James Watt » Ambassador to Egypt

I was reading the UNESCO webpage on World Press Freedom day, which starts: Every year, May 3rd is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom: to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession. I was thinking that the theme chosen for this … Read more »Defending the right to speak

I have just come from attending the opening of the new extension to the Magdy Yacoub Heart Foundation Hospital at Aswan. A remarkable institution not simply on account of its impeccable world-class design and equipment. But also of the spirit which inspires it. A spirit of joyous and humble service to mankind. Everyone one of the staff there has this spirit, inspired by the living example of that outstanding Egyptian, … Read more »The heart of Egypt

Who inspires you? Is the question I like to ask Egyptian friends. Who is the figure you most admire? Who is the person that makes you most proud to be Egyptian? Or who represents the best of Egypt?  The question usually remains unanswered. Very few people come up with a name which would be recognized by the majority. Often it comes from a personal experience – of a parent or … Read more »Who inspires you?

Who inspires you? Is the question I like to ask Egyptian friends. Who is the figure you most admire? Who is the person that makes you most proud to be Egyptian? Or who represents the best of Egypt? The question usually remains unanswered. Very few people come up with a name which would be recognized by the majority. Often it comes from a personal experience – of a parent or … Read more »Who inspires you?

The second anniversary of Egypt’s revolution of 25 January 2011 is now upon us. I detect little sense of celebration in the public mood. Not because Egyptians reject the revolution itself, but because so many of the hopes it engendered have not been fulfilled. For the great mass of Egyptians this applies especially to their hopes of better economic conditions, above all in jobs and pay. There is still passionate … Read more »Running the Marathon

I am delighted to see the Gaza ceasefire agreement announced last night. Congratulations to President Mursi and Egypt for taking on the role of mediator, and for securing an important set of commitments by the two sides. Not only is there to be an end to the suffering of civilians under bombardment. But a series of talks are to begin aimed at resolving some of the long-standing disputes between Israel and … Read more »An Important Step to Long Lasting Peace

Last Saturday I attended the commemoration of those who died in the battles in North Africa of the Second World War. It took place at the beautiful military cemetery at El Alamein, the site of the decisive battle in October 1942 which was a turing point of the whole war. The fallen of many countries lie there, and some 600 people attended, among them veterans of the battle and foreign … Read more »Thoughts at El Alamein

لا يمكن لأي شخص محترم ألا يدين الفيديو الشائن الذي استهدف الإساءة إلى المعتقدات الدينية بأشد الطرق المسيئة ولعب دورا في بدء أحداث العنف التي اشتعلت الأسبوع الماضي في مصر وأماكن أخرى. لا يمكن لأي شيء أن يبرر العنف. من الواضح أن نوايا معدي الفيديو كانت الاستفزاز وإثارة الغضب وربما أيضا التسبب في صراع بين المسلمين والمسيحيين هنا في مصر. وفي هذه الناحية فشلوا تماما. إحدى الرسائل الإيجابية التي خرجت … Read more »بناء المستقبل، وليس هدمه

No decent person can fail to condemn the infamous video which set out to insult religious belief, in the most offensive way possible, and which played a part in starting the violence which flared up last week in Egypt and elsewhere. Nothing can justify the violence.  The intentions of the authors were clearly to provoke and cause anger, and perhaps also to cause conflict between Muslims and Christians here in … Read more »Building the Future, Not Destroying It