Dr. Hisham Azzam, head of Egypt's Intellectual Property Authority, participated in the opening of the "National Identity: Rooted and Renewed Vision" conference, organized by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The conference took place from September 21 to 23, 2026. Dr. Azzam also took part in a panel discussion titled "Identity and Cultural Discourse," chaired by Dr. Ahmed Hano, Minister of Culture.
The panel discussion included a selection of thinkers and specialists, such as writer Mohamed Salmawi, Dr. Khaled Hassan, Deputy Executive President for Archaeological Affairs at the Grand Egyptian Museum, Dr. Samir Marqus, Egyptian thinker and former Assistant to the President for Democratic Transition, Dr. Salah Salem, Egyptian thinker and writer, and Wael El-Sharif, representative of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Dr. Azzam's intervention addressed the relationship between intellectual property and national identity from the perspective of cultural discourse.
Dr. Azzam emphasized that protecting creators and their rights is not limited to the legal aspect but is a component of the environment that allows national culture to continue and evolve. He pointed out that arts, literature, music, cinema, design, and handicrafts directly contribute to expressing and reproducing national identity. The intervention also discussed heritage and artificial intelligence from the perspective of intellectual property.
Dr. Azzam highlighted the importance of balancing the availability of heritage and its re-presentation to new generations with preserving the rights of creators and respecting the cultural value of national heritage. He noted that rapid developments in artificial intelligence technologies raise new questions about using creative works, attributing works, and the rights of creators.
The discussion also focused on the role of youth as partners in shaping identity, rather than just being recipients of cultural discourse, especially as they become producers of content and users of technology and artificial intelligence tools. The importance of raising awareness about intellectual property among new generations was stressed.
This awareness enables them to protect their creations and respect the rights of others, turning elements of heritage and culture into sources of creativity, innovation, and economic value. The participation of the Intellectual Property Authority aligns with its interest in enhancing the cultural and societal dimension of intellectual property.
The authority's participation reflects its commitment to the National Intellectual Property Strategy, particularly the axis of spreading and promoting awareness of intellectual property, and consolidating its presence as part of the cultural, economic, and social development system. The conference concluded with an emphasis on national identity being a living system that is renewed through creativity.
Key points
- Dr. Hisham Azzam participates in the "National Identity: Rooted and Renewed Vision" conference at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
- The conference took place under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi from September 21 to 23, 2026.
- Dr. Azzam's intervention addressed the relationship between intellectual property and national identity from the perspective of cultural discourse.
