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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 26 Oct. - 1 Nov. 2000 Issue No. 505 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 26 Oct. - 1 Nov. 2000 Issue No. 505
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Pack of Cards
By Madame Sosostris
*And speaking of selflessness and empathy, my dears, the brutal shooting of young Mohamed Al-Dorra has moved many young Arabs to tears -- and, sometimes, to action. Kristina Iskand-r, who is in Grade 10 at the AIS, has chosen a different means of expressing her feelings: poet-y. Her verses are truly cries from the heart, and touched me so much, I thought I would include a few lines.
"And then, the trigger was pulled.
That was the end of his little, short, dreadful life.
How can people live with that?
Are we such a messed-up world?
...
I know this will not make a differ-nce.
It's just a kid's poem,
Written in a class.
What can I do to change the world?"
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* Shadow riding, a dramatic shot taken by photographer Doaa Abu Se'da
* An exhibition entitled "Gulf War Snapshots 1990-1991: Ten Years After" by American photojournalist Norbert Schiller will be on exhibit at AUC's Sony Gallery from 30 October till 16 No-ember. The talented Schiller is currently illustrating a coffee-table book on the journey of the Holy Family in Egypt, published by AUC Press and due out in Spring 2001. In the present collec-ion, however, the photographer covered the situation during the period 1990-1991 in Egypt, Jordan and Iraq. The exhibition will comprise 36 colour photographs dating back to the beginning of the Gulf crisis in August 1990. Schiller takes us through a jour-ey that begins in Egypt, where thousands of wealthy vacationing Kuwaitis were turned into refugees overnight, to the Suez Canal, through which navy ships from around the world passed on their way to the Arabian Gulf.
From Egypt he moves to Jordan, documenting the plight of the thousands of refugees as they streamed out of Iraq, then takes us into Iraq itself, providing a record of life in the country before and after war. In this collection, Schiller focuses his attention on the plight of the "human shields" and the peace festival that followed, attracting an unusual mix of ce-ebrities from across the world. He then returned to Iraq in Spring 1991 and documented the Kurd-sh uprising in the north and the Shi'ite insurrection in the south of the country. This journey ends in the summer of 1991. I think this is one exhibition I will return to again and again.
* Yehia Ghannam's Troupe will be giving a concert at the Open Air Theatre of the Cairo Opera House on 31 October. If you are as delicate as I am, I would make sure to bring along one of those little pashmina things that keep you warm as well as elegant. No flannel shirts for me, I assure you.
Ghannam, a bass guitar player and music composer, is fa-ous for his music, in which he harmoniously blends Orien-al melodies with Western rhythms. In 1986, he formed his troupe and has been presenting group songs dealing with na-ional, social and sentimental issues ever since. The young musician rose quickly to fame via his enthusiastic anthem Laila: The Name of a Palestinian Girl. He recently participat-d in the concerts of the renowned pianist Omar Khayrat, in addition to other concerts in Europe, the United States and Ja-an. He also took part in other music festivals, such as the Abu Dhabi Arabic Song Festival, the Bahrain Arabic Music Festival and the Citadel Music Festival here in Egypt.
* Alaa Nassar, who is layout editor at Al-Ahram Al-Riyadi as well as being the brother of our dear colleague Galal, re-ently celebrated his wedding to the charming Nesrine El-Tanani, a reporter in the Armed Forces Department of Morale Affairs. This joyous occasion, held at the Armoured Corps Club, was attended by Ibrahim Hegazi, editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram Al-Riyadi, Major-General Chief of Staff Ahmed Anis, Department of Morale Affairs Major-General Chief of Staff Mahmoud Shaker, and director of Central Research Laboratories Brigadier Tarek El-Hariri, the ed-tor-in-chief of Al-Nasr magazine, published by the Armed Forces. Of course, Alaa's colleagues from Al-Ahram daily and Al-Ahram Al-Riyadi also turned out in force.
* It was all in the family last week when our dear colleague, the very gifted photographer Mohamed Mos'ad, celebrated his wedding to lovely Heba Nasreddin Sultan, another colleague at our sister publication, Al-Ahram Hebdo. The reception, a convivial affair attended by family and friends, took place at the Navy Club where Mohamed for once had to yield the camera and sit quietly while yet another colleague, photographer Amr Gamal, took the wedding pictures.
* My dear friend Ibrahim Abdel-Gelil, executive director of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), was accompanied by Mohamed Abdel-Aal, first secretary at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and Magdi Allam of the EEAA when he toured Wadi Digla to observe the ac-omplishments of the members of youth camps involved in the clean-up campaign initiated five weeks ago. Abdel-Gelil congratulated the youngsters who, led by their super-isor Mamdouh Rashwan, spared no effort to make a suc-ess of the project. Abdel-Gelil asked them to spread the word that campaigns like this one are taking place, and that similar taskforces could easily be established to maintain the 21 protected areas in Egypt. He also suggested the creation of an NGO gathering the Friends of Wadi Digla, who will then be able to carry on other projects to benefit this particular protected area. The youngsters in turn determined to carry on the clean-up every Friday during the school year, besides giving the task all their free time in summer and on holidays. Who says the young generation is interested only in computer games? These selfless souls put the lazier members of our society to shame.
photo: Hashem Abul-Amayem
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