Egyptian Chronicles’ Movers and Shakers of 2021 “Egypt’s edition”

Welcome to the 2021 edition of Egyptian Chronicles' Movers and Shakers.

It is time of our annual post
Here is my list of those I believe that have been the shakers and movers of 2021 in Egypt.

There will be another list for “Region and world edition”

This is not the list of the top people but rather those who made an impact whether positive or negative based on my own views

This list is without any order. You know me, I write what I remember.

Locally :

From left to right "Egypt's Olympics delegation, Suez Canal workers, healthcare workers 
and antiquities workers"

A Special Mention

• Egypt’s healthcare workers: For the second year in a row, they are the unsung heroes of a bloody pandemic that does not want to end or fade away. I do not need to speak about their sacrifices in those hard times.
• The Egyptian Olympian and Paralympian team: For their victories against all odds in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics scoring the highest numbers of Medals in 7 decades against all odds and corruption in the Egyptian sports federation. The names of our champions are Feryal Abdel Aziz, Ahmed Al-Gendy, Gianna Farouk, Mohamed Ibrahim El-Sayed “Kesho”, Hadeya Malak, Seif Issa, Sherif Othman, Rehab Radwan, Mahmoud Attia, Fatima Omar, Mohamed Sobhy, Hany Abdel Hady and Mohamed El-Zayat.  
• The Suez Canal Authority workers and all those who worked hard for nearly 6 days in March to make the gigantic Ever Given float again and unblock the Suez canal saving global trade from another crisis. For their efforts all those years.
• The Egyptian archaeologists and workers: For their discoveries throughout the years and not only 2021.

From left to right "Tarek Shawky , Khaled Anani , Mohamed Anwar Sadat 
and Hala Zayed"

The politicians

• Dr Hala Zayed, current Health Minister: For the second year in a row, she makes it to the list but not for outstanding performance. Some will argue that she was from the most active ministers in 2021 which I can’t deny considering the fact that we are living in a global pandemic time but many are asking “Where is Dr Zayed !?”. Since late October and the minister has been on sick leave following a sudden heart attack she suffered at her office in the Ministry.  Her heart attack came at the same time that the Ministry was investigated for corruption by the prosecution. Three days after her heart attack, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly delegated her position and duties to Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar. Earlier this week, the Egyptian Prosecution referred 4 Ministry’s officials in the Health Ministry to Criminal Court on charges of abusing power and taking a bribe to reverse a decision to close an unlicensed hospital. Up till now, the fate of Hala Zayed is unclear. The rumours mill does not want to stop. Hopefully, we will know if she will continue in her position or not in the new year.

• Dr Tarek Shawky, current Education Minister: For the second year in a row too he makes to this humble list. Already he is from the most controversial ministers with some people consider him a genius who will solve Egypt’s long education problem while others look to him as the man who will bring down the house on the basic education in Egypt. In Summer as usual he made headlines because of the Egyptian National High School/Thanaweya Amma exams results. For the first time in three decades, we do not have genius students that score 100% GPA. In the school year 2020/21, only 74% of the Thanaweya Amma students have passed the exams this year. There was a couple of very rare protests at the Education Ministry from students and parents alike but the media ignored it mostly. Then in the school year 2021/22, we found out that there is a new curriculum for the 4th grade and some complain that it is extremely hard for the children at this age while others praise it as a start to force the children to use their brain…etc. Shawky continues to be a controversial figure without a doubt. Honestly, I hope he manages to do some positive change because this country paid a lot because its education ministers also come with new plans every now and then.

• Dr Khaled Anani, current Tourism and Antiquities Minister: Anani joins the list after one year full of speculator parades as well as old museums’ renovations and new museums inaugurations and criticism too. The peak moments of Anani’s year was the Golden Pharaohs’ parade in April then a bunch of interesting ancient Egypt discoveries and in November we had another ancient Egyptian parade inaugurating the ancient Sphinx Avenue between Karnak and Luxor Temples complex in Luxor. Yet, there are not always praises because some believe that Khaled Anani is only focusing on the ancient Egyptian monuments ignoring other monuments in the country, especially Islamic era monuments. Also, some criticize his tourism policies but realistically speaking we are still living in the Coronavirus pandemic era so I do not know what kind of tourism we assume can attract right now as the world has not recovered from the pandemic yet. Strangely in December, we found out some columnists in state-owned newspapers attacking him in a rare incident for the current time describing him as a showoff minister !! In 2022, Anani is waiting for the big moment of inaugurating the Grand Egyptian Museum.

• Mohamed Anwar Al-Sadat: Former MP Mohamed Anwar Al-Sadat “Named after his uncle late president Mohamed Anwar Sadat” returned back to the scene in 2021 after his expulsion from the Parliament in 2017. Sadat returned back to the scene along with ambassador Moushira Khattab formed earlier this year “The International Dialogue Group” that focused its activity on releasing a number of detained activists from non-Islamists. The group managed indeed of releasing a number of activists in pre-trial detention by the summer. In October, Mohamed Anwar Sadat and Moushira Khattab joined Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights as the Parliament approved its reconstitution in October. In late December, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi ratified the reconstitution of the council. It is a significant change this year. The Egyptian administration launched the new National Human rights strategy. The talk about human rights is back again on the table with the Americans.

From left to right: "Haneen Hossam, Mawda Al-Adhm and Alaa Abdel Fattah"

The influencers

• Alaa Abdel Fattah and other detained activists: Does Alaa Abdel Fattah need any introduction !? Alaa had one hell of a year that was not that great but he has not been defeated yet. He suffered from depression according to his family earlier this year then last week he and his co-defendants were sentenced to prison for spreading false news despite the demands of their release by the international community and human rights organizations. Their sentence can’t be appealed and they can only wait for a pardon. In November, Alaa Abdel Fattah’s book “You have not been defeated yet” in English hit the shelves abroad reminding us that it is not over yet. I hope in 2022, Alaa Abdel Fattah and his companions are free and his book will have an Arabic version sold in Egypt inshallah.

• Haneen Hossam and Mowada El-Adhm: From being the queens of popular class’ social media to being found guilty of human trafficking in a case that has not ended yet. Haneen Hossam is standing her retrial and Mowada El-Adhm is appealing her prison sentence. It is not yet over.

Top : Samir and Dalal, Left : Damina and Menna
Right: Egyptian rappers and Hany Shaker 

The Artists

• Samir Ghanem and Dalal Abdel Aziz: Legendary Samir Ghanem died due to coronavirus complication in May after more than 5 decades career that made him a king of comedy in the Arab world. After three months of his departure, his wife popular and talented actress Dalal Abdel Aziz passed away in August. It was a shock and up till now I am trying to write about Samir Ghanem as a legendary comedian but I feel that there is a block.

• Rappers Wegz, Marwan Pablo and Marwan Mousa: Hip-hop and rap are now officially established music genres in Egypt with a growing fan base after it was an underground music genre. It is still somehow underground but Egyptian rappers Wegz, Marwan Mousa and Marwan Pablo with others managed to make it mainstream for younger generations away from the traditional channels. Marwan Pablo’s song “Ghaba” or the forest broke the records in February for an Egyptian music video reaching more than 4 million views in the first 24 hours landing on YouTube’s worldwide trends then. I do not recall something like this happening before. Marwan Moussa sang in front of Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during the inauguration of the 2021 Handball Cup in Egypt when he is not officially a member of the Musicians syndicate. Wegz or Ahmed Ali “You know his name now” has become a regular face in the media whether in interviews or ads or recently TV series as he starred in the TV series “Bimbo” on MBC’s Shahid Network. His latest song “Keify Kedah” is another hit of the year 2021 and it has got so far 22 million views on YouTube since its release in October.

• Hany Shaker: The veteran romantic singer commonly known as {The Prince of Arabic singing} (do not know who called him that) who currently heads the Musicians Syndicate continued his crusade against Mahragant music and its singers are not members in the syndicate. In November, Shaker issued a decision to ban 19 Mahragant singers including popular famous Mahragant singers Hamo Bika and Hassan Shakosh from performing in Egypt. Ironically both men were holding fully booked concerts in Saudi Arabia. The fight between Shaker and the singers of that genre is still on and will continue next year.

• Menna Shalaby: Menna Shalaby is the first Egyptian actress to be nominated in September for an Emmy International Award as a leading actress for her performance in the crime mini-series “Every week has a Friday”. This is Egypt’s first-ever nomination in Emmy International thanks to the very talented Shalaby. “Every week has a Friday” is available on the Shahid platform.

• Damiana Nassar: With a heavy Upper Egyptian accent, housewife and amateur actress Damiana Nassar went from a small village in Minya to international film festivals in 2021 after starring in Omar El-Zohairi’s fantasy Feathers. “Feathers” is the first Egyptian film to win the Grand Prize at Cannes’ Critics week along with another bunch of prizes from other international film festivals in 2021. Yet when it reached Gouna International Film Festival “GIFF”, the film had its own drama and Nassar had her share. A bunch of actors accused the film and its makers of insulting Egypt by showing harsh poverty then we find a so-called celebrity TV host treating Damiana in a very arrogant way. In the end, “Feathers” won the Best Arab Feature at GIFF and Damiana Nassar won the hearts and minds of many Egyptians who did not see the film but loved this woman who was more natural than many of the El Gouna bunch.

Top: The Egyptian National Handball team, top right: Shika and bottom 
of course is Mo Salah, Left bottom: Sheno

Sports

• Egypt’s National Handball team: For playing the best they can in the 2021 Handball world cup and in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

• Mahmoud Abdel Razik aka Shikaba: Shika and his drama continue with the ongoing drama surrounding the Zamalek club.

• Mohamed El-Shenawy aka Sheno: Al-Ahly and Egypt’s National Football Team goalkeeper and anyone watching football in Egypt knows why I chose him.

• Mohamed Salah: The Mo Salah whom I have not forgotten what he had done with Amr Warda but this year he did what no other Egyptian or Arab or African player has done.

Happy New year. This is the first part of Egyptian Chronicles’ Shakers and Movers for this year. Next year inshallah, I will share the second part.

Inshallah 2022 will be better, we survived together 2021 and what does not break it, makes us stronger.