• Professor El-Minshawy during the Christmas celebrations: The unity of Egyptians will remain the fundamental pillar for safeguarding the nation and supporting the path of development.
• Priests commend the visit of the Assiut University delegation and praise the University’s enlightening role and its efforts to promote the values of love and tolerance.

In an atmosphere marked by warmth and mutual affection, Professor Ahmed El-Minshawy, President of Assiut University, participated on Wednesday, January 7, in extending congratulations to Christian brothers and sisters in Assiut Governorate on the occasion of Coptic Christmas. This took place during his visits to a number of churches across the governorate. He prayed that Almighty God would return this blessed occasion to Egypt—its wise leadership and its noble people—with goodness, love, peace, security, and stability.

The President of the University was accompanied during the visits by the Vice Presidents of Assiut University: Professor Ahmed Abdel Mawla, Vice President for Education and Student Affairs; Prof. Dr. Gamal Badr, Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research; Professor Mohamed Adawy, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development; as well as Mr. Shawky Saber, Secretary General of the University.

The Assiut University delegation also included Professor Alaa Attia, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Chairman of the Board of University Hospitals; Professor Madiha Darwish, General Supervisor of Student Activities; Professor Hassan Huwail, Dean of the Faculty of Education; Professor Dwaib Saber, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Legal Advisor to the University President; Professor Khaled Abdel Aziz, Director of the Main University Hospital; Professor Rehab El-Dakhly, Media Advisor to the University President and Head of the Department of Media, in addition to a number of university leaders.

The tour included visits to the Diocese of Abnoub, El-Fath, and New Assiut (Karoz Service Center) in New Assiut City; the Coptic Orthodox Archbishopric in Assiut; the Coptic Catholic Archbishopric in Assiut; as well as the First Evangelical Church and the Second Evangelical Church.

His Grace Anba Bisenti, Bishop of Abnoub, El-Fath, and New Assiut and Head of the Monastery of the Martyr Saint Mina at Mount Abnoub, warmly received Professor Ahmed El-Minshawy and the accompanying delegation. His Grace also extended a gracious invitation to the President of Assiut University to visit the Monastery of Saint Mina, in a gesture aimed at strengthening bonds of closeness and affirming the values of human fraternity.

During the visits, Professor Ahmed El-Minshawy expressed his sincere happiness at sharing the joy of Coptic Christmas with Christian brothers and sisters, affirming that the occasion embodies the highest meanings of love and peace that unite the people of the nation. He emphasized that these renewed cordial encounters reinforce the spirit of belonging and citizenship—values that Assiut University is keen to instill among its students and affiliates—based on the conviction that the unity of Egyptians constitutes the fundamental pillar for protecting the nation and supporting the process of development and nation-building.

The President of the University also extended his congratulations to His Grace Anba Daniel Lotfy, Metropolitan of the Coptic Catholics in Assiut, and then proceeded to the Coptic Orthodox Archbishopric in Assiut, where he was received by His Grace Anba Yoannis, Metropolitan of Assiut and its Dependencies and Secretary of the Holy Synod. This was followed by a visit to the Second Evangelical Church, where he congratulated Rev. Rafiq Thabet, Pastor of the Church.

During the tour, Professor El-Minshawy also met Major General Dr. Hisham Abu Al-Nasr, Governor of Assiut, and Mr. Amr Abu Al-Oyoun, Chairman of the Board of the Egyptian Chamber of Commerce in Assiut and Vice President of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce.

The tour concluded with a visit to the First Evangelical Church, where the President of Assiut University extended his congratulations to Rev. Bassem Adly, Pastor of the Church, wishing all continued goodness, peace, and prosperity.

For their part, the bishops and priests expressed their deep appreciation for the visit of the Assiut University delegation, affirming that this gracious gesture reflects the depth of the bonds uniting the people of the nation. They also praised the enlightening role of Assiut University and its mission in spreading the values of love and tolerance and enhancing national awareness among youth.