15 - 21 November 2001
Issue No.560
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 15 - 21 November 2001 Issue No.560 |
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Current issue | Previous issue | Site map | ||
Pack of Cards
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I am rapidly saturated by such exalted intellectual activities, however, and that is why I was so pleased to reply to an invitation extended by the Australian embassy to see a film called Amy. I trotted off to Renaissance Cinema, where I was delighted to see my dear friend, friendly and cultured Ambassador Victoria Owen, mingling with the guests. I also spotted dynamic First Secretary Suzanne Stein, Cairo Times columnist John Munro, John McInnes of the Irish embassy, and many other friends. I would also like to report that not an eye was dry by the time the last credits of this charming, unexpected film were rolling -- least of all my own, dears.
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I was captivated by the news that earlier this year, at its second meeting, the Kazakh-Egyptian intergovernmental committee for economic, scientific and technical cooperation signed a protocol of understanding in Astana. On that basis, and within the framework of the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the independence of Kazakhstan, the embassy of Kazakhstan in Cairo, along with our very own Ministry of Culture, organised a Kazakh cultural week in mid- November. The participants performed samples of the rich Kazakh music and dance heritage: classical, folk and modern.
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The Afro-Asian Lawyers' Federation for Human Rights, an NGO headed by the energetic Esmat El-Merghani, held a press conference at its headquarters in Cairo attended by members from several African and Asian countries. At the conference, the federation addressed a request to Amnesty International not to submit to political influences and to apply unified standards in its defence of human rights. |
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The Arabic music festival caused a stir in more ways than one, dears, by taking the music to the provinces, enabling music lovers throughout the country to enjoy a number of performances. The Kuwaiti Supreme Institute of Arabic Music played in Beni Suef, while the Bahraini Arabic Music Ensemble, led by Ahmed Abdel-Latif Badr, put on a concert in Minya and Al-Ghorbal Troupe from Palestine appeared in Qalyubiya.
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I was recently admiring handicrafts ranging from woodwork to bedsheets at the annual charity market of the Women's Health Improvement Association, the country's most venerable non-governmental organisation, since it began its work combating tuberculosis in 1936. Amina El-Guindi, minister of social affairs, opened the three-day event, in which 26 branches participated, representing governorates from Cairo to Aswan. The money raised will go to the association, of course.
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| Last week, the Sixth Annual Meeting of the International Fertility and ICSI Centre of Alexandria was held under the auspices of its chairman, Dr Samir El-Sahwi. My dear friend Dr Ismail Barrada pointed out that this was one of the most popular and successful conferences in obstetrics and gynaecology in Egypt. This year, the conference attracted 600 physicians from medical schools as well as private practitioners from all over the country. There were over 40 speakers and several visitors from the US, Canada and France. The presentations were all outstanding, reflecting the high level of academic achievement of researchers in Egypt. |  Dr Mohamed Osman and Dr Ismail Barrada |
Starting on the 12th, the AUC's Sony Gallery for Photography is presenting a collection of black and white photographs that take the viewers back to the reign of the first kings of Egypt. Titled "King Fouad: At Work and Play," the snaps -- from the private collection of Mohamed El-Ghazouly, one of the court's photographers -- include portraits, scenes of ceremonies and inaugurations, trips to foreign countries and many other pictures of King Fouad. The exhibition will remain open until 24 January 2002.
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During the month of Ramadan the Opera House will be offering food for the soul, with several evenings featuring Sheikh Mohamed El- Helbawi, Sheikh Yassin El-Tohami, the Khaled Shams Troupe, Uyoun Troupe led by oud master Nassir Shamma, Banat Al-Nil and Fathi Salama's Sharkiat. And for those of you not lucky enough to attend my exclusive cultural salon, the Opera's will introduce such important personalities as the Minister of Awqaf and the president of Al-Azhar University. |
When the wild calls, dears, I answer, and you can well imagine I was part of the desert trip organised by the Egyptian Desert Pioneers Society (EDPS), whose head is the charming Mohamed El- Nuqali. With picturesque mountains in the background, a veritable tribe of mini-safari aficionados chatted, ate and drank, then settle down to watch an awe-inspiring performance of Bedouin song and dance.
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The Social Solidarity League, headed by the dedicated Esmat Elwi, recently held an exhibition at the Shooting Club, where items from jams and pickles, handmade carpets and bed sheets, among a plethora of other goodies, were on sale. They were made by the 40 individuals with special needs, aged eight to 30, who are in the League's care. One of these, 18-year- old Sherif Hassan, is a most talented artist, and visitors could watch him draw as they browsed through the stalls. Many of them snapped up his unique works, too. |
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I thought I would start my week with a bang, and therefore headed off to a very interesting seminar organised by the Egyptian Centre for Economic Studies (ECES) at Le Méridien Heliopolis. Of course, not all of us are economically minded and some might find the topic (the income tax draft law) a little arduous, but yours truly sailed through the discussion with flying colours. To tell you the truth, the task was made easy by such knowledgeable participants offering a clear and simple exposé of the matter at hand. The seminar was attended by Gamal Mubarak, board member of the ECES committee, Medhat Hassanein, minister of finance, Hazem Hassan, KPMG consultant and board member of the committee, Sayed Abdel-Mawla, professor of finance at Cairo University, and Taher Helmi, chairman of the ECES. There were a number of dignitaries and officials attending as well. The distinguished guests were welcomed upon arrival by my friends Philippe Bonnot, general manager of Le Méridien Heliopolis and Nihal Zamzam, marketing communication manager.
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