Pack of cards
I am brimming with pride my lovelies, because a very special honour was bestowed on our very own Managing Editor Galal Nassar. He was selected as a special person, in the Who's Been Here section of the Leeds University website. Nassar was among the distinguished university's celebrated alumni. Leeds University churns out more graduates (45,000) than any other British institution of higher learning.
Indeed, in all walks of life, Leeds graduates are household names and at the top of their fields -- be it in the media, arts, science, business or politics.
Among the other distinguished international personalities on the Who's Been Here are current British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw ; Clare Short, former British development minister; Nigerian novelist, playwright, human rights and democracy advocate, the Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka ; and Kenyan novelist and playwright Ngugi wa Thiongo.
A coterie of artistic and media characters organised a peaceful protest march against terrorism. They were especially indignant about the 21 July blasts that rocked the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh. Ambassador Nasser Kamel, head of the State Information Service led the demonstration. Ibrahim Al-Aqbawi, head of the Radio and Television Union; Suzanne Hassan, head of Television; Afkar El-Kharadli, editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram's woman magazine Nisf Al-Dunya ; Salma Al-Shamaa ; Nihal Kamal ; Dina Farouk ; Rawya Rashed ; Soheir Shalabi and other media personalities took part in the protest march. Among the demonstrating actors and artists were Mahmoud Yassin ; Ezzat El-Alaili ; Wael Nour ; El-Sayid Radi ; Hadi El-Gayyar ; Wafaa Amer and Maha Ahmed.
His Excellency Mohamed Farag Al-Doukali, the Moroccan ambassador to Egypt, threw a sumptuous party on the occasion of the Moroccan National Day. Among the distinguished guests were Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa ; Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Maghrabi ; Investment Minister Mahmoud Mohieddin ; and actress Nabila Ebeid ; and actors Yehya El-Fakharani and Khaled Zaki.
On a happy note, Walid Mirgawi and his beautiful bride Warda exchanged nuptial vows last Thursday. They partied all night long to the cheerful sounds of traditional Egyptian music. The happy couple left Cairo soon after the wedding celebrations and are currently spending their honeymoon in Egypt's Mediterranean metropolis of Alexandria.
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/754/pe2.htm