An Introduction

Dr. Mustafa Mahmoud - may God have mercy on him - said the following: You need to read philosophy, poetry, stories. You need to open your mind to the East and the West so that it gets the necessary ventilation and does not rot. You will understand yourself through the people you read. If you understand yourself, you have put your foot on the beginning of the path and you know where the journey is from.

What do we mean by Dr. Mustafa Mahmoud's statement?

Dr. Mustafa Mahmoud – may God have mercy on him – was a great thinker with a profound understanding of life for future generations, not just his own. In this statement, he reflects on peace. Did you know, dear reader, that international peace organizations address peace in several ways? For them, peace isn't a singular issue; they discuss it through various channels – for example, but not limited to:

The Education

The Peace-based education is crucial in marginalized communities or those experiencing tribal conflicts, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has endured nearly twenty years of ongoing tribal conflict. Peace-based education is vital in these societies.

The Climate

What is the relationship between climate and global, regional, or even local peace? It is closely related: there is a global term known to advocates of global peace organizations, but not to the general public, which is "climate justice." The Paris Agreement is based on the principle that developed countries should pay for their excessive energy consumption by poorer countries that do not consume such quantities of fossil fuels and other unsustainable energy sources. Those who pay the heaviest price are the most vulnerable countries (i.e., those with weak infrastructure). Any flood, hurricane, or other natural disaster, as they say, can cause climate migration, death, and widespread destruction. And there are other examples of this within peace organizations.

Now,

What concerns us in this regard is peace-based education. This article does not claim that education based on social peace is taught in Egypt. Thank God, Egypt does not have tribal conflicts or internal strife that would divide the country into two or three, as is the case in many countries today. Sudan is not the Sudan we once knew; it is Sudan (a state), and South Sudan is another state, and there are many other examples, some known and others unknown to us. The most important point is that thoughtful and deliberate reading, which is sought by young and old alike, is needed not only by the people of the country, but also by the governments themselves, in order to stabilize matters within their nations, achieve prosperity, and increase production. There can be no increased production amidst wars or even tribal conflicts. Therefore, we will propose some simple suggestions that may find favor with those of sound judgment and those responsible for internal affairs, who are concerned with protecting society from within and without. But before the suggestions, let us explore the importance of thoughtful and deliberate reading in several fields from a psychological perspective.

Informed and critical reading across various fields can reduce susceptibility to racism and extremism.

However, its effectiveness depends on how deeply it challenges biases and cultivates empathy. Research shows that exposure to anti-racist education, diverse narratives, and trauma-sensitive curricula builds resilience against bigotry and extremism.

How does reading shape attitudes?

The critical awareness of race

Anti-racist school programs that encourage students and teachers to read and reflect on diverse perspectives significantly increase awareness of systemic racism and reduce biased thinking.

The connection through reading hypothesis

Initiatives such as the "Human Library" (where people read the life stories of marginalized individuals) demonstrate that reading personal narratives fosters empathy and reduces stereotypes.

Exposure to multiple fields

Reading in history, psychology, literature, and sociology broadens cognitive frameworks, making extremist ideologies less appealing by highlighting complexity and interconnectedness.

How can reading help reduce racism and extremism?

Building Empathy

Personal stories humanize marginalized groups; humanistic library sessions

Critical Thinking

Diverse texts challenge simplistic extremist narratives; anti-racist curricula

Expanding Identity

Exposure to global perspectives reduces "us versus them" thinking; cross-cultural psychology texts

Trauma Awareness

Reading about collective trauma helps understand the roots of extremism; psychotherapy literature on extremism

Are there potential risks associated with not reading in the ways described above?

Yes, because:

The superficial reading

The Passive or selective reading (such as reading only texts that confirm biases) may reinforce bias rather than reduce it.

The structural factors

Marginalization, oppression, and exclusion based on identity often outweigh ideological motivations; reading alone cannot address these problems without broader social change.

The cultural sensitivity

Texts with a Western orientation may not resonate in non-Western contexts; narratives rooted in the local context are more effective.

Therefore, conscious reading—especially when it includes diverse, critical, and empathetic perspectives—

removes individuals from racism and extremism by reshaping identity, fostering empathy, and challenging simplistic narratives. However, it achieves the best results when combined with direct, personal communication, community engagement, and trauma-sensitive interventions.

The Suggestions

Mobile Reading Bus for Children

We know, to the best of our limited knowledge, that there are buses that have become out of service due to their poor condition, and as a result, they are left as scrap in any remote place, or even in some so-called informal areas placed between residences, where they are exposed to the gathering of insects and rodents, and even to garbage being dumped on them. Why don't we take advantage of this? This means reactivating at least 100 buses across Egypt, repainting them, and repairing their engines so they can travel from place to place. Children's buses would be decorated with festive colors and decorations to encourage reading. These buses would travel to popular areas twice a week, where children could sit in comfortable seats, read, and learn. Ideally, these buses would be staffed by young, educated individuals who had read on that particular day. They would invite each child to briefly recount what they had read, and the young person would select the key ideas they had encountered and emphasize their strengths. These "closing" sessions for careful reading, also known as life coaching or life skills training, are crucial for embedding what has been read in the children's subconscious. When, where, or how this understanding will emerge is irrelevant; what matters is the deep-rooted understanding from a young age.

A Mobile Reading Bus for Nursing Homes

To the best of our limited knowledge, most nursing homes, whether for men or women, do not have televisions in private rooms, but rather a shared television for everyone in the morning. Consequently, the elderly, regardless of their health, are expected to go to bed by 8 PM. If the caretakers hear them speaking in hushed tones, they remind them of the importance of going to sleep. This means that the days are simply counting down to their departure, nothing more. Those who truly care for them are the ones who visit them once a month, bringing their material needs, while their emotional needs are completely forgotten. The suggestion is that reading buses travel twice a week to the nursing home's garden, encouraging the elderly to disembark at this mobile library. The atmosphere would be quiet and conducive to reading without disturbance. This reading session would conclude in the same way as life coaching sessions for children, with a gentle closing that reinforces what they have read, delivered by a cultured and conscious individual fulfilling this role.

The Mobile Reading Bus for Orphanages

To the best of our limited knowledge, most orphans in orphanages receive excellent attention in terms of their material needs—clothes, toys, and so on. However, there is very little in-depth reading, particularly that which is based on psychology. This reading should begin with stories that address psychological well-being, whether for those who have experienced childhood trauma or those who struggle to fully integrate into society when they go to school, participate in sports, or engage in other activities. The young, educated, and aware individuals who run these buses discuss these psychologically grounded stories, which subtly and indirectly address the psychological needs of these children.

Dear reader, may you remain well and possess the cultural awareness to work towards improving what you can, for the betterment of society from within and without.