Rashwan mentioned a list of Egyptians living abroad who have accepted the invitation to join the national dialogue called upon by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi last April, including well-known media professional Gehan Mansour.

Inside Egypt, invitations have been sent by the dialogue administration to hundreds of people, Rashwan said, including member of the National Council for Human Rights George Ishak and well-known laywer Essam El-Islamboly.

The list of invitations also includes former ministers of health Amr Helmy and Ashraf Hatem, and opposition MP Diaa El-Din Dawoud and former jihadist turned Islamist writer Nageh Ibrahim, Rashwan said.

“Ibrahim is the most prominent example for those who managed to change the track of violence in Egypt and bring back Islam to its moderate form and those who went astray back into the society,” Rashwan said.

The dialogue has not been rejected by any political party or forces so far, Rashwan said, adding that a number of political parties have asked to join the dialogue to introduce their proposals.

He noted that thousands of citizens have also communicated with the dialogue administration and submitted dialogue-linked proposals, urging those willing to join the dialogue to submit their requests at the National Youth Conference’s website.

“The path of the national dialogue is proceeding in a positive manner and evokes all the good preparation methods for a fruitful and diversified dialogue,” Rashwan said.

He added that the dialogue will be conducted within a framework of freedom of opinion and discussions by well-informed experts.

Egypt will hold its first sessions of the national political dialogue during the first week of July, as all preparations have been completed, according to a statement by the dialogue’s administration announced on Wednesday.

The dialogue is part of steps taken by the country to advance its human rights situation as part of the National Strategy for Human Rights launched in September.

During the annual Egyptian Family Iftar banquet on 26 April, El-Sisi assigned the National Youth Conference, which is organised by the National Training Academy (NTA), to conduct the dialogue on the current national issues and deliver the outcomes to him.

El-Sisi promised during the banquet to attend the final stages of the dialogue, which is set to include “all political parties without any exceptions or discrimination.”

Multiple political parties have welcomed the step and expressed willingness to join the dialogue.

A statement by the dialogue’s administration earlier this month announced inviting “the largest possible number of representatives of the Egyptian social classes and institutions to conduct an effective national dialogue.”

“This aims to make sure that all the categories are represented in the societal dialogue and to ensure access to all regions of the republic in coordination with all partisan and youth political currents,” the statement said.

The dialogue’s administration is also receiving proposals and inquiries via WhatsApp at 01025521555 - 0109388883.