[ad_1]
By Joey Kennedy
Coptic Church near COP27. Photo: Albin Hillert/LVF
After a surreal balloon ride at the Sharm el-Sheikh Convention Center in the Sinai Peninsula where the international community gathered for COP27, I had the opportunity to visit mainland Egypt and the upper Nile River Valley. Here are some glimpses of the reality on the ground that I saw.
Beauty – the lands, the Nile, the people, the buildings, the letters, the paintings, the sculptures, the stories that go back to at least 6000-4000 BC. Breathtaking and awe-inspiring.
Pride – in the restoration of monumental ancient temples and tombs that preserve millennia of history and the development of rich cultures and religions. The ubiquity of the “Key of Life.” In some places there are connections with stories from the Hebrew Testament – images of seven years of plenty and seven years of famine from the time of Joseph; a sense of what those enslaved people went through building these huge pyramids and structures that led to the exodus under Moses. Wonderful museums showcase the influences of the conquering civilizations – Roman, Greek, Christian and Muslim – and the cultural gifts they brought to the existing colorful tapestry.
Today’s Christians – I met the local Orthodox Christians, who were tired but rejoicing after a week of outdoor camping at the ancient monastery of St. George, near the Valley of the Kings. Faith is alive, strong and celebrated daily in the family I have come to know and love. I heard Coptic and Catholic tour guides arguing about the baptism – which was the right one! I weighed in as a Protestant who was skeptically allowed to join the debate. We never solved it.
Muslim dominance – evidenced by things like the redistribution of land under Anwar Sadat, who displaced Christian owners from farms; still a sore spot. But those I spoke with say President Sisi appears to be protecting Christian interests and has no problem building new churches. Human rights are discussed carefully and quietly.
Reliance on renewable energy – with massive hydroelectric production at Aswan’s High Dam (a remarkable feat) and a massive 50km long land-based solar installation. Canal irrigation and water-powered machinery add to the mix.
Attempts at recycling and greening are everywhere in new public buildings such as museums, but thick smoke still billows from the mountains of burning garbage in the city of Cairo. Polluting tuk tuks, on the other hand, are banned in Luxor, leaving only newer combustion-powered vehicles and horse-drawn carriages (which I had the pleasure of driving!)
Major new infrastructure projects underway – President says Egypt won’t be recognizable in thirty years; but, says my guide, in the meantime “people must eat.”
Severe poverty – I experienced this in a Nubian household in a village where the community is strong, but there are no resources to break the cycle. Young men of 19 years old who have to go to two years of military training are concerned. The children have school, but only half a day or whatever is available. Women have fewer opportunities for paid work.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic – debilitating for poor communities that have seen much death and disease, leaving behind widows and orphans. Tourism and trade are only now reviving. The markets are colorful and lively again.
Agriculture – fertile farms in the desert that employ many migrant workers from Sudan and the Middle East.
Active trade with Sudan – long lines of trucks loaded with goods easily enter Sudan but have to pay high customs duties to return to Egypt.
Refugees – from Syria and drought-stricken regions to the south. Immigrants from all over Africa and the Middle East.
Street kids – creek kids – Nubian orphans living dangerously on paddle boards and riding motorboats that ply the river, singing for little money.
The “informal economy” and the black market – very much alive. Palm greasing at every checkpoint – even the customs agent at the airport “suggested” a service fee before we went to the gate.
This is a complex society, emerging as a leading country in the geopolitical landscape, with its own struggles and challenges as climate change hits. It is resilient and with many blessings.
And always the Nile – the river of dreams, pain, promises and life. It continues.
Joy Kennedy, Canada, is an activist and veteran COP and ecumenist. She is a former executive director of the Church, moderator of the SSC Working Group on Climate Change; convener of Fast For the Climate; Chair of Climate Action Network, Canada; and grandmother. She continues to believe in working together with love towards a just and sustainable future for all.
[ad_2]
Source link
