Nation's house

THE "NATION'S House" Museum, formerly the home of Saad Zaghlul, is to be opened directly after the Eid. Part of the Plastic Arts Department's string of permanent exhibitions dedicated to leading personalities, the project -- which involved renovating the house and selecting the exhibits -- was completed last week. The opening ceremony will feature a large-scale celebration as well as an exhibition of photographs depicting Zaghlul in various stages of his career. The Museum, Department Head Ahmed Nawwar announced, will also serve as "a centre for political culture", with seminars and discussions held regularly on its premises. Exhibits include oil paintings, antiques, furniture and art objects that belonged to Zaghlul as well as photographs and documents. It will incorporate, besides the exhibition chambers, a library and a multi-purpose hall.

Jahin at AUC

SALAH JAHIN, late vernacular poet and cartoonist, was at the centre of a poetic evening held in the auditorium of the American University in Cairo's Falaki campus last week. The last of a string of Ramadan evenings dedicated to Jahin, the event was entitled "Streets are stories", and featured recitations of poems and performances of songs revolving around the theme of the street. Besides the usual array of Jahin devotees -- Amin Haddad, Amina Jahin, Samia Jahin -- Amr Abdel-Alim, Salma Hamedien Subahi and Mohamed Khalaf participated.

Oblique solidarity

JERUSALEM is the subject of a photographic exhibition that opened at the Opera House Plastic Arts Gallery on Tuesday. The exhibition features some 80 black-and-white prints taken by some of the medium's celebrated pioneers, dating from 1890 to 1925 and depicting Islamic sites and monuments as well as daily life in the city. The pictures, which are thought to have immense historical and anthropological significance, belong in the collection of the Evangelical Institute Library, and were brought to the Opera House through the agency of Naser El-Ansari, head of the Institut du Monde Arabe.

Open-air Sira

EL-WARSHA Theatre Company's latest take on Al-Sira Al-Hilaleya was performed twice at the Opera House's open-air theatre last week. A varied show that involves theatrical experiments and tahtib (stick- fighting) performances, the event also featured unadulterated episodes of the Sira sung to the accompaniment of the rabab by the Upper Egyptian master Sayed El-Duwi. The Sira has comprised El-Warsha's central concern for more than five years, giving rise to one play, Ghazl Al-Aamar (Spinning Lives) as well as several open-ended and fragmentary layali (nights).

Arabs in the Americas

TWO ARAB satellite channels, the Lebanese NBN and Qatar TV, have joined Telestar 5, which enables them to broadcast in the United States and Canada as well as a large part of Latin America. This brings the number of Arab channels connected to Telestar 5 to 16.

Kuwaiti trophies...

THE KUWAITI National Council for Culture, Arts and Literature announced the annual Kuwaiti state awards this week. Headed by authors Soad Al-Sabah, Abdel-Aziz Saud Al-Babatin and artist Soad Abdulla, the list includes, in the incentive awards category, artist Abdel-Qader Al-Qassar, photographer Ghassan Burahma and novelist Taleb Al-Rifaie. The award-giving ceremony, Council Secretary Badr Al-Rifaie announced, will take place during the ninth Qarin Festival in January.

...and books

THE KUWAITI International Book Fair, an annual event to be held at the end of December, was last week excluded from the Kuwaiti commerce minister's recent decision to ban the selling of commodities in the context of fairs and exhibitions. A development much appreciated by Kuwaiti intellectuals, who had campaigned for it, the freedom to buy and sell is expected to facilitate Badr Al-Rifaie's ambitious plan to improve the infrastructure and logistics of the fair, which this year boasts the participation of 615 book sellers from around the world.

Cairo in German eyes

TOBIAS Hulswitt read selections from his award-winning novel Saga at the Goethe Institute last week. Hulswitt is a student at the German Literature Institute in Leipzig. Saga, which draws on the hopes and fears of young men trying to find their bearings in contemporary society, was awarded the Marthasaalfeld Award in 1998 and was a finalist at the Open-Mike-Competition held by Literature WERKstatt Berlin. During his stay, Hulswitt will explore the Egyptian capital with a view to composing a literary picture of the city.

Teachers on Arab tour

FAYSAL Nada's play Al-Mudarisun Wa Durushom Al-Khususiya (Teachers and Their Private Lessons) is to start a tour of Arab countries including Libya, Qatar and Lebanon after Ramadan. Starring Nelly, Wael Nur and directed by El-Sayed Radi, the play probes the issue of private lessons and possible alternatives to the practice. Minister of Education Hussein Kamel Bahaaeddin attended a performance of the play.

By Youssef Rakha