Feb. 4 marks birth anniversary of pioneering Egyptian geographer Gamal Hemdan

CAIRO – 4 February 2021: Today marks the birth anniversary of one of the pioneering Egyptian geographers, Gamal Hemdan. He was born on February 4, 1928.

Hemdan was able, with his strategic thinking, to utilize geography as a component in a human and cultural integrated vision, explaining strengths and weaknesses of geographic formations. He did not aim to analyze immediate events or partial phenomena, but rather sought to place them in a more general and comprehensive context, while foreseeing a futuristic dimension.

Hemdan was born in Qalyubia governorate to a family that belongs to the Arab tribe Bani Hemdan. He obtained his primary certificate in 1939, and memorized the Holy Qur’an, with its intonation, at the hands of his father.

Hemdan joined the Tawfiqia Secondary School and obtained a certificate of culture in 1943. He obtained his secondary certificate in 1944; then joined the geography department at the Faculty of Arts, Cairo University.

After he graduated from university in 1948, he was appointed as a teaching assistant there, and the university sent him in1949 on a mission to Britain. Hem was then promoted to assistant professor, and during his time at the university he issued his first three books.

it is worth mentioning that Hemdan authored about 29 books and 79 research papers and articles, foremost of which is the book "The Personality of Egypt" published in 1967.

In 1967 he published his book "The Jews Anthropology", in which he proved that the contemporary Jews who claim to belong to Palestine are not the descendants of the Jews who left Palestine.

His study "The Personality of Egypt: A Study in the Ingenuity of the Place" is considered one of the most important geographical studies on Egypt. In his studies, Hemdan blended geography, history, politics, and other natural, human and applied sciences.

Furthermore, Hemdan was awarded the State Encouragement Award in Social Sciences, the State Appreciation Award in Social Sciences in 1986, and the Scientific Progress Award from Kuwait in 1992 and 1959. He also received the Science Medal of the first class for his book "The Personality of Egypt" in 1988.

Hemdan passed away on April 17, 1993, at the age of 65.