- Dr. El-Minshawy: hosting the seminar reflects Assiut University's interest in promoting cultural dialogue and academic openness among its students

- Dr. Noobi: the lecture is an important addition to enhance students ' awareness of the values of dialogue and cultural openness

  Assiut National University organized, on Tuesday, May 6, an awareness lecture under the title: "Building Bridges of communication between cultures in a changing world.. Towards more cooperation", under the supervision of Dr. Ahmed El-Minshawy, president of Assiut University and Commissioner for conducting the work of the private university, and under the supervision of Dr. Nobi Mohammed Hassan, vice president of Assiut University for Academic Affairs, and Dr. Rehab Al-Dakhli, head of the media department at the Faculty of Arts and media advisor to the president of Assiut University, and coordinator of the seminar.

  The lecture was delivered by Prof. Dr. Gaby Samaan, professor of intercultural communication at the American University of Toledo, and one of the prominent academic figures in the field of media and cultural studies.

  The event was attended by a number of program coordinators and faculty members, Mr. Mustafa Hassan, secretary general of Al-Ahlia University, Dr. Shirin Abdel Ghaffar, coordinator of student activities, Dr. Arwa Nobi Mohammed, Assistant Lecturer at the media department and Fulbright scholar, and a number of students.

  Dr. Ahmed El-Minshawy, president of Assiut University, stated that Assiut University's hosting of Dr. Gaby Samaan's lecture comes within the framework of the University's keenness to open the horizons of dialogue with different cultures, and prepare its students to be ambassadors of knowledge and openness to the world. He stressed that the private university pays great attention to promoting the values of mutual respect. He added that the National University represents a national project that is of interest to the political leadership, and aims to develop higher education in Egypt in line with global challenges and serves the Sustainable Development Goals.

  Dr. Noubi Mohamed Hassan welcomed Dr. Gaby Samaan, expressing his pride in hosting a prestigious academic summit, stressing that this lecture represents a qualitative addition to the University's efforts in consolidating the values of openness and cultural interaction, and enhancing students ' awareness of the role of dialogue in building more understanding and cooperative societies.

Dr. Al-dakhli stated that the organization of this seminar at Assiut Al-Ahlia University reflects the vital role played by the University in supporting student activities, and emphasizes its vision as a modern educational edifice that seeks to consolidate the values of cultural openness and civilized communication, thus contributing to the preparation of students capable of interacting with contemporary issues and facing future challenges.

The head of the media department at the Faculty of Arts added that the university is hosting Dr. Gaby Samaan, one of the most prominent academics in the field of Intercultural Communication, who holds the position of Professor of intercultural communication, director of Middle Eastern Studies, and coordinator of the Arabic language program at the Faculty of Arts at the American University of Toledo. She stressed that his participation in the scientific symposium organized by Assiut Al-Ahlia university represents a qualitative addition to the contemporary intellectual and cultural issues being raised, especially as he is the co-academic supervisor of the first doctoral thesis completed under the supervision of the Fulbright Commission in Egypt.

Dr. Al-dakhli pointed out that the recent selection of Dr. Gaby Samaan as the next president of the International Society for Intercultural Communication Studies (IAICS) reflects his distinguished academic standing and his influential contributions to intercultural studies worldwide, which makes his presence a valuable opportunity to enhance the prospects of cultural dialogue and scientific cooperation between Assiut University and international institutions.

For his side, Dr. Gaby Samaan stressed that intercultural communication is the cornerstone of understanding the other and rapprochement between peoples, especially in a changing world where the need to build bridges of mutual understanding and cooperation is increasing. In this context, it was suggested to include an academic course specialized in "intercultural communication", because of its great impact in preparing a generation of students capable of interacting consciously and efficiently in multicultural environments.

In his lecture, he also addressed the most important factors that affect the process of communication between individuals, especially cultural and environmental factors, explaining the importance of awareness of these elements to ensure the effectiveness of dialogue.

Dr. Gaby Samaan concluded the lecture by presenting a set of practical recommendations and guidelines that contribute to enhancing cultural understanding, such as adopting attitudes based on listening and asking instead of assuming, careful observation, and openness to cultural exchange programs, foremost of which is the "Fulbright" program, stressing that building bridges between cultures is the way to enhance global cooperation and achieve joint human coexistence.

Dr. Arwa Nobi explained that she benefited greatly from the Fulbright Scholarship, which provided her with a valuable opportunity to delve into scientific research and open up to international academic experiences. She expressed her deep appreciation to Dr. Gaby Samaan, who took over the academic supervision of her doctoral thesis within the program, noting that his scientific support and extensive experience had a great impact on enriching her research experience.