A recent national identity conference held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina has sparked criticism for failing to address the state of Egypt's national archive. The conference, which ran for three days, produced a document aimed at promoting Egyptian identity through various means, including preserving the country's historical memory. However, many had expected the conference to tackle the pressing issue of the national archive, which is crucial to understanding Egypt's history and identity.
The Egyptian national archive, also known as Dar al-Wathiqat, holds significant importance as it preserves government documents and correspondence dating back to the era of Muhammad Ali. However, the archive's collection is limited, with most documents from after 1954 not available. As a result, historians often rely on foreign archives to research key events in Egyptian history. For instance, details of meetings between Egyptian presidents and their foreign counterparts can be found in American or British archives, but not in Egypt's own.
In contrast, countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and France have well-established systems for preserving and making historical documents available. In the US, documents are declassified after 10 to 25 years, while in the UK, it takes 20 years, and in France, 50 years. Egypt's own laws dictate that secret documents are declassified after 15 years, and highly classified documents after 30 years, with the possibility of extending this period by another 20 years.
The Egyptian Constitution guarantees freedom of information, but a law regulating this right has yet to be passed. The national archive's accessibility has also become increasingly restricted, making it difficult for researchers to access historical documents. This has led to a situation where foreign archives are more accessible to Egyptian researchers than their own country's.
The issue of preserving historical documents and making them available to researchers has been highlighted by various incidents. For example, a YouTube video featuring a speech by former President Gamal Abdel Nasser was recently uploaded, sparking debate about the importance of preserving and making accessible historical documents. The book "Masamirat al-Shaab" by Samah Salem, which was translated by Amir Zaki, also sheds light on the challenges of accessing historical documents in Egypt.
The author of the book, Samah Salem, recounts his experience of researching in the Egyptian National Library and found that many historical documents and publications have disappeared or become inaccessible. This has led to concerns about the impact of such losses on Egypt's cultural heritage and identity. The destruction and looting of archives in the Middle East, including the Iraqi National Library and Archive, have also raised concerns about the importance of preserving historical documents.
The neglect of Egypt's national archive and the difficulties faced by researchers have significant implications for the country's historical narrative and identity. Many researchers are now forced to conduct their studies outside of Egypt, often relying on foreign archives and digital platforms. As a result, there is a growing call to prioritize the preservation and accessibility of Egypt's national archive, ensuring that researchers can access the country's historical documents and contribute to a deeper understanding of its identity.
Key points
- Egypt's national archive is crucial to understanding the country's history and identity, but its preservation and accessibility have been neglected.
