the world around us, stemming from a firm belief that true development cannot be separated from humanity and cannot be built without respecting the environment and preserving its resources.

For her part, Prof. Hanan Kamel, Dean of the Faculty and President of the Forum, explained that organizing this forum reflects the Faculty of Arts’ vision of engaging with major societal issues and addressing them from a humanistic and cultural perspective that connects knowledge with behavior, and thought with practice, stressing that building an aware individual is the first step toward building a sustainable society.

Prof. Hanan Salem, Vice Dean for Community Service and Environmental Development and Vice President of the Forum, also noted that the goal of these activities goes beyond theoretical discussion to establishing a genuine environmental culture both inside and outside the university, so that respect for the environment becomes an integral part of daily behavior and institutional practice.

Forum Sessions

The forum’s activities were launched through five specialized scientific sessions, each presenting a different perspective on the environment as a comprehensive humanitarian and societal issue.

The first session, titled “The Environment from a Humanistic and Cultural Perspective,” was chaired by Prof. Saleh Suleiman, Professor of Sociology. During the session, Prof. Shadia Qanawy, Professor of Sociology and former Egyptian Ambassador to UNESCO, discussed youth, Egypt’s demographic awareness, and its relationship to sustainable development. Prof. Fathy El-Sharkawy, Head of the Psychology Department and former Vice President of the University for Education and Student Affairs, addressed the psychological dimension of environmental responsibility among individuals and societies. Prof. Amal Ahmed Morsi, Professor of Plant Environmental Physiology and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Science for Community Service and Environmental Development, presented a scientific vision of Egyptian plant diversity and its importance in supporting sustainable development. Meanwhile, Prof. Hussein Ali, Professor of Logic in the Department of Philosophical Studies at the Faculty of Arts, offered a philosophical reading of the role of media and education in shaping environmental awareness.

The second session was titled “Contemporary Environmental Issues and Their Social Impact,” chaired by Prof. Fathy El-Sharkawy. Dr. Heba Salah Mohamed Hamed, Professor of Physiology at the Faculty of Women, discussed the carbon footprint as an entry point for creating a better climate and a more sustainable environment. Dr. Asmaa Mohamed Nabil, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at the Faculty of Education, examined the role of green media in supporting environmental sustainability. Dr. Mohamed Mansour, Head of the Meteorological Authority Department, reviewed the impact of climate change on human behavior, while Ms. Hala Ashmawy, Assistant Lecturer in Sociology at the Faculty of Arts, presented a sociological vision of sustainable development and its environmental implications.

The third session, “Media and Education and Their Role in Shaping Environmental Awareness,” was chaired by Prof. Ali Hafez. Prof. Farid Hassan Al-Anwar Mohamed Farid discussed the relationship between the family environment and the psychology of dramatic personality in Greek theater and its connection to contemporary crises. Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud Ahmed addressed the integration of education and media in achieving sustainable development. Dr. Heba Salah also presented an analysis of environmental discourse. Ms. Hegra Mahmoud El-Sawy reviewed the role of children’s magazines in shaping environmental awareness among children. Dr. Fatma Mostafa Mohamed discussed the role of media and education in shaping environmental awareness, while researcher Moamen Mohsen Gomaa Hassan examined the role of digital media as a social actor in spreading environmental culture among university youth.

The fourth session, titled “Environment and Sustainable Development: Future Visions,” was chaired by Prof. Maha Amara, professor and researcher at the National Center for Social and Criminological Research. Prof. Hind Fouad, expert at the National Center for Social and Criminological Research, discussed the repercussions of climate change on new generations within the framework of sustainable development goals. Dr. Ahmed Tarek Yehia El-Awadi, Director of the University’s Center of Excellence for Sustainability, examined the impact of culture and education on shaping environmental behavior. Dr. Shaimaa Magdy Hussein, researcher in environmental justice issues, addressed the challenges of environmental justice in Egypt. Researcher Ali El-Shafei from the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Arts presented a forward-looking analysis of the societal impacts of climate change, while Dr. Mariam Mohamed Ahmed Abdel Nabi concluded with a lecture on humanity and the environment between depletion and sustainability.

The scientific sessions concluded with the fifth session, titled “Managing Environmental Resources and Enhancing Psychological and Social Awareness,” chaired by Prof. Souad Atta Farag, Professor of Sociology at the Faculty of Arts. Prof. Mohamed Khattab, Professor of Psychology and Director of the Center for Studies and Consultations at the Faculty of Arts, discussed the environmental impact on the psychological and social development of children and adolescents. Prof. Eman Taha Ismail, Professor in the Department of Geography and Geographic Information Systems at the Faculty of Arts, reviewed the environmental dimensions of wastewater treatment as an entry point for developing water resources. Prof. Doaa Ahmed Tawfik, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Education and member of the Higher Advisory Board of the Arab Council for Human Rights, addressed the concept of environmental citizenship, quality of life, and combating environmental corruption. Dr. Mohamed Farid El-Helwany, Lecturer in the Department of Geography, Director of the Sustainability Unit, and Deputy Director of the Innovation Unit at the Faculty of Arts, presented a study on employing interactive maps and geographic artificial intelligence to enhance environmental awareness.

Forum Recommendations

The forum concluded with several important recommendations, foremost among them strengthening environmental awareness programs within university institutions through cultural and scientific activities, encouraging student initiatives related to environmental preservation and sustainable development, and supporting studies and research efforts concerned with environmental and developmental issues.

Participants also recommended reinforcing concepts of social responsibility and environmental citizenship among university youth, expanding the adoption of sustainable environmental practices on campus, and enhancing cooperation between the university, civil society institutions, and entities concerned with environmental affairs, thereby contributing to building more influential and effective partnerships.

At the conclusion of the event, Prof. Mona Hafez, Professor of Sociology, Ms. Etemad Badr Abdel Aziz, Ms. Heba Abdel Rahim, and Dr. Amr Mahmoud Ismail from the Faculty’s administrative staff were honored in recognition of their outstanding contributions and distinguished efforts in supporting, organizing, and ensuring the success of this scientific event.