Doha Assy: A champion of Egypt’s intellectual scene

Importance of education

When I asked her about her passion for education, Doha chuckled. She was delighted to have an opportunity to talk about the topic.

"Education was of paramount importance in our home. My father was a well-educated man and one of the brightest intellectuals of his time. His library was full of books covering the entire political spectrum, from the far right to far left. He had all kinds of books, including religious works discussing fiqh and sharia. I grew up surrounded by books."

She added: "My mother, on the other hand, had not gone to university. When she got married, she became a housewife to take care of her children. However, she always carried around the regret of not pursuing her education, so she always instilled the importance of education in our minds from a very early age."

 "My mother, on the other hand, had not gone to university. When she got married, she became a housewife to take care of her children. However, she always carried around the regret of not pursuing her education, so she always instilled the importance of education in our minds from a very early age."

 "Despite not being formally educated, she never stopped learning and became self-educated to the point where I believe her to be far more knowledgeable than people who have degrees," she said.

Christian studies

I then asked her about her decision to study Arab Christian heritage at the Evangelical Theological Seminary come from?"

"I was educated in Catholic schools. My father, Sheikh Mustafa Assy, was an enlightened man who raised us with the idea that there is no difference between Muslims and Christians. He taught us that we are all Egyptian, regardless of religion. This is how I was introduced to the concept of citizenship."

In her childhood, the novelist says, it was hard to understand her father's choice.

"How could an Imam and Muslim preacher who studied sharia and law enroll his kids in a Catholic school in the 1970s and 1980s, just as the so-called 'religious tide' and polarisation was beginning to take hold?"

He did not let that polarisation affect his decision, Doha says.

"This decision of his taught me the true meaning of citizenship. Due to my work in public service, I received several invitations to conferences on citizenship. Among these was a conference on Arabic Christian heritage, which, I later discovered, was a university dissertation."

"I decided to pursue a degree in the subject, which I believed would help me in my public work and bring me closer to Christianity. This, in turn, would give me a deeper insight into that religion."

"While pursuing my degree," Doha says, "I realised that most of those who speak of citizenship could not be farther away from it, despite their supposed belief in the idea. However, they never delved deep into the other's religion, or understood the aspects that divide us and which can bring us together."

Another reason for Doha's decision to pursue a degree in this field was that she had just begun writing a novel in which the protagonists were Coptic Egyptians.

"The degree helped me understand the mentality of Christian Egyptians. Muslim or Christian, we all hold our respective religions in high regard. It is a key emotional driver of our thoughts and vision of the world. After understanding Christian theology, I was able to accurately capture the characters and their feelings and choices — so much so that my Christian friends couldn't believe that I wrote it."

The degree helped me understand the mentality of Christian Egyptians. Muslim or Christian, we all hold our respective religions in high regard. It is a key emotional driver of our thoughts and vision of the world. After understanding Christian theology, I was able to accurately capture the characters and their feelings and choices — so much so that my Christian friends couldn't believe that I wrote it.

Decision to become a writer

"You spent a lot of time writing '104 Cairo'", I tell her. "That novel marked a shift in your writing—a departure from your earlier novels 'Cup of Coffee' and 'Supermarket Happiness.' What can you tell us about that experience?"

Doha answered: "At first, I wasn't really passionate about writing. My first writing experience was a weekly or monthly column published in the National Progressive Unionist Party paper, when I worked in tourism."

"I started out writing economic articles, but the feedback I received was that my writings were more like short stories than articles and should be turned into a collection and published. This is how 'Cup of Coffee' and 'Supermarket Happiness' came to life," she explained.

"It just so happened that my father passed away the same year that I decided to start writing, so I felt like writing brought me closer to his world and thoughts," she said.

It just so happened that my father passed away the same year that I decided to start writing, so I felt like writing brought me closer to his world and thoughts," she said.

But then, Doha shifted gears again. She had a new idea for a novel.

 "I decided to write '104 Cairo', but I put it on hold twice. The first time was to work on a cultural project that required a lot of time and effort. And since this was my first novel, I felt stuck. I had to ask myself whether I wanted to keep writing," she said.

"Since I was also working as a translator and as a researcher in the fields of heritage, history, and folk art, I found myself presented with many options. Should I carry on as a heritage and Egyptology researcher? Should I go back to tourism? What about translation?"

"Should I stick to writing instead and give it my all? I opted for the last choice because it was my strongest inclination. So, I went back and finished the novel, which I had started in 2008."

I asked Doha, who is also the founder and co-founder of the Shababeek and Abjadiya Cultural Centres, about the importance of nurturing intellectualism.

"I firmly believe in its importance, but this type of work is very difficult in Egypt. The general atmosphere is not helpful, neither in terms of legislation nor in terms of financial support. I believe those working in this field are admirable pioneers," she says.

"They are servants, not producers, of culture. Productions pays off, be it in glory, fame, accomplishment, or satisfaction. But those working in cultural public service must compromise a lot. Mostly, they ignore their personal interests to help shine the spotlight on others. Unfortunately, the domestic climate forced these cultural centres to shut down eventually."

Political career

I was personally against Doha's entry to the House of Representatives for a host of reasons, including the harsh experience of the great Egyptian author Abdel Hakim Qasem when he ran for parliament.

Before I could elaborate further, Doha interrupts me: "When I announced my candidacy for the House, a friend of mine called me to remind me that Qasem went crazy after he lost the elections, fearing the same fate for me."

 "I understood his concern, but our generation does not romanticise the truth. We went through many setbacks, including the dream of revolution. We were living in a bitter reality. We ditched the rose-coloured glasses and saw things as they are. Nothing could shock us anymore," she explains.

She added: "I understood the importance of raising cultural and intellectual awareness and I knew I was capable of championing this project. Therefore, I could not turn down the opportunity to run for parliament with my party, which asked that I handle the cultural dossier and finish what I had started with Shababeek before the circumstances forced us to shut down."

"When I joined the parliament, though, I wasn't solely focused on cultural matters. I got involved in various issues, but culture remained my number one priority."

Russian ties

Doha Assy is the first Egyptian author to become a member of the Union of Russian Writers. I asked, "how did this happen?"

"Given my familiarity with Russian culture and because one of my short story collections was translated into Russian, the Chekhov House-Museum invited me to present my stories," she says.

"In Russia, I met with readers and experts and took part in the Chekhov International Festival as a judge. I had also had my novel "104 Cairo" translated into Russian and had co-written some articles," she says.

"My novel, "Dictionary of the 21stCentury" about unusual terms used in our current societies and their origins was also translated to Russian. So, when I applied to join the Union, the Russians appreciated my contributions in the Russian language as an Egyptian author and the Committee approved my membership unanimously."

Concluding our talk, I asked Doha: "What do you think, when you look back on your career and life journey and what do you have planned for the future?"

"It has been an exceptional ride, full of challenges and fun, with many changes, successes, and failures. My life has been an amalgam of pain and joy, of wealth and poverty," she explains.

"As for the future, all I want to do is to live and write in a quiet house near green fields, a cup of coffee in my hand and my family around me."