A few weeks ago, the Alexandria Library hosted a conference entitled, "Coptic Heritage in Africa". On this occasion I would like to present a seemingly new issue. For, every time Coptic heritage is mentioned a certain question pops up in my mind. The question goes as follows: "If a Coptic person decides to major in one of the languages and its literature what are the available options?"
The answer to this question depends on whether that person wishes to major in a contemporary language and its literature or an ancient language and its civilization. If that person wishes to study a modern language, he/she can study English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Swahili, or Hebrew, but that person cannot study Arabic. If on the other hand, the wish is to study an ancient language and its civilization, he/she can study Turkish, Persian, Greek, and Latin, but not the Coptic language or civilization.
Copts are not admitted to departments of Arabic Language and Literature in the Faculties of Arts and Education of Egyptian Universities, although there is no express article in the regulations towards that meaning. On investigating the matter I was told that it is neither prohibited nor allowed! There are a few Christian individuals who have insisted on majoring in the Arabic Language, but the one person I know who did had to obtain a presidential decree first!
Do you not agree with me that this only deepens discrimination against Copts as well as their feeling of estrangement in their own homeland?
As for the study of the Coptic language and its civilization, there are Departments of Coptic Studies in the most well established and prominent universities in the world, but there isn't one department in any Egyptian university. Coptic language and civilization is a specialization for which international conferences are held and for which there are academic periodicals. Scholars in Coptology arrive at Egypt regularly to visit Coptic antiquities, ancient and contemporary monasteries, study manuscripts, and write Coptic history. Why have our Egyptian universities chosen to neglect this field of study? Why deprive, not only Copts, but all Egyptians from this human heritage that we possess? Don't you agree with me that this is a scientific, academic, and cultural disgrace? Does the university as an institution differ very much in this respect from Salafi groups who have expressed wishes to hide and destroy everything pharaonic?
Since we are now in the process of changing our reality, planning our future, correcting our situation, obtaining our rights and reinforcing values of citizenship are there any revolutionary university professors out there who would be willing to adopt these two issues?
I would now like to rephrase my original question: If a Coptic citizen wishes to study his/her mother tongue which language can he/she study?
