		Al-Ahram Weekly Online 1 - 7 November 2001 Issue No.558
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875		Current issue \| Previous issue \| Site map

Pack of Cards

By Madame Sosostris

More Japan, dears, this time in the form of an e-mail that I received recently from a Japanese friend named Kiyoko Knapp, and that I have decided to share with you. Knapp writes: "Curious about your country, I would very much appreciate it if you could assist with my project. I am currently looking for people who would be willing to share recipes of everyday meals (certainly nothing too complex or elaborate) with a warm, personal flavour. In short, I am looking for people who can send me recipes as well as little personal stories relating to the dishes."

Of course you guessed this collection of recipes will eventually form a book, which, Knapp says, is intended to be "far more than just a collection of recipes." Rather, it will be "a collection of memoirs contributed by people with ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds." Well darlings, I can just see you getting out those old recipe notebooks but remember, you have to hurry and e-mail your contribution before 30 November to kkkamio@email.msn.com

The first batch of students who graduated last Monday from the Basic Business Skills Acquisition Programme (BBSA) were honoured by the Association of the Future Generation, an NGO chaired by Gamal Mubarak, in the presence of a group of prominent Egyptian businessmen. On the sidelines of the celebration, a job- opportunity conference was in full swing. Companies from the private and public sectors took part with the aim of hiring graduates of the programme. This first group comprised 200 trainees recently graduated in various specialties. The three-month programme included computer training, foreign languages, marketing, sales and accounting.

First established in November 1998 by a group of businessmen, the association seeks to improve and develop human resources to promote production in different domains through the most updated techniques. In the first quarter of 2001, the association established a training unit in Suez. It has now branches in Alexandria, Greater Cairo and Assiut.

How serious can you get? Darlings, this week I thought I would curb my frivolous nature and for once seek more worthwhile endeavours. This is why I took myself to a two-day medical conference, the annual meeting of the Egyptian Society for Glaucoma, chaired by Professor Mohamed Ibrahim, and held at Le Méridien Heliopolis. I can't say I understood much of the proceedings, but it was all for a good cause -- namely to tell you, my dears, that I had been there. Later, a more enjoyable cocktail reception was attended by President of the Council for Consultative Affairs Mustafa Kamal Helmi, former Prime Minister Ali Lutfi, former Minister of Health Ali Abdel-Fattah and People's Assembly member Amin Zayed.

Since I rather like Le Méridien, I thought I would also sample the delights of Le Royal Méridien on the Nile. Luckily, it was hosting a lavish dinner in celebration of MBC's 10th anniversary. The event was attended by chairman of the board Sheikh Walid Bin Al- Barahim, Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa and his predecessor Esmat Abdel-Meguid, Minister of Information Safwat El-Sherif, Minister of Environment Nadia Makram Ebeid, Chairman of ART Ahmed Nosseir, Lebanese TV announcer George Qordahi, veteran actors Doreid Laham and Abdel-Moneim Madbouli, gorgeous actress Youssra, Tunisian singer Latifa and film director Inas El- Degheidi. During the event, Bin Al-Barahim addressed the high dignitaries, stressing the needs of coordination among the Arab mass media to face the events taking place in the region and the entire world.

Part of the ongoing Japan Festival 2001 is the Cha-no-yu demonstration, a Japanese traditional tea ceremony to be held on 7 November at the Semiramis Inter-Continental Hotel in Tiba Ballroom. On 6 November, a tea ceremony workshop will be given by senior tea instructors Soi and Tatsunori Kanazawa at the Japanese Cultural Centre.

Al-Ahram Weekly's very own military reporter Galal Nassar returned recently to Cairo after receiving an MA in international communications and international relations from Leeds University in the United Kingdom. Galal studied the role of media in managing international conflicts and crises and how that applies to American foreign policies in the Gulf War, Somalia, Haiti, Rwanda, Bosnia and Kosovo. He was given a scholarship by the British Council in Egypt. But he is no stranger to academic achievement: before going off to the kingdom by the sea, Galal had received a fellowship from Nasser's Supreme Academy in strategy and national security studies.

What good news! The gifted painter Amir Chawki Wahib has been invited to participate in the international group exhibition "Art from the Heart" to be held at Ward-Nasse Gallery in New York. The exhibition, which will last from 3 November until 23 February, will feature a selection of Wahib's recent works.

I can't tell you, dears, how pleased I was to hear that the International Federation of Festival Organisation (FIDOF), an affiliate of UNESCO, has chosen the lovely and prominent media personality Hamdiya Hamdi to participate in the jury committee of the International Children's Song Festival, which began yesterday. The five-day festival is being held in Romania for the first time.

And as I have been anticipating with impatience the opening of the 10th Arabic Music Festival and Conference, I was thrilled to learn that singer Ahmed El-Sonbati will participate in the festival for the first time since its inception in 1992. He is scheduled to appear in the 10th round, starting today and lasting until 10 November. Among the participants is the famous Palestinian group Sabrine, which I always find so moving and who will be performing on 4 November. Rumour has it that singer Camilia has a few surprises in store for her audience.

El-Sonbati's first concert will be held at the Alexandria Conference Hall on 5 November; if you miss that, the next will be in the main hall of the Cairo Opera House on 8 November. He will perform several works composed by his father, the late composer Riyad El-Sonbati, including the poem Ashwaq (Yearnings) accompanied by Abdel-Halim Noweira's Arabic Music Ensemble, conducted by Salah Ghoubashi.

The Egyptian Salon of Photography (ESP) is holding a photography exhibition under the title "Close Up" at the Russian Cultural Centre in Doqqi until 13 November. The exhibition, inaugurated by President Mubarak's political adviser, Osama El-Baz, comprises 50 photos developed by 20 photographers highlighting "the hidden beauty of nature, which the naked eye fails to notice."

Last Friday Hassan Ragab's Pharaonic Village celebrated its seventh, annual charity day under the sponsorship of Giza governor Mahmoud Abul- Leil, who attended the annual party. Abdel-Latif Abu Heif, the swimmer of the century, was among the celebrities who attended, and the Pharaonic Village took this opportunity to honour him.

Children from several orphanages were invited to spend a day in the parks and gardens of the village. Puppet shows, dancing and musical performances were a real delight for all 650 children who attended the day of celebrations, lasting from 10am to 6pm. Also spotted were singers Anoushka and Hassan Abdel- Meguid, and actors Mo'men Hassan and Mahmoud El- Guindi.

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