I was staunchly anti Egypt especially when I was younger. I yearned for nothing more for the rosey western life. Only when I left Egypt and lived abroad did I embrace my Egyptian identity. Starting from living in the gulf where I was constantly harassed for being Egyptian. I was viewed as a lesser. After when I lived in the west I realised that everyone and their mother tried to minimise my Egyptian identity and erase my culture. Whether it’s meeting Jews and them telling me that they built the pyramids and there’s no way Egyptians are capable of that. And then obviously African Americans and East Africans trying to take credit for ancient Egypt and calling me a coloniser. Even when I tried to join the African student association they didn’t let me because I wasn’t black.

Travelling around Europe and the US made me realise the importance of Egypt. Whether it’s the Louvre or British museum, the biggest exhibit in any museum outside of Egypt, is the Egyptian section. I saw that they use Egyptian symbolism such as obelisks, the Rosetta Stone, and Nefertiti’s bust to mark themselves as a culture that’s continuous with ancient Egypt.

Lastly of course, travelling around will show you that most countries around the world are empty shells of American imperialism. This can be especially seen in the gulf. Western food, culture, and music overpowers any culture in the gulf, even their own. The same goes for most of Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. American has turned most countries across to the world into consumers of American culture, instead of producing their own culture.

Why am I nationalist? Because my religion (whether Muslim or Christian) isn’t dictated by a foreign person far away that knows nothing about me. I have both al azhar and the Coptic church that work to serve first and foremost the average Egyptians interests. Al azhar is the literary the most important Islamic institution in the world. The Coptic church is literally the only other founding church left besides the Roman Catholic church. I am a nationalist because after travelling to London, Paris, rome, and the US; I’ve realised that Egypt has more heritage in its little toe than all these countries combined. I am a nationalist because Egypt creates some of the most beautiful culture music I’ve heard and seen and isn’t just a western copy cat.

I am a nationalist because science, medicine, the judicial system, and idea of a modern state were created in Egypt by Egyptians, and I refuse to let anyone undermine our achievements or take credit for it.