Storytelling has been paramount in Mona el-Shaiab's life. Raised with radio as a constant companion, she now leads as a radio presenter herself. In our interview, she discusses the uniqueness of Egyptian storytelling, the impact of digitalization, and why human storytelling remains unmatched by Artificial Intelligence.
What inspired you to get involved in storytelling in the first place? What role has storytelling played in your personal and professional life?I grew up in a house where radio was central, which means that at the beginning of every day my father would turn on the radio as a background to our daily life. When we were getting ready to go to school, when we were having lunch or breakfast, when we were coming back from school, the radio was always there with all its stories, its programs, sounds, sometimes short series, dramatic situations and interviews. I was already introduced to the sound of the radio at the beginning of my life. Later I joined the Egyptian Radio and Television Union, and I was an announcer in the radio.
I always told stories - some of them were political, some of them were artistic or cultural, but I was always trying to express what I want to say through a story format.
I am more related to the sound than the image. When you listen to the radio you get attached to the sound and you start to imagine the person who is speaking and the events that are being portrayed. But if you have an image, you will be distracted with the lights, with the gestures, with the faces of the people and with many other elements. So, it is difficult to really concentrate on the content of the radio or the story itself any longer.
Do you have a favorite story on sustainability?
I don't know if it fits with the idea of sustainability, but yes, I have one: “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. It has influenced me a lot throughout my life. The idea of thinking about your dreams and your goals and doing the best you can on the journey of life. On that journey you are constantly learning new things. It is the journey that matters, not the destination or the end. And in the end, you will get what you have been looking for, because the whole world will help you if you have true intentions. I always look at my life, my career, or my everyday situations as such a journey. And even if we don't get what we want in the end, it doesn't matter, if we develop as a person. It is one of my favorite stories and it has influenced me throughout my whole life.
As a nation with a unique culture, heritage and a very long history, we have a kind of, storytelling that is rooted in our character.
Storytelling exists all over the world but has its differences from culture to culture. How would you describe the Egyptian style of storytelling?
Egypt is a very talkative nation. We always talk to each other, and we are always telling stories - women in the neighborhood or people in the street.
One of the most popular stories in many villages in Egypt is Sira Hilaleia. It's a story about a family called Bani Hilal. And this family goes through many events and obstacles in their lives. They moved from one place to another and have faced many problems. This family story was told in thousands of lines. We have a very powerful verbal culture. And that verbal culture was later transferred into a written culture. But as a nation with a unique culture, heritage and a very long history, we have a kind of, storytelling that is rooted in our character. I think it is true for any nation that has a long history and a very strong connection to its cultural history, like Iraq, Lebanon or even countries in South America. We all have this verbal heritage that was later transferred to a written one by people who didn't want it to fade away or to be lost.
In recent decades, a new component has come into play: Digitalisation. Traditional forms of storytelling are being extended by digital forms. What do you think are the possibilities of digital storytelling?
I like new digital formats. But on my own work, when I compare between telling the story in front of a camera, in front of an audience or telling it just through my voice, I prefer the voice. It gives power to your imagination. It gives the audience the ability to think about what you're saying, to concentrate more on the content and you can play with your voice or variating the music. You can play with so many elements that have more impact than an image or a video.
What do you think of using AI-tools for storytelling?
We have already tried artificial intelligence to tell stories.
And some of these stories are fine. But I think that there will be always limitations to these stories because the human spirit is missing. It always adds something unique to the script or the story.
You can give the AI all the information, but you cannot give him the human spirit.
This is power of art. It is something you feel. You cannot dictate it or give it simply as an information input.
Do you have any recommendations for readers who want to get involved in storytelling?
Read as much as you can. Stories from all cultures and all languages. You will be surprised that the ideas from all over the world are almost the same. Perhaps there are some differences because of rituals or cultural differences. But the main ideas are the same in all countries of the world. If you read a lot and if you listen carefully, you will eventually find your own story. You will be able to understand yourself because you will be more in knowledge than in ignorance.
Do you have anything to add?
I just want to emphasize the beauty of the podcast format. I don’t like it when podcasts are visualized on screen. You lose a lot of elements, especially imagination. How can you still imagine the narrator's face or the expressions of his feelings? When you can see the narrator and all the features in his face, you pay less attention to his voice. You don't recognize his voice because you are distracted by his eyes, his nose, his lips. It sounds paradox, but if you're just listening to a voice, your experience can be much deeper than watching it in a video.
March 2025