Cross posted from House of Wisdom, the Nature Middle East blog.
By Mohammed Yahia
“The only thing that will carry Egypt forward in the coming period is scientific thinking,” said Ahmed Zewail, winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1999 on Egyptian State TV. “If you install this core value in young people in a proper manner, you will have a whole generation of Egyptians with nearly unlimited potential.”
After the resignation of President Mubarak, in power since 1981, Egyptians went out celebrating all over Egypt. Everyone is aware, however, that this is only the first step of rebuilding their country.
Zewail, interviewed on State TV, talked about the role of scientists in the upcoming period.
He compared the future of Egypt to India’s investment in science, and how it had paid off, propelling the country ahead. He stressed that Egypt will need to encourage critical thinking in the new young generation in order to tap into their dormant potential. “Around 35% of the Egyptian population are 14 years old or younger. If you invest in these then you will create a powerful workforce that can truly change Egypt.”
“You can never enter the 21st century with 30% of the population illiterate. The world has moved ahead from that and there are many plans worldwide on how to counter that.”
After winning the Nobel prize, Zewail put together a proposal for a complete overhaul of science research and education in Egypt. He presented it to the Egyptian government for discussion, but the plans were halted for unknown reasons over and over again. Zewail said he had talked with five different governments, but the result was always the same.
He told a caller that he would work on a new plan to present to the upcoming government to solve some of the country’s most glaring problems. “I would give this all my time, but what would be different about it is that I’m completely convinced that any vision for Egypt in the coming years will not be complete unless the young people of Egypt are part of this.”
Read the rest of this entry on House of Wisdom.