Student Days in Cairo

I never tired of my father telling me about his days in Cairo. To me, as a child it seemed so exciting to hear these stories from a different era.
The reality for my father and his family was much harsher. Having gone to Egypt for what they believed to be a short sourjorn following the Deir Yassin Massacres turned into a journey of refuge.
Nevertheless dad’s life was fortunate and privileged. Coming from an old Palestinian family their refuge in Cairo was a great deal more comfortable than the thousands of Palestinians who were left homeless penniless and stateless. While life in Egypt was diffcult for dad grandparents Tawfiq and Widad with nine brothers and sisters it did bring dad opportunities. He worked teaching English while he put himself through the American university in Cairo studying for a degree in economics.
Good looking, charismatic with boundless energy he was elected as president of the student union.
Passionate about Palestine he soon got together with the young Yasser Arafat who was studying in the Ain El Shams University. A very active student union made up of Palestinians soon began the mission of trying to reclaim their Palestinian homeland.

Dad and Arafat soon got a petition, which they signed with their blood and presented it to President Mohammad Nagib the first president of Egypt after the revolution that deposed the Egyptian monarchy. Widely publicised in the Egyptian media and Arab press this was the first step to what was to become a long journey to go back to Palestine.

Soon to come.
Photo of the historic petition
A love story that led to my mum Khalida.