Bruneian scholars residing in United Kingdom participated in a student exchange programme to Cairo, Egypt recently. The programme known as the BSUnion Crossover to Cairo ran from March 29 until April 9 and was organised by the Badan Kebajikan Penuntut Brunei Darussalam (also known as BKPBDK) in Egypt in cooperation with the Brunei Students’ Union in the UK.
The programme was also supported by the Brunei Students’ Unit in the UK, with Cikgu Abdullah bin Haji Ahad, the Director of Studies, and Ustaz Haji Raminey bin Haji Salleh, the Religious Officer acting as liaison officers on behalf of the Union with Ustaz Aziman Haji Zaman, the Education and Cultural attaché based in Cairo.
The programme kicked off on March 29 with an opening ceremony led by the Chairman of the BKPBDK, Ustaz Md Yaasir bin Hj Ibrahim.
Female students at the Al-Azhar Mosque.
Amongst other events, the educational five-day trip was filled with visiting historical sites such as the Sayydina Hussien Mosque, the Amru bin Al-Asr Mosque and camel-riding across the Cairo desert from the Pyramids of Giza to the famed Sphinx statue.
Student members of BKPBDK also brought UK students to visit their place of study, the University of Al-Azhar, the oldest university in the world. Other excursions of note included a trip to the Khan Khalili bazaar, Cairo’s busiest market and a boat ride across the River Nile.
On the last day of the trip, prior to the closing ceremony, a student forum was held whereby scholars from both the UK and Cairo discussed the different challenges faced, as well as what they hoped to bring home upon their return to their country.
Male students at the Pharaoh Village. - PHOTOS: ADI ASMAWI ADANAN & NUR 'IZZATI IBRAHIM
Also present at the ceremony was Cikgu Abdullah bin Haji Ahad, who gave a speech on his hopes for the continued collaboration between the students from the UK and Cairo.
This was followed by speeches by Ustaz Md Yaasir bin Hj Ibrahim and Nur’izzati Ibrahim on behalf of the BKPBDK and the BSUnion respectively.
Amongst the aims of the trip was to share the different cultural and educational experiences each group of scholars underwent during their time abroad.
It is hoped that the bonds and networks created will continue beyond the Crossover and into working life in Brunei.
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