In Photos: Alexandria's German School of the Borroma Sisters marks 140 years of establishment

Reham El-Adawi , Sunday 21 Apr 2024

On the occasion of celebrating the 140th anniversary of the founding of the German School of the Sisters of Saint Charles of Borroma in Alexandria (DSBA), a large ceremony was organized on 21 April in Alexandria in the presence of high-ranking officials, church leaders, and diplomats.

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Education Minister Reda Hegazy, Geramn ambassador Frank Hartmann, religious figures from the church with sisters of the DSBA (photo credit of the German embassy)

 

The ceremony was attended by Minister of Education Reda Hegazy, the Patriarch of the Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt, Isaac Ibrahim, the Apostolic Nuncio, Bishop Nikola Thevenen, and the German Ambassador in Egypt, Frank Hartmann.

A distinguished delegation from DSBA Cairo went to Alexandria to warmly congratulate the Alexandria branch on its anniversary and enjoy the concert held at Bibliotheca Alexandria to celebrate the occasion. 

Renowned mezzo-soprano and DSBA alumnus Farrah El-Dibany performed alongside the school choir and orchestra at the concert.

The DBSA has had a long history in Egypt going back 140 years, making it one of the oldest German schools outside Germany worldwide. The school is known for its high educational standards and high-achieving students. 

“The German School of the Sisters of St. Charles Borroma of Alexandria was founded in 1884, and the nuns continue to shape the spirit of this school to this day and give it support and guidance in the modern world,” Ambassador Hartmann said.

"Although the school does not carry out any missionary work and most of the students are Muslims, everyone at the school shares Christian values of tolerance of other religions. Many figures from the German School of the Sisters of Saint Charles of Borroma of Alexandria and other German schools abroad have greatly influenced modern life in Egypt," explained Hartmann.

He added that the list of graduates of the DSBA appears to be "a compendium of German-Egyptian relations in various fields, including medicine, law, trade, industry, art, music, academia, and politics, and many of them are professionally active on both sides of the Mediterranean and are true bridge builders in our relations."

DBSA graduates, Hartmann noted, "remain loyal to the school and have close ties with Germany. The key performer at the school's founding anniversary ceremony on Thursday is one of DBSA's most famous graduates, the opera singer Farrah El-Dibany."

“The German School of the Sisters of Saint Charles Borroma of Alexandria is now well established in the Egyptian educational system and is a recognized part of Egyptian society. I wish the school and the German-Egyptian friendship every success for the next 140 years," stressed Hartmann. 

In conclusion, he highlighted that today more than 4,500 male and female students study at German schools in Egypt, most of whom are Egyptians, who act as "important bridge builders who contribute to understanding and exchange between Germany and Egypt."

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