President Sisi honouring graduating cadets (Photo/ Ahram)
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told military graduates on Tuesday that "the power of the Egyptian army is very great and it is capable of protecting our land and dignity."
In a speech at the graduation ceremony for students of military colleges and institutes at the Military Academy in Cairo, President El-Sisi thanked the families of the new military graduates for raising and supporting their sons to protect the security and safety of their country.
Cadets "have a duty to sacrifice their lives and blood for the homeland, which is “one of - if not the - most” honourable missions ever,” he said.
“I think life is the most precious thing a human owns,” president El-Sisi said, urging the new graduates to stick to “discipline, attention, and knowledge," he added.
Graduates from the Military Academy, the Air Force Academy, the Naval Academy, the Military Technical College, the Air Defence Academy, and the Technical Institute for Military Forces - joined by Police Academy graduates - took part in the event.
Minister of Defence Mohamed Zaki, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, former interim-president Adly Mansour, heads of main branches of the armed forces, as well as a number of ministers and state officials attended the ceremony.
During the event, students of the military academies presented tactical drills to showcase their fighting skills.
They also stood in a formation in the shape of the number 47, to mark the 47th anniversary of Egypt's victory against Israel in the 6 October war.
During the ceremony, El-Sisi honoured top graduates.
The president stressed that Egypt is secure from any foreign aggression, saying “first, we do not carry out aggression against anyone, and second, the power of the army is very great and it is capable of protecting our land and dignity."
"The real danger now are wars of rumours and misinformation," he said.
"[Therefore] we need to build real awareness," El-Sisi said.
"We need to develop real awareness among army and police conscripts of the dangers and schemes that are designed against the state, so that they can, in turn, share their awareness with their families."
El-Sisi stressed the need for military students "to be schooled in the [importance] of the concept of the state, ways to protect it, and the threats facing it."
“In order for you to be able to educate them [the conscripts] well, you also have to understand well," he emphasized.
The president warned against attempts to “move peoples to hurt their nations” and “negatively influence public opinion through spreading scepticism, lies and slander."
The attendees watched a video prepared by the Department of Morale Affairs of the Armed Forces entitled “Leaders in the Nation's Conscience,” recounting the stories of the military leaders honoured by naming various graduating classes after them.
During the ceremony, a number of outstanding students from military academies gifted the Armed Forces Shield to the president.
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