We Are Now Engaged in the Great Battle of Development, and at the Forefront of the Leading Ranks March the Scientists Beneath Us

Translated by Ganna Elebiary  

Reviewed by Mohaned Mohammed

Dear citizens,

Amid this glorious multitude of battles for freedom taking place all around us, today you celebrate Science Day in the midst of the Arab struggle for freedom in fighting Algeria, and within the African struggle for freedom in the steadfast Congo, amid all these battles waged by striving peoples against colonialism in all its forms and manifestations.

Amid all this, your celebration of this occasion comes as a tribute to artists and scientists. This is not, in my view, an isolation from the events around us; rather, it is, in my conviction, a living interaction with these events, and a genuine response to their bloody battles.

Art, in its true essence, is a living expression of freedom, and science, in its true essence as well, is a living expression of freedom. Art is the free human being’s venture to explore the self, while science is the free human being’s venture to explore the universe around it. Freedom in art and in science forms a complete cycle that gives and takes, influences and is influenced, propels and is propelled. For the sense of freedom that drives the artist to creative expression transforms, after creation, into a driving force toward greater freedom; and the realm of free thought available to the scientist, through which a scientist gradually approaches the ultimate truth, is itself transformed by that very truth into a motivating energy toward ever greater freedom of thought.

Thus, freedom is a prerequisite for both art and science, just as it is, at the same time, an inevitable outcome of them. Indeed, the interaction between art and science extends even further, in conjunction with the battles for freedom; each complements the other in a single nation's struggle. Art becomes one of the most powerful weapons in the battle for political freedom against colonialism and exploitation, and then comes the role of science to become the greatest weapon in the battle for economic and social freedom, in the making of a free society.

We all still hold in our memory scenes from artistic works that were among the greatest sources of inspiration in our national struggle; likewise, echoes of songs still resonate in our ears, carrying with us into the field of battle as part of our arsenal. The word was as powerful as a bullet in our struggle, and so was the anthem, as was the touch of light and color upon paper. 

And now we are engaged in the great battle of development, with scientists marching at the forefront of the leading ranks beneath us. They are now present by the hundreds in laboratories and factories, in fields and mines; seeking solutions to the most intractable problems, discovering means for the grandest objectives, and guiding the new society toward the horizons we have long aspired to. This does not mean that there is a separation in the roles of art and science. It does not mean that art alone is the guide in the battle for independence, nor that science alone is the guide in the battle for development. That is not what I point to. In my view, the reality is that the interaction among art, science, and freedom at their various stages is a continuous, dynamic, and ever-renewing process, with no gaps nor separation between their cycles. What I mean to convey is that the role of art becomes more prominent in the moral mobilization necessary to advance the political struggle, while the role of science becomes more prominent in the material mobilization necessary to advance the economic and social struggle. Yet, science also plays a remarkable role in the enlightened awareness necessary for the success of the political battle, just as art plays a remarkable role in cultivating the human sentiment necessary for the success of the economic struggle.

Dear fellow citizens,

From this standpoint, I say that our celebration of Art and Science Day today is not an isolation from the battles for freedom raging around us; rather, in my view, it is an engagement with them and a true response to their bloody struggles. Indeed, it is more than that; it is a promise and a pledge, a promise and pledge from the people of this United Arab Republic who recognize the role of art and science in achieving their freedom, a promise and pledge from a people aware of the role their own freedom plays in realizing the freedom of other neighboring peoples striving for similar aspirations. The greatest value of the people of this United Arab Republic is that they are at the forefront, just as the greatest value of this United Arab Republic is that it serves as a foundation. That is our value, and at the same time, it is our responsibility: for our people to bear the responsibility of being at the forefront, and for our republic to bear the responsibility of serving as a foundation for freedom.

Your celebration today of Art and Science Day is only a reaffirmation of the pillars upon which freedom rests in our homeland, and this celebration amid the events surrounding us is in itself a reaffirmation of our free people’s acceptance of the responsibilities of their pioneering role in securing freedom for other peoples, and of their readiness to make their land a foundation that, in turn, establishes new bases for freedom contributing to the creation of the world of peace that peoples desire.

By its nature, freedom cannot be regionally selfish; thus, a free people can only stand for freedom everywhere. Moreover, freedom, in its temporal logic, realizes that its success in one place ensures and reinforces its success in another. In this way, a bond unites the free everywhere, a bond arising both from shared interest and from shared consciousness.

Dear fellow citizens,

Colonialism has sought to exploit the highest achievements of mankind, diverting them from their true purpose and harnessing them to serve its own interests. Thus, for example, we have seen French colonialism in Algeria use force to strike against truth, and attempt to use science to strike against freedom. We have witnessed brutal massacres carried out openly, and mass killings conducted without regard for law or honor, to subjugate peoples and crush their will. Moreover, colonialism, as we have seen in the Congo, has not been content with using force to attack freedom and tear it apart; it has also sought to impose ignorance and to obstruct the inevitable course of development. When the national leadership in the Congo attempted to rebel against this siege, which was intended to isolate the Congolese people from civilization, colonialism unleashed upon it its anger and hatred. In Algeria and in the Congo alike, we have no choice but to remain faithful to our role; the role of our people as a vanguard and the role of our homeland as a foundation. If colonialism in Algeria strikes at freedom with force, then it is our duty here to work for greater strength, so that our strength may serve as a support and pillar for freedom. And if colonialism in the Congo seeks to impose ignorance, then it is our duty to break the siege and to bring the radiant light of freedom into the heart of the African continent.

Dear fellow citizens,

With this awareness, our people now rise, and so does our United Arab Republic. With this awareness, the free Arab vanguard advances, and the free Arab foundation stands firm. With this awareness, we safeguard freedom in our homeland, strengthen it, protect freedom in the homelands of others, and pave the way for it. With this awareness, we confront injustice and darkness, and resist the hordes of colonialism everywhere with all our strength, so that truth may prevail and the forces of darkness may be dispelled. With this awareness, we steadfastly raise the flag of freedom above our heads, above the heads of the free in every land.

And may God bless this homeland, which was once born of freedom and has now become a source of it.

Peace be upon you

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President Gamal Abdel Nasser's speech at the Science Day celebration from Cairo University on December 15, 1960