Inspector of Egyptian antiquities at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Interview conducted by Eva Petropoulou Lianou
Good morning Doctor. It will be an honour to have you in our magazine.
Could you please tell us about yourself?
I work as an inspector of Egyptian antiquities at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. I write critical articles in the fields of fiction and theater. I have published five books. Five new books will be published soon.
When did archaeology come to life for you? What inspired you?
Archaeology is the science of searching for the roots of man, just as myth was the childhood of history. The knowledge of how ancient man lived shows us how mankind has evolved over successive eras. He who has no past has no future.
What was the most important moment for you?
The most important moment in my life was the discovery of tombs of senior officials from the 21st dynasty in the archaeological area of Saqqara with the Tasik expedition headed by Czech Egyptologist Jaroslav Barta in 2008. My visit was also accompanied by an exhibition of the effects of pyramid builders in Tokyo 2015, one of the most beautiful moments in my life as well.
Why should people visit the museum?
Museums are houses of memory ..If you want to know the history of a whole civilization that was as important as the Egyptian Kings, you should visit the museum, but if you want to know its present, you should definitely visit this country.
What is your wish for 2026?
I hope that in 2026 I will travel, work and live in Greece. The state and the people are psychologically and socially closer to the Egyptian people.
Women’s empowerment is the process by which women become aware of gender-based unequal power relationships and acquire a greater voice in which to speak out against the inequality found in the home, workplace, and community. An empowered woman not only changes her life but also uplifts her family and contributes to society. Though millions of women worldwide are still denied education — a reality that limits not only their potential but also their societies.
Today women empowerment plays a vital role in societies. From economic growth to social stability, the benefits of empowering women reverberate across every aspect of society. One of the most compelling reasons to empower women is its direct correlation with economic prosperity. When women are empowered with education, access to resources, opportunities, entire economies flourish. According to studies, investing women’s empowerment leads to increase in productivity and growth of a country.
Additionally, women’s empowerment is crucial for gender equality and discrimination. Despite the actions taken in this, still women around the world are facing barriers in education, violence, disdain and rights. Empowering women means challenging entrenched norms and stereotypes that perpetuate gender inequality. It involves creating inclusive policies, providing access to justice, and promoting women’s leadership at all levels of society. All in all, women empowerment takes the important part in all fields – healthcare, economics, education, industry.
Despite clear progress, numerous obstacles continue to restrict women’s equal access to education and empowerment.
Cultural expectations, early marriage, limited resources and gender stereotypes still restrict girls’ choices and ambition. To combat this, organisations such as Women In Tech and the PORLA project are enhancing women’s employability and promoting entrepreneurial skills across remote and traditionally underserved areas. Likewise, the establishment of the Entrepreneurial Women’s Council in March 2025 under the Chamber of Commerce and Industry aims to boost legal, financial and practical support for female entrepreneurs.
On a personal level, as a high-school student I co-founded Girls Hub, which has supported over 50 Afghan girls and is now collaborating with Nigerian peers hoping that change begins with young women taking leadership in education and solidarity.
If we truly believe that empowered women empower others, then education is the gateway to transformation. From the classrooms of Uzbekistan to global networks connecting Afghan and Nigerian girls, every investment in a young woman’s learning creates exponential returns for families, communities and nations. My journey with Girls Hub, standing alongside students who face barriers and believing in their potential, reminds me that real change comes from shared purpose, courageous action and unrelenting hope. Let us commit to policies that dismantle stereotypes, resources that expand access, and mentorship that lifts every girl toward her fullest future. Because when a woman learns, we all grow.
I am Lolaxon Sodiqxonova, a 17-year-old senior at the Specialized Boarding School in Namangan, Uzbekistan. I am passionate about empowering women and have already taken several actions toward this goal. For example, I worked as the Head Ambassador of the PORLA project, which educates women and girls on AI tools and STEM, even providing opportunities for internships. This sparked my interest in women’s empowerment and encouraged me to co-found Girls Hub, a global platform mentoring young women on scholarships, languages, and some aspects of STEM. Today, Girls Hub has two international collaborations and more than 100 alumni. Moreover, I entered the world of start-ups with this project and became the winner of the Digital Generation Girls – Start-Ups Competition. My dedication to this field also led me to success in a prestigious international program—the Women2Women International Leadership Program, hosted by Emerson College and held at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL AND THE INSTINCT FOR ‘GIVE AWAY’
When from a liquid, a drop is formed, it is trapped into the struggle for survival. Its shape depends on how much the winds press its sides, and how much the light sucks its vitality. The moment it is formed, the eternal countdown begins, and then, as the day passes, a part of it is lived out. Finally, a moment arrives, when winds suck it back.
The sun and the night, the moon and the stars, the oceans and the mountains – they saw it form, flourish, and then finish. When we see this bubble, this drop, this human being, he is in the throes of a struggle, the wise call the struggle for survival.
When man is born, he too resembles a drop of life, and it is not difficult to see how this struggle for survival has started in the womb itself. Parents try to soften the pangs of this struggle in the initial years, but as soon as a child grows up, his march to adulthood is marked with pitfalls and boobytraps, and this struggle continues through the adult years, right up to the time he reaches the ventilator, the launch pad from where, hollow-copters fly on a journey into the unknown.
All through this life, the man was trying to stay alive and he did not mind this struggle which left him alive although so many lost their lives. The first and foremost thing for man is to preserve his life. Once he is secure in his body, mind and soul, he starts thinking of embellishments which make life beautiful. Art steps in, music steps in. Love steps in. It is now a paradigm of passions.
Just think of a journey in a plane. When the plane runs on the runway, and takes the dive up, our hearts sink. That is the initial shock we experience. But as it gains its speed, and becomes stable, we forget we are on a mission of do or die. The hostesses make you oblivious of the perils of the journey with their offer of drinks, food etc. In a few moments, the feeling of danger passes, and we start thinking of our life, some open their laps tops. Some go to sleep. The feeling of struggle will return when the plane lands, because, that too is a moment fraught with danger.
The idea is the struggle for survival is the basic instinct of man, and it remains with him all through. The question in the struggle for survival is when the idea of ‘how’ steps in. To keep alive is the first instinct, and this is animal instinct, the minimal, and the basest. We begin with this instinct. No doubt, throughout life, we have to keep alive till we reach the launch-pad, are we in the survival mode all through?
Can this instinct describe man in his entirety? I think, No. As soon as man acquires a sense of stability, he starts thinking of values, and the quality of his conduct in life. The focus shifts from the body to the mind and we are confronted with higher truths of life.
Existence is the essential truth but adding value to it is no less. I met a childhood friend who had retired from civil services. He held one grouse and it was against himself. He earned money, had a great going in his life, but what he has left behind? We, who believe in struggle for survival, also believe in the idea of a ‘take away’ from this struggle.
But, a time comes when we start thinking, was there any ‘give away’ also?
Dr. Jernail Singh Anand, with an opus of 180 plus books, is Laureate of the Seneca, Charter of Morava, Franz Kafka and Maxim Gorky awards. His name adorns the Poets’ Rock in Serbia. Anand’s work embodies a rare fusion of creativity, intellect, and moral vision.
If they could understand the blessings of Paradise,
Every living being will complete a life.
Some suffer accidents, others have deadlines to meet.
Some are hardened, others are simple.
If death comes, it is permitted.
Every living being will complete a life.
Zeki is a soldier, one of them.
His hair is falling out, his skin is gray.
The Muslim also salutes.
Every living being will complete a life.
My published books are, respectively: Fairy Tales of Şerif Ali, Poems of Isparta, New Children’s Poems, Women, The Ocean of Love, Poems of Atatürk, Fairy Tales of Zekice, Exemplary Emotions, If We Don’t Beat Cancer, It Will Beat Us, Different Poems, Sweet Comments, Goodbye, Cancer, Don’t Forget, Logical Questions, Pearls in My Corner. THIS HOMELAND IS OURS, I WOULD DIE FOR IT, MY TURKEY, PUT YOUR HEART INTO IT, DIVINE WORDS AND THOUGHTS, GOOD HEALTH, STORIES OF PINK DREAMS, STORIES OF MY LIVED MEMORIES. I have around 70 published books. My works are featured in more than 100 anthologies, both in Turkey and internationally. I have many more works ready for publication. God willing, this will continue as long as I live. I am the Provincial Representative of the Türkiye ilesam (Turkey and Isparta) Association in Isparta and Burdur. I am a columnist for the Haber newspaper, president of the Tüm San Association in Isparta and Burdur, and founder of the Zekice House of Culture and Art. God willing, I will continue writing and serving the culture of the Turkic world for as long as I live. Greetings to all writers and readers.
The Chinese girls and various aloha purveyors bade me stay
So here sits I, on a balcony green with plants, envy and Green Edition Red Bull
I can see the pink Royal Hawaiian where my sister stayed, just across from where she rocked like Gin Blossoms and counted koi
Now I am a more mundane working-class guy, portrayed as teacher and coach
My staycation has stretched out to 29 years on this island
I’ve taken trips to Arizona, China, Georgia, Seattle, and California, but always leave my heart (sacrificed?), on Oahu and sometimes hide it in our small Chinatown.
Been to Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii, but my heart and soul are on Oahu.
