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Al-Ahram Weekly 1 - 7 April 1999 Issue No. 423 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 1 - 7 April 1999 Issue No. 423
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Interview Profile Features Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters 
Pack of Cards
By Madame Sosostris- Today, dears, I had intended to enjoy a quiet April Fool's day, playing tricks on my nearest and dearest, but as it happens I have to get ready for something much more interesting and serious. At 6.30pm I will be taking myself to the American University in Cairo's Ewart Hall to attend the opening ceremony of the 1999 International Student Leadership Conference, organised by the AUC's Student Union, which is to take place 1-4 April, an occasion I would not miss for all the little fishes in the sea. The theme of this year's conference is Leadership in underdeveloped countries vs leadership in developed countries and prominent Egyptian figures such as businessmen, social leaders, decision-makers in various fields, etc., will be addressing the students and conducting seminars.
From what I hear, the Student Union has done its very best to make the event a total success and seven training sessions have taken place in the past weeks to prepare for the real thing. University students from Egypt and abroad are cordially invited to participate. International students who had not arrived in Egypt on time could even find the content of these sessions, focusing on essential leadership skills and styles, on AUC's web page. I have just had a quick look myself, and that has strengthen my resolve to abandon silly pranks and concentrate on all the fascinating topics that will be addressed during the conference.
-I am quite relieved all these Eid lunches have come to an end. As a strict vegetarian, I cannot say that I look kindly upon the carnivorous excesses to which some of my best friends are prone. Besides, the only way I really like my lamb is walking home with Mary. Anyway, the Eid has many other pleasant sides, not the least being the few days when one gets away from it all and heads for the beach. Our very own photographer Sherif Sonbol did just that, but, as he was preparing to snap one of the famous shots proving decisively that he, unlike us, has been holidaying in out-of-the-way places, he was beaten to it by his subject. All that remained for him was to take a picture of the picture being taken. Am I getting slightly confused? Well dears, you have to make allowances for all this running around in the hot weather, but I am sure you will be able to sort it out all by yourselves.
-During the Eid, the pleasant suburb of Maadi was unusually calm and I vaguely wondered where our youngsters were hiding. Not that I missed them, mind you, but one does like to keep informed. Well dears I was told by one whippersnapper in a hurry that the place to be these days for a Maadiste was the Bandar, a complex that has sprouted in the desert, featuring a bowling alley and several restaurants and coffee shops. The little darlings can now let off steam at the state-of-the-art bowling alley instead of driving dangerously around the once quiet streets, and take time out surrounded by their favourite movie stars at Studio Misr, where they are welcome to refresh themselves with mint tea and a shisha. Good clean fun does marvels, dears, in keeping young people out of harm's way.
- And while we are on the topic of movie stars, the Culture Palace of Mansura recently organised an original symposium to discuss the ways the Egyptian cinema depicts school teachers, and the way teachers evaluate the influence of the cinema on their students. The symposium was attended by Fakhreddin Khaled, governor of Daqahliya, and Mustafa El-Razzaz, head of the Culture Palaces, as well as a large number of directors and critics. The most famous impersonation of a school teacher was that of Naguib El-Rihani in Ghazl Al-Banat, of course. The film is a classic, and there are discussions to this day as to whether the title is Ghazl Al-Banat (Candy Floss) or Ghazal Al-Banat (Teasing the Girls) Regardless of the title, however, if you ever find a copy of the film, don't miss it. I was curious, but couldn't find out if any of the school teachers present at the symposium would be trying to emulate the great El-Rihani.
- Just as I was leaving Mansura, I remembered that I was expected at the Tahsin Al-Sehha bazaar, another event that I would not have missed for all the tea in China since it is precisely there that one acquires all these exotic tidbits that make life worth living. Lucky I keep various little outfits and assorted accessories stashed in the boot of my Jeep. A short visit to a handy rest house and I was on my way again, dressed to kill and armed with several large suitcases
