Pack of Cards

By Madame Sosostris

My pack has taken on quite an intellectual flavour this week, my sweets. The first event I want to tell you about is this year's Fulbright alumni dinner, which served as an occasion to honour those who have participated in the US-Egypt Fulbright programme, as well as those individuals and corporations that support the commission. Among the attendees were former Minister of Environment Nadia Makram Ebeid , former Arab League Secretary-General Esmat Abdel- Meguid and his wife, as well as ambassadors, government officials, academic and media leaders, and other prominent members of Egyptian society.

This year the topic tackled by the dinner speakers had special relevance for both Egypt and America: "The Role of Public University Systems in Creating Knowledge- Based Societies". The keynote speakers were People's Assembly Education Committee Chairman Hossam Badrawi and State University of New York at Albany Associate Vice Chancellor for International Programmes Robert Gosende. BFC Executive Director Ann Radwan introduced the speakers, who also included Fulbright scholar Sandra Lee. US Ambassador to Cairo David Welch also spoke briefly about the importance of fostering educational initiatives across borders.

Also last week, Princess Muna Al- Hussein, mother of Jordanian King Abdallah, paid a visit to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Cairo headquarters. A WHO patron for Nursing and Midwifery in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Princess Muna met WHO Regional Director Hussein Gezairy, senior policy adviser M H Khayat, and assistant regional director Abdallah Assa'edi during her short visit. Princess Muna has played an instrumental role in key areas of Jordan's development. Her interest in nursing began with the establishment of the Princess Muna College of Nursing in 1962. In recognition of her pioneering role in institutionalising the science of nursing, the Nurse and Midwifery Association recently gave her the title of Pioneer Nurse of Jordan. The association also declared that 25 April, her birthday, would henceforth become National Jordanian Nursing Day.

On the Nile, meanwhile, at the exquisite Manasterly Palace, Culture Minister Farouk Hosni held a candle light dinner in honour of the Arab culture ministers who were in Egypt for a special meeting at the Arab League. Hosni highlighted the importance of the ministers' participation in the Frankfurt International Book Fair (FIBF). "Taking part in this year's FIBF is a great opportunity for Arab and Muslim countries to interact. We will be able to correctly present our magnificent culture, which has been tarnished in the international media," Hosni told me. Among the ministers who attended the dinner were Tunisian Culture Minister Abdel- Baqi Al-Hermas and Bahraini Information Minister Yaqub Al-Houmr. Cultural Development Fund head Salah Shaqwir, General Egyptian Book Organisation head Samir Sarhan, gorgeous actress Yousra, famous author Anis Mansour and vernacular poet Abdel-Rahman El-Abnoudi were also present. The evening was crowned by the tour organised by Hosni for the Arab delegation of the neighbouring museum dedicated to the late, great Egyptian diva Umm Kulthoum.