Samih escapes death

PALESTINIAN poet Samih Al-Qasem had a narrow escape this week after a car accident in Nazareth. Suffering fractures, Al-Qasem is now recuperating at home.

Al-Qasem will be unable to attend the upcoming Cairo International Book Fair to which he was invited as guest of honour. Al- Qasem had boycotted CIBF in 2001 following the Banquet for Seaweed controversy.

Shaf'i still missing

THE MANUSCRIPT of Al-Imam Al-Shaf'i's Risala reported missing over a month ago from Dar Al-Kutub, Egypt's National Library, has still not resurfaced. The ongoing investigation has revealed that the manuscript was the oldest document held by the library. It is dated 265 AH and was penned by Al- Rabi' Ibn Sulayman Al-Maradi, a companion of Al-Shaf'i himself.

The theft has forced authorities to reconsider both the management and security system at Dar Al-Kutub, sparking rumours of impending changes in senior positions.

Egyptians in Janadiriya

EIGHTEEN Egyptian intellectuals are taking part in this year's National Festival for Heritage, Culture and Arts (Janadiriya) which began in Saudi Arabia yesterday. The main seminar at the conference this year revolves around the theme of Jihad and Peace in Islam. As is its tradition, Janadiriya also hosts recitals by classical and colloquial poets from all over the Arab world.

Among the Egyptians participating this year are Ahmed Kamal Aboul-Magd, Saber Abdel-Dayem, Abdel-Wahab Elmessiri, El- Ahmadi Aboul-Nour, Abdel-Halim Oweiss, Mohamed Emara, Nabil Louqa Bebawi, Khaled El-Guindi, Mohamed El-Rawi, Abdel-Aziz Mustafa, Abdel-Sabour Shahin, Salah El-Sawi, Abdel-Aziz Saqr, Sanaa El-Said, Ahmed Sweilam and Hamdi Aboul-Enein.

Developing crafts

THE MINISTRY of Culture and UNESCO are organising a special workshop for traditional arts and crafts at the Fustat Ceramic Centre. The workshop is aimed at developing the skills of students aged 10 to 20 with an emphasis on manual crafts. The workshop begins on 18 March and will continue for three months.

Science is Arabic

"SCIENCE is Arabic," a programme of activities the Ministry of Culture is to undertake in collaboration with its French counterpart, is currently being negotiated. The programme aims to highlight the historic contributions of Arabs and Muslims to human civilisation. Among the institutions expected to participate are the National Library and Archives, General Authority for Antiquities, Centre Culturel Français, Italian Cultural Centre and Goethe Institute.

An exhibition of scientific manuscripts and historic artefacts at the Museum of Islamic Art is to accompany the seminars and workshops.

Qarin despite war

DESPITE the tense political atmosphere in anticipation of another war in Iraq, the Kuwaiti National Council for Culture, Arts and Literature went ahead with its ninth Qarin Cultural Festival as scheduled on Sunday. The political background threw heavy shadows over the activities whose main theme was "International changes and their effects on the future of the Gulf."

The festival honoured the late Ahmed Mashari Al-Udwani and Fahd Al-Askar, hosting two lectures on their intellectual contributions and an exhibition of a selection of their personal belongings.

The main event accompanying the festival will be the inauguration on Saturday of Kuwait's Museum of Modern Art, which showcases various trends within the Kuwaiti art movement. The festival ends on 28 January.

Playing in Baghdad?

IRAQI cultural authorities are planning to revive the Arab Theatre Festival, to hold a round mid-February in Baghdad despite the impending war. The Hanager production 'Id Milad Boris has been invited to participate. The play took part in the last Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre. Based on Thomas Bernhard's text (Ein Fest für Boris/A Birthday Party for Boris), the production is directed by Muhsin Helmi and stars Raghda, Rushdi El-Shami, Shaymaa Rifaat, Pierre Seoufi, Khaled Ibrahim, Mosaad Ismail, Mahmoud Fathi, Ayman Ismail and Mohamed Brince.

Fewer books

THE BIBLIOGRAPHIC Centre at Dar Al- Kutub has released its survey of books published in Egypt in 2002. The report indicates that some 12,196 books were published this year, 2379 books less than 2001. Social and religious sciences were the two categories that topped the bill, with literature coming in third.

Honouring Hakim

POP SINGER Hakim has been awarded the state medal for arts of the second degree by Tunisian President Zein Al-Abidin Bin Ali. Hakim has recently performed a number of concerts in Tunis.

Grown-up kids

ACTOR Younis Shalabi is working on a sequel to the hit 1970s play Al-'Iyal Kibrit. The cast of Al-'Iyal Kibrit Awi will include actors from the old play including Shalabi himself, Said Saleh as well as Hassan Mostafa. The role of Ahmed Zaki will not be included in the sequel since Zaki himself is preoccupied with his new role in the upcoming film production, Halim, depicting the life of the late singer Abdel-Halim Hafez.

By Amina Elbendary