Egypt's information minister warns national identity faces threats from virtual worlds and single-standard groups

Egypt's information minister said Tuesday that national identity rests on culture, not religion, and faces threats from virtual worlds and single-standard groups.

• Rashwan addressed the second day of the National Identity conference at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, held September 21–23 under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's patronage.
• Rashwan said national identity does not necessarily coincide with religious identity, citing Muslims in different countries who share faith but differ in customs.
• Rashwan said social media platforms create virtual worlds and false hopes that clash with lived reality and erode youth's sense of belonging.
• Rashwan said the historical caliphate absorbed regional cultural specificities without eliminating them.