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As part of the activities of the Fifteenth Da‘wah Week organized by the Education and Student Affairs Sector at Ain Shams University, in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Supreme Committee for Da‘wah Affairs at the Islamic Research Academy, the Faculty of Mass Communication at Ain Shams University hosted a seminar titled “Preserving the Nation amid Waves of Cultural Westernization,” held under the umbrella of the initiative “A New Beginning for Building the Human Being.”

The seminar was held under the patronage of Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University, and Prof. Rami Maher, Vice President of the University for Education and Student Affairs, and under the supervision of Prof. Heba Shaheen, Dean of the Faculty of Mass Communication. Administrative coordination and supervision were provided by Mr. Ibrahim Saeed Hamza, Assistant Secretary-General of the University for the Education and Student Affairs Sector, with implementation by the General Administration of Youth Welfare.

The seminar opened with a recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an by reciter Hamada Ismail. Prof. Heba Shaheen welcomed the seminar’s distinguished guests, Prof. Abbas Shoman, former Deputy of Al-Azhar and Secretary-General of the Council of Senior Scholars, and Sheikh Hassan Yehia, Assistant Secretary of the Supreme Committee for Da‘wah Affairs.

She highlighted the importance of enhancing youth awareness of the value of the nation and preserving its foundations, stressing the necessity of active youth participation in nation-building and development, promoting the concept of effective citizenship, and confronting challenges and crises.

Prof. Abbas Shoman expressed his keen interest in faculties of media, stating that “media is no less important than the pulpit” in terms of its ability to reach and influence audiences. He emphasized that a person who lacks a sense of national belonging is a person without roots. He also stressed the importance of demonstrating love for the nation through action, resisting negative behaviors, and focusing on self-development and strengthening the ability to confront and reject destructive ideas, given their impact on personal growth and societal standing.

For his part, Sheikh Hassan Yehia explained that elements of the nation are subject to processes of cultural westernization, stressing that confronting such challenges requires six key pillars: a practiced faith, a strong authority, public security, comprehensive justice, sustainable prosperity, and expansive hope. He also clarified how the image of the state and religion can be distorted, and how this can be countered through questioning, verifying sources, ignoring negative content, and presenting positive alternatives, warning against the dangers of undermining the achievements of the state.

In response to students’ questions, he reviewed Al-Azhar’s role in combating extremism and terrorism through a specialized center operating around the clock in 13 languages to respond to extreme content disseminated online. He also highlighted Al-Azhar’s efforts, in cooperation with the Egyptian Church, to counter sectarian strife through the Egyptian Family House initiative.

At the conclusion of the seminar, Prof. Heba Shaheen honored both Prof. Abbas Shoman and Sheikh Hassan Yehia in appreciation of their efforts in raising students’ awareness of the value of the nation and the importance of preserving it in the face of cultural westernization and fourth- and fifth-generation warfare.