Showing 94 results

Interview with Ahmed Ghaly, 23, was born in Cairo and immigrated to Mississauga, Canada in 2008 because his parents wanted a better lifestyle and education. Ahmed shares memories of school, friends, and sports before and after migration. Even though he lives in Canada, all his peers are Egyptian or Arab and he still listens to Arabic music. He remains closely connected to his homeland and frequently visits Egypt. He wishes to move back one day. Interviewer is Sarah Al Naqeeb.

21-year-old Alya was born in Egypt, moved to Kuwait for at six years old, then returned to Egypt for university. Alya discusses her love-hate relationship with Kuwait, living in Cairo vs Alexandria, and coming home after years abroad.

File contains the transcript of an oral history interview.

Andre Toueg, 72 years old, was born in Cairo in a Jewish family. His family hailed from countries like Libya, Syria, Italy, and Spain. They migrated to Brazil in 1958 due to Gamal Abdel Nasser’s policies against the Jewish community. Toueg narrates his life in São Paulo, where he joined local youth Zionist movements and found new identities. He never went back to Cairo.

File contains a translated transcript of an oral history interview.

21-year-old Andrew was born in Egypt, moved with his family to Jordan, and returned to Egypt just to move to Dubai on a whim following the 2011 revolution. Andrew discusses the challenges of assimilation, redefining his relationship with Copticity, and reclaiming Egyptianness.

A 48-year-old man who was born in Kuwait discusses his childhood memories, returning to Kuwait for work at the age of 33, and why Egyptians over time have migrated to the Gulf.

Image of woman and two children.

Image of a woman’s identification document.

Image of a woman’s identification document.

Item consists of an oral history interview (transcript).

File contains a translated transcript of an oral history interview.

A 22-year-old man who was born in Egypt, raised in Kuwait, studied in the U.S. and currently resides in Canada discusses differences between the countries and how migration has shaped his vision for the future.

File contains a consent form for an oral history interview.

A 21-year-old woman who was born in Lesotho and moved to Egypt at the age of eight discusses culture shock, finding community in Cairo, and the difference between racism in Egypt vs the GCC.

File contains administrative records including budgets, correspondence with faculty and the university archivist, project plans, event programmes and promotional documents (conferences, symposiums, exhibitions), and report templates.

File contains administrative records documenting the project’s incorporation, by-laws, minutes, banking resolutions, and director consents.

Interview with Erika Melek, 21 year old. This interview is with a second-generation Egyptian Canadian, who was born in Mississauga to Egyptian immigrant parents. In this interview, she speaks about how her parents came to Canada and speaks about the importance of community. Interviewer is Karen Abdelsaid.

Item is a poster for the Egyptians in the Gulf digital exhibit.

Item is a video trailer for the Egyptians in the Gulf digital exhibit.

File contains a transcript for an oral history interview.

55-year-old Hassan was born in the Philippines, and his parents' diplomatic career moved him between Egypt, Afghanistan, and the UK. Hassan discusses his experiences of migrating straight out of university to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain, nepotism in the workforce in the GCC, and maintaing roots at home.

Interview with Hussein Fatahallah, 24 year old. This interview is with a first-generation immigrant, who was born in Alexandria, Egypt, grew up in Dubai, and moved to Canada right before the revolution in 2011. In this interview, he spoke about the complexities of assimilating to a new culture and familial experience with back home. Interviewer is Karen Abdelsaid.

Ibrahim Soliman, 71 years old, was born in Cairo in a Coptic family. He served in the Egyptian army. In 1994, concerned with the rise of violence against Christians, he moved to the U.S. There, he met his wife, a Brazilian woman, and moved to her country. Soliman found work as a priest at the local Antiochian Church, where he also learned how to paint religious icons.

Ibrahim Soliman working on one of his icons. Family archive.

One of Soliman’s icons. Family archive.

File contains a translated transcript of an oral history interview.

Ilana Radetich, 71 years old, was born in Alexandria in a family of Italian and Yugoslavians origins. Her mother was Jewish, but Ilana was raised Catholic. She recalls the traumatic journey to Brazil in 1957, wearing all the clothes and jewelry she could. “Like a Christmas tree,” her grandmother had instructed her. With time, Ilana says, Brazil became her new homeland.

Alfredo Radetich and his daughters. From left: Tatjana, Silvana, and Ilana. Family archive.

Ilana Radetich in an undated photo taken in Alexandria. Family archive.

File contains a translated transcript of an oral history interview.

Jacques Sardas, his wife Etty, and their daughters in São Paulo From left: Isabela, Claudia, Dora, and Marianne. Family archive.

Interview with Lobna Hassan, 22, is a first-generation immigrant. She was born in Cairo and moved to Toronto, Canada with her sister in 2011. During Egypt’s Revolution, Lobna talked about how unstable and unsafe it felt, and how that drove her parents to decide she continue her education in Canada. When Lobna first arrived, she felt nostalgic. As time passed in Toronto, she has come to learn how to be grateful for the opportunity of being where she is now. Interviewer is Sarah Al Naqeeb.

44-year-old Mai was born in Kuwait, returning to Egypt at the age of seven. Mai discusses growing up around family in Kuwait, returning to Kuwait at 29 for her husband's job, and life as a homemaker vs a working mother.

Image of a woman and child sitting in a living room.

Interview with Marcus Zacharia, 35, is a first-generation migrant who hails from South West Egypt. He left Egypt in 2011 for Washington, DC and then Canada 2014, where he was offered a professional opportunity. After facing some struggles at first, he now finds Canada a multicultural and diverse society (something that he finds lacking in Egypt). He currently works to help settle immigrants and newcomers and is invested in building bridges with other communities around Canada. Interviewer is Sarah Al Naqeeb.

19-year-old Mawadah was born in Egypt, moving with her family briefly to the U.S. and Canada before settling in Saudi Arabia. Mawadah compares living in Medina vs Jeddah, coming-of-age as a woman in Saudi Arabia, and finding home in Egypt..

Moha Elgendy, 69 years old, was born in Cairo in a Muslim family. She migrated to Brazil in 1975 with her husband, an agronomist. At that time, there was a high demand for such professionals in Brazil. They lived in the state of Goiás, in the mid-west. Moha narrates her struggle to adapt to a new, less conservative culture—and also her feeling of belonging there.

File contains a translated transcript of an oral history interview.

77-year-old Mohsen was born in Egypt, taking the leap to migrate to Kuwait in 1966 and living there until 2015. Mohsen discusses early life in Kuwait, building a family abroad, and the impact of the 1991 Iraqi invasion on Kuwaiti society.

Interview with Monica Shaik, 23 year old. This interview was with a first-generation immigrant, who was born in Sudan, lived in Egypt briefly, and moved to Canada at the age of three. In this interview, she spoke about why her family came chose to Canada, Coptic persecution in Egypt, and the importance of community when moving to a new country. Interviewer is Karen Abdelsaid.

Interview with Nelly Fanous, 64, is from Israel and emigrated to Canada in 1980. She married into a Coptic family who descend from Egypt. The Fanous family are very well known in Palestine because her husband’s grandfather was a scribe for the Coptic Church in Egypt, and he was sent to Palestine to write copies of the Bible. Her husband’s uncle, who lived in Egypt, was a well-known iconographer for the Coptic Church. In this interview, Nelly talks about reasons for leaving Israel for Canada, her connections with Israel, her experiences settling in Canada, and her relationship with the Coptic Church. Interviewer is Sarah Al Naqeeb.

File contains a list of questions to guide the oral history interviews.

File contains a transcript for an oral history interview.

37-year-old Shereen was born in Saudi Arabia, returning to Egypt at the age of 10 before migrating to Oman to work as a teacher at the age of 31. Shereen discusses the challenges of living abroad as a single woman, the importance of financial independence, and why parents shouldn't hesitate to let their daughters live abroad.

Silvana Tinelli, 83 years old, was born in Alexandria in a Catholic family of Italian and Yugoslavian origins. She narrates her migration to Brazil in 1957, when she was 17, as an adventure of her youth years. When she went back to Alexandria and saw her childhood home, Tinelli thought everything there looked like a miniature, if compared to the dimensions of Brazil.

File contains a translated transcript of an oral history interview.

Interview with Steph Alexander. Steph Alexander, 21, is a first generation immigrant, who was born in Alexandria and migrated to Canada with her family at 8 years old. In this interview she speaks about home, Canada and why they chose Toronto specifically, how family and the Coptic church played a huge role in settling and assimilate into Canadian culture. Interviewer is Karen Abdelsaid.

Item consists of an oral history interview (transcript).

Tareq Mesbah, 28 years old, was born in Mansura in a Muslim family. His parents worked as government employees and owned a farm. Mesbah decided to move to Brazil in 2017 in search of opportunities. Mesbah says he was also looking for a less conservative country. From the restaurant that he opened in São Paulo, he talks about his passion for Pharaonic history.

Tareq Mesbah, 28 years old, was born in Mansura in a Muslim family. His parents worked as government employees and owned a farm. Mesbah decided to move to Brazil in 2017 in search of opportunities. Mesbah says he was also looking for a less conservative country. From the restaurant that he opened in São Paulo, he talks about his passion for Pharaonic history.

Tareq Mesbah in front of his restaurant in São Paulo. Family archive.

Tareq Mesbah in front of his restaurant in São Paulo. Family archive.

Tatjana Sandrault, 85 years old, was born in Alexandria in a Catholic family. Her family story gives testimony to the diverse communities that lived in Egypt in the first half of the twentieth century—her ancestors were Irish, Italian, and Yugoslavian. The Egypt she describes is one of exceptional opportunities for some until the 1950s, when many Europeans migrated.

File contains a translated transcript of an oral history interview.

22-year-old Touqa was born in Egypt before moving immediately with her family to the UAE. Touqa discusses her early memory of life in Sharjah, the challenges of 'blending in' on trips back to Egypt, and why Dubai will always be home.

27-year-old Ziad was born in Egypt, migrated with his family to Saudi Arabia at the age of five then to Oman at the age of 12, and now lives in the UAE. Ziad discusses memories of trips home to Port Said, anti-Egyptian racism in the Gulf, and the transformative experience of re-connecting with Egypt during his mandatory military service.