Ineed not repeat the benefits of hosting the FIFA World Cup -- economic buoyancy, job creation, infrastructure improvement -- all of which will contribute to raising Egypt's profile. What I want to stress, rather, is the excitement of the prospect, which brings to mind several telling episodes of the last few months -- first-hand experience that demonstrates remarkable determination and incredible passion.
First comes the correspondence. The number of e-mails and faxes arriving from Egyptians living abroad in support of the bid is beyond belief. People not only express their excitement, they mail in newspaper cuttings from the local press and other relevant material. They make elaborate suggestions about what should and should not be done. Seven young Egyptians living in different countries have even designed and launched the bid's first unofficial Web site. Others visit the official site on a daily basis.
Next come the NGOs, many of which have provided wonderful support. One NGO, for example, funded the design and publication of a calendar of children's drawings in support of the bid.
University and school students are equally supportive, offering their time and the skills they possess unconditionally. The sight of 300 special-need children rallying in support of the bid on 9 December was unforgettable. Nor is "the man on the street" any exception. I was in Mansoura two weeks ago, and every other person I passed asked how they might be of use to the bid -- something that occurs in every city or town I visit. My colleagues at the bid committee are asked the same question on a daily basis.
And that is not to mention the help offered by the business community, with numerous leading companies providing support. Egyptians in senior positions at multinational companies in Egypt and abroad are also exerting wonderful efforts to get the support of their companies. It was moving to receive a phone call from a senior business figure saying that he owed everything to this country, and asking what he could do to help. What is interesting is that such people have taken the initiative to contact us and are not asking for publicity in return for the support they are offering.
The people's bid
Youth Minister Alieddin Hilal sees a nation united by the bid
Continuous contact
Ibrahim Nafie looks at the politics of football
The best of reasons by Hani Shukrallah
Proving them wrong
Naguib Mahfouz, Egypt's Nobel Laureate, discusses Egypt's bid
The anonymous advocate
Prominent writer Anis Mansour tells a tale of a true football fan
Eye on the ball
Veteran sports writer Hassan El-Mistikawi examines the cyclical nature of football history
The simplest sport
Writer Sami Farid discusses the egalitarian nature of the game
Ruled by the game
From the nation's alleyways to the palace circles, Egypt has historically held a place in every sphere of society. Mohamed El-Sayed looks at the nation's leaders, politicians, and their passion for the game
When life began
Football is one of the threads that make up Egyptian culture and social life. Mohamed El-Sayed looks at the history of this intertwining
Do you know what it takes?
Talent, desire, and unforeseen factors aside, becoming a professional football player requires a ruthless amount of discipline and hard work. Yasmine El-Rashidi takes a look at the basic needs of any football fitness programme
Things we take for granted by Yasmine El-Rashidi
Socking it around
Egypt's own sock football is an art of its own. Galal Nassar shares the secrets, and looks at other local streetwise sports inventions
E-football
From the side streets of Cairo to the ancient temples of Luxor, Yasmine El-Rashidi discovers that Egyptian football is everywhere. Cyberspace is no exception
The Egyptian football gene
To every fruit-filled tree, there are roots. Nashwa Abdel-Tawab takes a look at Egypt's soccer families
©Copyright 2004, Al-Ahram Weekly, all rights reserved.
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875
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