We still remember the story of (Father) Iyad Al -Darwish and his daughter Aya, the three -year -old, who occurred in Gaza 2021, where the father was among the voices of bombing and destruction sitting his daughter laughing: Whenever a missile fell, he was applauding and smiling as if the sound was just a game. He hid his fear and pain to give her safety and reassurance.
His laughter and patience succeeded in the ordeal in surviving his daughter after he kept guarding her and removing her terror until the end, even though his heart and body had exhausted them from the ordeal ..
Thus was the father of the small Bahraini heroine, Maryam Fouad Shehab, who narrated her human story in Cairo, the land of the Pyramids and the Great Nile, and under the roof of the hall of Professor Mohamed Hassanein Heikal in the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate, the kiss of intellectuals, thinkers, creators and inspiring stories, dozens of intellectuals, media professionals and university professors met to witness a unique humanitarian event: For the Bahraini Professor Dr. Fouad Shehab.
The ceremony was not merely an announcement of a new book, but rather a humanitarian occasion with distinction, during which it was drawn on the faces of the attendees warm smiles mixed with tears of influence, as if everyone became a partner in the story that exceeded the borders of the family and the homeland to become part of the Arab conscience.
The ceremony was held under the auspices of Professor Abdullah bin Youssef Al -Hawaj, the founding president of the National University and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, who in his speech stressed the depth of brotherly ties between Bahrain and Egypt.
He stressed that the launch of this work from Cairo is a tribute to its historical role and its position as the capital of Arab culture, and a clear message that culture is able to extend bridges between the siblings, no matter how geographical divergence is.
Al -Hawaj explained that what Shihab is not just a personal story, but a humanitarian testimony that shows Bahrain’s ability to produce bright models that carry a sophisticated humanitarian message that hesitates in every Arab home.
As for Dr. Fouad Shehab, the father of the little heroine, Maryam, he took the attendees on a deep emotional journey. He spoke in the voice of the father who lived in shock when he discovered that his daughter was born hearing, and how that harsh moment turned into a long way of research, treatment and support, he ended with a success story that overflows with hope.
“Parents are not just an emotion, but rather a life project based on sacrifice and unconditional love.”
The book, in its essence, is an honest human mirror that reflects a journey that turns pain into strength. He raises a deep question about the meaning of disability, and confirms that the real impotence is not in the senses, but in the minds that refuse to see the light.
From the womb of this experiment, practical initiatives were born, the most prominent of which was the establishment of the Prince Sultan Center for Hearing and Speech Development in Bahrain, which became a beacon for children who lost hearing and their families, to turn individual pain into collective hope.
What distinguished this evening is that it was not only about “Mary”, but also carried a symbol of the depth of Bahraini -Egyptian relations that extend over decades. These relations, whose roots extend to modern and contemporary history, are not limited to the political side, but also included the fields of education, culture, media, economics and defense. Bahrain has always been a support for Egypt, and Egypt has always been a second house for Bahrainis and all Arabs.
Hence, the choice of Cairo to call the book “Maryam” is not a coincidence, but rather an affirmation that the partnership between the two countries did not lose its luster, but rather increases with the passage of time.
The evening of “Maryam” has proven that culture and humanity are the shortest way to strengthen relations between peoples. Human feelings were mixed with the national dimension, to bring everyone out with a clear message: that Arab cooperation is not an entertainment choice, but rather a need for a better future.
The book “Maryam” is no longer just a family story. Rather, it has become an Arabic icon that reminds us that hope is born from the womb of pain, and that solidarity between peoples is able to turn challenges into achievements.
* PhD in digital media
