Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed on Wednesday that drama, education, media, family, and mosques are among the basics of promoting and building awareness.

In a telephone call with TV anchor Youssef El-Husseini during ‘Al-Tasea’ show on Egypt’s Channel One, the president stressed that proper education is not limited to obtaining grades but lies in being able to think critically.

El-Sisi also said that drama is capable of depicting awareness in a great way, adding that drama has a more influential effect on audiences and their way of thinking.

Renewal of religious discourse

The president said that the renewal of religious discourse must keep pace with development, stressing that there are constants in religion that are unchangeable.

He said early Muslims used to study religion among other sciences, but their understanding of religion came within a comprehensive vision of the reality they live in, noting that early Muslims were able to deduce and issue rulings consistent with their time and place.

El-Sisi also said that religion cannot be lost, because God sent his messengers and books and will preserve them until judgement day.

He stressed that renewing the religious discourse and raising awareness cannot be done in a year or two.

The idea of being absolutely dependent on religion without thinking has declined in Egypt after 2011, he added.

He affirmed that renewing religious discourse does not mean discussing religious constants like prayers, but jurisprudential matters that must be addressed to keep pace with human development.

Loving the country

El-Sisi said that when it comes to loving one’s country, actions speak louder than words.

“If we really love our country, we should be ready to fight for it.”

The president said that 65 million out of 100 million Egyptians are under the age of 45. If 10 percent of them loved their country and worked hard for it, their impact would be substantial, he added.

“I am not undermining the efforts of Egyptians, but if we really love our country, we should work very seriously for it,” he said.

“It is normal for any person in any place in the world to love his country, but most importantly, does a person love his country with words or is he ready to make sacrifices for it?”

Human rights violations, jail complex

El-Sisi assured Egyptians that there are no human rights violations in Egypt, saying that poverty and ignorance over the past few years have undoubtedly led to the appearance of some unethical practices.

No one has the right to offend others by bullying or harassing them, because that is a violation of human rights, he said, stressing the importance of enacting laws to control society and punish those who violate others’ rights.

“What we have gone through over the past ten years is not an easy thing and we should work hard to preserve our stability,” he said.

He also unveiled the opening of the biggest jail complex in Wadi Al-Natroun within the coming few days, saying if a person committed a crime, he will not be punished twice.

“Within the prison, he will be treated humanely,” El-Sisi said.

Decent living conditions and proper medical, humanitarian, and correctional care are provided to any prisoner, El-Sisi said, adding that representatives of judicial bodies will be present in the jail complex.

Egyptian female blacksmith

El-Sisi expressed his deep appreciation for Bossi Saad, the first Egyptian woman to work as a blacksmith in Mansoura governorate.

“She is a great woman that did not turn her back on her family and is struggling to support them,” he said.

“She is working in a tough profession that is rare for a woman to work in.”

He wished her success in supporting her children and 14 brothers and sisters, saying that this is a massive burden and that the government will contribute to alleviating the situation because it is their duty to give a hand to people in need.

The woman, who also spoke on the TV programme, expressed how happy she was for talking to President El-Sisi and prayed to God to bless and protect him for the sake of Egypt and its people.