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Heikal turns down honorary AUC doctorate degree
By Yasmine Saleh First Published: June 16, 2007
CAIRO: Mohamed Hassanien Heikal, former chief editor of Al-Ahram newspaper and renowned commentator, turned down the American University in Cairo’s honorary doctorate degree in humanities.
“Offering honors is best left to readers and this is a rule I have always applied,” Heikal said, referring to the lessons learnt from his long career in journalism.
During the 84th AUC commencement for Bachelor's Degree candidates that took place Thursday at the Cairo International Conference Center in Nasr City, Heikal gave a 20-minute speech.
Chosen as the keynote speaker and recipient of the honorary degree, Heikal thanked the university for the degree that he turned down while stressing his respect for the institution. “[It] separates American academic values from the political practice of any particular American administration," he said.
"The American University in Cairo has been generous in telling me, in plain terms, that my life's work has not been in vain," he added.
Heikal advised the 236 young graduates to "study the world, understand your times, embrace the issues of homeland and nation, and do so with open eyes, research, read, study…. Discovery is the key, not repetition. Draw your own conclusion."
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