4 - 10 October 2001
Issue No.554
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 4 - 10 October 2001 Issue No.554 |
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My distinguished friend career diplomat Mustafa El- Feki is jet-setting around the Arab world these days, representing Egypt and lecturing on current issues. El-Feki, deputy chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in parliament, will travel to Abu Dhabi today to give an address at the first session of the United Arab Emirates' National Cultural Centre. His talk will focus on "Arabs at a crossroads," a topic he is well-versed in.
El-Feki had only a few days to rest, because earlier in the week he was in Amman, Jordan giving Egypt's perspective on a number of issues. As an active member of Egypt's National Council for Women, he headed Egypt's delegation to a seminar inaugurated by Queen Rania on "Expatriate Arab Women;" he also lectured on international and regional changes during a talk under the auspices of Prince Al-Hassan. Before Amman, the high- profile parliamentarian was in Morocco to represent Egypt at the meeting of the Union of Islamic Parliaments, and took the opportunity to lecture at the Egyptian Cultural Centre on "The Future of the Arab-Israeli Conflict." My goodness, what a hectic life -- but the energetic El-Feki has always told me he wouldn't have it any other way. |
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The Pro Helvetia Arts Council of Switzerland and the Goethe Institute in Cairo organised an exhibition for the internationally acclaimed Swiss photographer Beat Presser titled "The Alps: Dreams and Nightmares." In the exhibition, lasting till 4 October, the photographer presents views from his own country for the first time. They are poetic, humorous and critical reflections on a landscape that has offered fodder for all sorts of mystification and imagination. Presser makes us discover the landscape through his own eyes, leading onlookers on an amusing journey through the mountains of Switzerland. The exhibition is part of the Alpen Film Festival and will later be shown in Alexandria and Assiut as well as other countries in the region. |
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© My colleague Reham El- Adawi, who is fascinated by all things Spanish, attended a gathering at the Cervantes Institute (Spanish Cultural Centre) in Cairo, where she met the Colombian ambassador to Cairo, Jaime Girón Duarte, as well as members of the Spanish community in Egypt and a group of Spanish- educated Egyptians.
The event marked the appearance of the Centre's Cervantes magazine as announced by head of the institute, Antonio Gil de Carrasco. It covers conferences and seminars held by the centre and allowing Egyptian and Spanish novelists and authors to discuss cultural issues of mutual concern. The programme also includes new insights into life in Latin American countries like Chile, Colombia and Mexico through the works of such famous intellectuals as Bolivian poet Pedro Shimose, Chilean author Luis Sepœlveda and Colombian novelist Laura Restrepo. Lectures will be held in Cairo and Alexandria by Spanish authors; Eduardo Mendoza, for instance, visited Egypt last week to present his recent novel La Ciuad De Los Prodigios (The City of Miracles), translated into Arabic by professor of Spanish at Ain Shams University Mohamed Abul-Atta. The institute has also supervised the translation of Bahaa Taher's novel Khalti Safiyya wal-Deir (Auntie Safiyya and the Monastery) into Spanish.
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« The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers (IYV), and last month the Egyptian Postal Authority launched a commemorative stamp acknowledging their crucial contribution to the nation. The premises underlying IYV 2001 are that voluntary action is more important than ever in tackling social, economic, cultural, humanitarian and peace-building problems, and that more volunteers are needed. You can visit www.iyv2001.org to find out more about UNV, the volunteer arm of the UN system, which extends hands-on assistance for peace and development in nearly 150 countries. Created by the General Assembly in 1970 and administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNV works through UNDP country offices, mobilising volunteers to work with UN agencies, governments and NGOs. UNV also engages in promoting the ideals of volunteerism around the world. Well, hooray for that, dears: I have always believed in the noble goal of offering one's services freely to the less privileged.
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¨ The head of the sports section at Al-Ahram daily newspaper and chairman of the Egyptian Sports Journalists' Association, Essam Abdel- Moneim, has now another prestigious title linked to his name: he has been elected chairman of the Arab Sports Journalists' Association. The election came shortly after he was appointed adviser to the Youth and Sports Committee at the People's Assembly last month. Abdel-Moneim started his career as a goalkeeper for Egypt's football powerhouse, Ahli, in the 1960s, retiring after all sports activities were halted due to the 1967 defeat. Well, as we can see he has not been inactive for all that. Congratulations, Essam!
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© Our dear colleague, Managing Editor of Al-Ahram Mohamed Basha, and his delightful wife, Dr Ne'mat Mustafa, recently celebrated the wedding of their daughter Marwa to Mohamed Gamaleddin. This, my dears, was entirely an Al-Ahram affair, as the ravishing Marwa happens to be an accountant at our Pyramids Advertising Agency while the groom, Mohamed is an Al-Ahram journalist. The Aida ballroom of the Marriott hotel was crowded with members of our esteemed newspaper, of course, and graced with a galaxy of ministers and dignitaries as well as their charming spouses.
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ª Another of our colleagues, Al-Ahram Hebdo journalist Issam Fayez, celebrated his engagement to the beautiful Mira Lutfi, an accountant, at the Cleopatra ballroom at Infantry House. Our best wishes to the young couple.
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¨ Our colleague Sherine Nasr has become the happy mother of twins, a boy and a girl: Mary and Beshoy. Their older brother, John, is absolutely delighted with the new arrivals.
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Our colleague from Nisf El- Dunya, Yasser Ismail El- Ansari, has just received his MA in mass communications from Cairo University with highest honours. His dissertation was entitled "Concepts of democracy in the Egyptian parties' newspapers." Our warmest congratulations.
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