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As part of the initiative launched by French President Emmanuel Macron to strengthen bridges of dialogue and cooperation among the peoples and countries of the Mediterranean, and to revive the historical human and cultural ties that unite them, Faculty of Arts, Ain Shams University participated in the activities of the “Mediterranean Season 2026,” which was officially inaugurated on Friday, May 15, 2026, and will continue until next October.

The faculty’s participation came under the patronage of Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University; Prof. Ramy Maher Sadek Ghali, Vice President for Education and Student Affairs; and Prof. Hanan Kamel, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, under the supervision of Prof. Mohamed Ibrahim Hassan Mohamed, Vice Dean of the Faculty for Education and Student Affairs.

The faculty’s contribution took the form of a joint international student project bringing together Ain Shams University, Aix-Marseille University, and Autonomous University of Madrid. Students from the French Language Department at the Faculty of Arts collaborated remotely with their peers from the French and Spanish universities in a vibrant academic experience addressing Mediterranean issues and the environmental challenges threatening its purity and historical memory. The project highlighted the role of youth in protecting the Mediterranean and safeguarding its future, while also shedding light on the shared history and enduring cultural and civilizational ties that have united the peoples of the region across languages and borders throughout the centuries.

The project was carried out under the supervision of Dr. Nadia Shama and Dr. Mona Mohsen from the French Language Department at the Faculty of Arts, Ain Shams University, in cooperation with Dr. Crystal Combe from Aix-Marseille University and Dr. Arancha Gil from Autonomous University of Madrid.

Dr. Nadia Shama represented the Faculty of Arts at the conference organized by Aix-Marseille University from May 18 to 20, 2026, as part of the season’s events. During the conference, she presented the student project and its academic, cultural, and humanitarian outcomes, reflecting the students’ remarkable ability to transform academic dialogue into a genuine space for communication and mutual understanding among people.

She also participated in a roundtable discussion on the importance of international cooperation and joint academic projects in advancing educational processes and strengthening cultural and scientific exchange among Mediterranean universities. The session was chaired by Professor Marilyn Carvello, Vice President of Aix-Marseille University, and featured rich discussions on the future of cross-border scientific partnerships and their role in building generations that are more open-minded and aware of shared global issues.

On the sidelines of the visit, Dr. Nadia Shama held a series of meetings with officials from the International Relations Office at Aix-Marseille University to discuss prospects for strengthening academic and scientific cooperation between the Faculty of Arts at Ain Shams University and the French university, as well as opening new pathways for future collaborative projects and programs that would expand opportunities for scientific and cultural exchange between both sides.

She also participated in a workshop with several professors from the French Language Department at Aix-Marseille University, as a continuation of the workshop previously held at the Faculty of Arts, Ain Shams University, on May 4. The workshop was organized within the framework of joint cooperation aimed at developing the department’s academic regulations and curricula in line with labor market requirements and providing students with broader prospects for building their professional careers after graduation.

In this context, Prof. Hanan Kamel, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, affirmed that the faculty’s participation in the “Mediterranean Season 2026” reflects its deep belief in the importance of openness to international experiences and enhancing the academic and cultural presence of Ain Shams University on the global stage. She praised the students of the French Language Department for presenting an outstanding model of intercultural dialogue and cooperation, as well as their ability to express human and environmental issues through the language of knowledge and creativity.

For his part, Prof. Mohamed Ibrahim Hassan Mohamed explained that this participation reflects the faculty’s ongoing commitment to supporting students academically and personally, while opening broader opportunities for them to engage with international universities and gain diverse experiences. He emphasized that such joint projects contribute to preparing graduates equipped with awareness, knowledge, and the ability to compete in a rapidly changing global work environment.

This participation reaffirms that Faculty of Arts, Ain Shams University goes beyond traditional academic engagement, continuing to fulfill its mission as a bridge for cultural and human dialogue among peoples and as a platform for globally connected knowledge, where creativity meets learning and classrooms become windows to the future, in a manner befitting the university’s distinguished history and established standing among Arab and international academic institutions.