Egyptian art was once like the Nile, without borders, flowing from its source in Cairo to every Arab home from the Atlantic to the Gulf. Ramadan series gathered Arab families in front of screens, Egyptian songs were heard in Beirut cafes and the streets of Khartoum, and Egyptian cinema was the “Hollywood of the East” that taught generations how to laugh, cry, and dream.

But over time, we have confined ourselves to speaking only to ourselves, as if admiring our reflection in a mirror, while the world around us speaks many languages and addresses a diverse audience. As American film critic Roger Ebert said, “Art is a universal language, but it loses its meaning if it closes in on itself.”

We possess an artistic heritage over a century old, with a hundred years of cinema and drama that engraved the names of its stars in the memory of the Arab nation. This heritage is not just history to be proud of but a heavy responsibility today. If this river that nourished generations does not renew itself, it will become a dry relic, and if the arts do not evolve to keep pace with the language of the era, they will become mere artifacts displayed in a museum, visited briefly then left behind.

This is the challenge we face today. The question we must ask ourselves in a moment of reflection, not panic. Emptying some Arab arenas of our artists is not the end, but a call to think about how to move from self-addressing isolation to addressing all Arabs.

We have great creativity, but a great “product” alone is not enough. If we do not have a place to sell this product or a window to display it, no one will see it. The world has changed; the orbit no longer revolves around a single center but has become an open race forward. Glory is not exclusive to the past but belongs to those who understand the present and anticipate the future.

We urgently need to establish a new cultural platform that does not only show drama or programs for Egyptians but is a platform with Egyptian identity and Arab spirit, addressing all Arabs without exception. A platform that is a cultural bridge transcending geographical borders and embracing the vast diversity in Arab countries. I know we have a promising platform, Watch It, which has presented very successful and distinctive works, but I speak of a comprehensive platform with dramatic diversity covering all nationalities, tastes, and preferences, where every Arab finds what interests him and his country, perhaps even his city and local dialect on a regional platform.

Let us imagine this platform together:

A satellite channel or digital platform that broadcasts authentic Egyptian drama but deals with human and social issues touching the hearts of all Arabs. Political, cultural, and artistic talk shows presented by broadcasters from different Arab nationalities, from the Atlantic to the Gulf, to be a voice for all. Guests from all Arab countries participate in discussions and enrich the dialogue. Topics that concern Tunisia and Morocco as much as Iraq and Saudi Arabia, and address the concerns of Lebanon and Yemen as well as Egypt.

This platform is not just another channel added to the current satellite networks but embodies a new vision that believes the strength of Egyptian art lies in its ability to spread and influence, not in being confined to a limited circle. It is time to move from the “we” circle to the “all of us” circle and open our doors to the entire Arab world to share in making and presenting art.

Art production worldwide today, as critics and industry experts see it, no longer depends only on good content but primarily on the “audience map.” True success lies in understanding the target audience, meeting their needs, and providing content with a local character but based on universal values. Films and series that achieve the highest viewership worldwide succeed because they transcend language and culture barriers by addressing shared human stories and presenting heroes everyone can empathize with.

Egyptian art has this roaring ability; it carries in its genes beauty, simplicity, and depth that enabled it to be once the voice of the entire Arab nation. It is time to renew this pledge. To create a platform that restores our art to its throne, not because it is the oldest, but because it is the wisest in reading the present and the boldest in shaping the future.

This platform is an investment in soft power and shared cultural identity. It is not only a commercial project but an existential and intellectual project. It is a declaration that Egyptian art is still a flowing river capable of irrigating all lands and flourishing in all Arab gardens.

Let us look into the mirror of Egyptian art today and make a brave decision: Do we accept to be a great museum of the past, or do we prefer to be a living and influential force in the future?