Mansoura University Students Visit Mansoura Air Base to Celebrate the Anniversary of the October Victories and Air Force Day

As part of Mansoura University's celebrations of the 52nd anniversary of the glorious October Victories, which coincide with the celebration of Egyptian Air Force Day, the Popular and Military Defense Forces Command, represented by the Military Education Department, in cooperation with the Social Activities and Trips Department of the General Administration of Student Care at Mansoura University, organized a field visit to Mansoura Air Base for a group of university students, including a number of students with disabilities.

The visit comes in implementation of the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, aimed at enhancing awareness and national belonging among Egyptian university students and introducing them to the capabilities and potential of the Egyptian Armed Forces, with its various branches and units.

The visit was organized under the patronage of Prof. Cherif Khater, President of Mansoura University, and Major General Hisham Hosni Hassan, Commander of the Popular and Military Defense Forces. The visit was led by Prof. Mohamed Attia El-Bayoumi, Vice President for Education and Student Affairs, and attended by Colonel Mohamed Abdel Bary, Director of the University's Military Education Department.

Prof. Cherif Khater said that the university is always keen to support and implement national activities aimed at deepening students' sense of national belonging and introducing them to the heroism of the Egyptian Armed Forces in protecting the homeland and preserving its capabilities. He noted that the visit to Mansoura Air Base represents a unique opportunity to instill values ​​of pride and honor in the souls of young people by learning about one of the military edifices that wrote pages of glory in the immortal Mansoura Air Battle. He added that the university cooperates closely with the leadership of the Popular and Military Defense Forces to organize field visits and educational activities as part of its integrated plan to build an enlightened student awareness that combines academic knowledge with a sincere sense of national belonging.

Prof. Mohamed Attia El-Bayoumi said that the visit comes within the framework of implementing the university's student activities plan, which aims to integrate students into various community activities and introduce them to the national projects and achievements witnessed by the Egyptian state in various fields. He pointed out that these visits contribute to building the character of university students, developing their cultural and national skills, and introducing them to the heroism of the Egyptian Air Force Eagles, who wrote with their blood epics of pride and sacrifice in the glorious October War.

During the visit, Brigadier General Pilot Samir Mohamed, Commander of the Mansoura Air Base, welcomed the Mansoura University delegation, expressing his happiness at interacting with the university's youth and appreciating the university's interest in instilling the values ​​of awareness and belonging in its students. He reviewed the heroic role of the Egyptian Air Force's eagles in the Mansoura Air Battle, considered one of the largest and longest air battles in modern history. It lasted approximately 53 minutes, with the participation of more than 120 Israeli aircraft, and ended with the enemy inflicting heavy losses, making October 14, 1973, an official Egyptian Air Force Day.

The students also watched a documentary about the Air College and its history, reviewing the stages of development of the Egyptian Air Force and its role in protecting the state from the Tripartite Aggression through the War of Attrition and the glorious October War, all the way to its efforts in combating terrorism and securing Egypt's borders. They also listened to a detailed explanation of the MiG-21 aircraft that participated in the Mansoura Air Battle.

Colonel Mohamed Abdel Bari, Director of the University's Military Education Department, explained that the visit comes within the framework of the commitment of the General Command of the Armed Forces, represented by the Popular and Military Defense Forces Command, to developing national awareness among Egyptian university students and introducing them to the vital role played by the Armed Forces in protecting the nation and preserving its capabilities. This contributes to building a conscious generation that appreciates the sacrifices of Egypt's heroes throughout history. The visit concluded with a group photo taken inside the airbase, during which the students expressed their pride and admiration for the discipline and honorable history they had witnessed firsthand, embodying the values ​​of sacrifice and loyalty instilled in the nation's citizens by the armed forces. They emphasized that their participation in this national event had given them a sense of pride and belonging.