CAIRO - While recalling his historic deeds and looking forward to Egypt's would-be bright future, the nation commemorated the 41st anniversary of the death of President Gamal Abdel Nasser, the hero of 1952 Revolution, which toppled Egypt's monarchy. Celebrating the occasion with artistic taste, the Picasso Art Gallery in Zamalek is holding an exhibition entitled ‘Abdel Nasser the Dream' of the works of artists of Nasser's era, and also of today, as well as people who have something to say about the late president. “Every nation must have a dream. Nasser is remembered for social, economic, political, intellectual and literary change,” said Tahani el-Gebali, Egypt's first female judge and vice-president of the Supreme Constitutional Court. “He made the Egyptian people proud and boosted Egypt's role regionally and internationally,” she told The Egyptian Gazette. El-Gebali has contributed a hand-woven silk carpet depicting Nasser in his military uniform to the exhibition. She bought it from an old man in a narrow alley in the Iranian capital, Tehran, when she visited it at the age of 14. When el-Gebali saw the carpet, which this man in his eighties had made, she was delighted and asked him where he got Nasser's photo from and how he managed to weave his image into the carpet. "He told me that he liked Nasser, so he wrote him a letter, describing him as the father of the poor people. Nasser sent him a signed photo, which helped him with his weaving. “Nasser didn't just support the Egyptians, but everyone wanting freedom and justice in the world, especially humble people," she added. Abdel Nasser (January 15, 1918, September 28, 1970) was the second president of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Mohamed Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt. This revolution heralded a new period of modernisation and socialist reform in Egypt, together with a profound advancement in pan-Arab nationalism, including a short-lived union with Syria. Nasser was one of the most important political figures in both modern Arab history and politics. Under his leadership, Egypt nationalised the Suez Canal Company and came to play a central role in anti-imperialist efforts in the Arab world and Africa. His handling of the Suez Crisis made him a hero throughout the Arab world. Instrumental in the establishment of the international Non-Aligned Movement, Nasser was also well known for his nationalist policies and his version of pan-Arabism, also referred to as Nasserism, which won a great following in the Arab world in the 1950s and 1960s. Although his status as ‘leader of the Arabs' badly suffered after the Israeli victory over the Arab armies in the Six Day War in 1967, as well as Egypt's failure to win the subsequent War of Attrition against Israel, many Arabs still view Nasser as a symbol of Arab dignity and freedom. The exhibition was opened by Hoda, Nasser's daughter, who is Professor of Political Science at Cairo University; his other daughter, Mona, the wife of Egyptian businessman Ashraf Marawan who died in 2007; and his son, Abdel Hakim, an engineer. It was attended by dozens of plastic artists, prominent figures and political people. "The visitors to the exhibition and the artists themselves all have strong feelings about," said veteran cartoonist Moustafa Hussein. "The enthusiasm of the artists has led some of them to exaggerate Nasser's appearance he looks like a film star in some of the portraits.” Hussein's contribution to the exhibition is a painting with Nasser's head on a body representing an Egypt consisting of trees, factories, seas, boats, buildings and monuments. Meanwhile, veteran artist Farid Fadel said that Egypt now has a different sort of hero, “as the January 25 revolution was based on the Egyptian people, not a hero”. “It's nice to have an exhibition like this, so we can remember Nasser's achievements, but today we also need a common national dream for all Egyptians to work at,” he said. "Abdel Nasser The Dream"is being held at Picasso Art Gallery, 30 Hassan Assem St., off Brazil St., Zamalek. It runs until October 25.
