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Al-Ahram Weekly 11 - 17 May 2000 Issue No. 481 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 11 - 17 May 2000 Issue No. 481
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Books Features Interview Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters A storybook success
By Dahlia Hammouda
In the intimacy of a charming Arabesque hall, a distinguished group of men and women gathered to celebrate 40 years of cultural contributions by the American University in Cairo Press.
Mrs Suzanne Mubarak was the guest of honour at the dinner held at AUC's Oriental Hall on 7 May. She cut the ribbon to open an exhibit of AUC Press publications from 1960 to 2000. The display spanned the first publication, written in 1961, of Sir K A C Creswell's Bibliography of Architecture, Arts and Crafts of Islam, followed by several hundred publications in ancient and modern Egyptian history, politics, social science, art and architecture. Also shown were reference works and illustrated gift boxes and, most important, Arabic literature in translation. Mrs Mubarak was escorted on her tour of the exhibit -- presented in the foyer leading to the hall against a unique backdrop of rich greenery -- by AUC President John Gerhart, AUC Press Director Mark Linz and Culture Minister Farouk Hosni.
Afterwards, in her address at the event, Mrs Mubarak said, "I know that the AUC Press has managed to grow from its humble beginnings as a small department, producing a few books per annum in the 1960s and 1970s, into a leading English-language publisher in the Middle East."
Indeed, the AUC Press boasts 40 new publications in 1999-2000, including The Treasures of the Egyptian Museum, the Atlas of the Valley of the Kings by Kent Weeks, Margo Veillon's Egyptian Harvests, the late Hassan Hassan's In the House of Muhammad Ali and a new edition of Qasim Amin's The Liberation of Women and The New Woman.
But perhaps the most outstanding achievement of the AUC Press is having given the world Naguib Mahfouz. The Nobel Laureate's works have been translated into more than 26 languages worldwide in 350 editions.
"The most important resource of any publishing house is, naturally, its authors," Mrs Mubarak said. "The AUC Press has, indeed, been fortunate in the illustrious body of authors who have contributed to its success over the years."
Mrs Mubarak praised the quality and content of the AUC Press publications. "I am particularly appreciative of its efforts to promote and disseminate, both at home and abroad, knowledge of Egypt's history and culture, politics and society, art treasures and monuments, language and literature."
She mentioned three AUC Press publications for which she wrote the introductions: the resource guide Egyptian Women in Social Development, Silent Images by Zahi Hawass on the role and status of women in Pharaonic Egypt and Treasures of the Egyptian Museum.
Mrs Mubarak also hailed the AUC Press' continued support and encouragement of new contributors to scholarly publications and Arabic literature through its annual Naguib Mahfouz Medal and the newly established AUC Press Endowment for Scholarly Books and Translations of Arabic Literature. The medal has been awarded each year on Mahfouz's birthday, on 11 December, since 1985. It goes to the best Arabic literary work of the year chosen by four members of the Naguib Mahfouz Award Committee. The endowment has been established as a fund, to which donations are accepted, to cover the high costs of translation.
"I congratulate the president of AUC, John Gerhart, and the energetic director of the press, Mark Linz, and his hard-working staff for the great success of AUC's publishing enterprise and look forward to more of its enlightening publications," Mrs Mubarak said in conclusion.
Oriental Hall's ornate, darkly painted mashrabiya and panelling gave a coziness to the wonderfully organised dinner. Guests were mesmerised by the performance of a 16-year-old pianist from Cairo's Conservatoire, Mohamed Shamseddin, playing Chopin during the meal.
Nabila Akl, AUC Press' promotion manager, expressed gratitude on behalf of members of the AUC Press staff for Mrs Mubarak's attendance of their special event. "We are very happy that Mrs Mubarak accepted our invitation. It is an honour and a great reward for all our hard work," Akl said.
Among the invitees were Arab League Secretary-General Esmat Abdel-Meguid, Minister of Youth and Sports Alieddin Hilal, leading Egyptian and American authors and other prominent friends and supporters of the AUC Press.
Linz presented Mrs Mubarak with a collection of 40 selected AUC Press publications as a gift on the occasion.
