Colours of India An avid traveller, Laila El-Sadr went to India almost a year ago and in just two weeks she visited New Delhi, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Udaipur and other areas. She captured more than 2,000 shots during this trip and chose to share with the Egyptian public some of her favourite pictures. Her goal was to show the colourful wealth and beauty of the Indian people, dress, architecture and nature, as well as traditions and ways of life. These photos are currently on show at the Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture. El-Sadr is a graduate of the American University in Cairo. She has worked mainly in the publishing world as an editor and subeditor in several newspapers and magazines. ( see Listings p.5 ) Omar Samra, the first Egyptian to climb Mount Everest, made a new record achievement with a group of young Arab climbers when they reached the summit of the highest mountain in North Africa and raised the Palestinian flag dedicating their achievement to the people of Gaza in a gesture of Arab solidarity on 3 January 2009. Representing the Arab world at large, from East to West, the team members were Kheiri Sammakieh from Lebanon, Nacer Ibn Abdel-Jalil from Morocco, and Samra from Egypt. The group set out on their trip on the second day of the new year, from the village of Imlil, about 1.5 hours drive from Marrakech, accompanied by one guide from the Berber villages of Morocco. They reached the top of Jebel Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa at 4,167 metres, on 3 January. The Palestinian flag was raised collectively by the team at around 12.30pm, after which the team members all raised their own countries' flags in a display of Arab unity. "Mountaineering is widely recognised as one of the most difficult mental and physical challenges known to man. It requires a great deal of trust and real team work. With this new achievement, we believe that nothing is impossible if we truly work together as a team. This is the message we want to send across as an inspiration to all those who still share the dream of Arab solidarity," said Samra. Last Thursday, lawyer and human rights activist Mona Zulfiqar was awarded the French Legion of Honour at the French Embassy in Cairo. French Ambassador to Egypt Jean Félix Paganon awarded her the medal, on behalf of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The medal is a reward for her exceptional achievements in the realm of human rights and women's rights. Among her achievements is the new marriage contract, which allows women to attain their religious right to unilaterally terminate a marriage contract as well as the khul' law. Also attributed to Zulfiqar 's efforts is the nationality law, which grants Egyptian women equal rights to pass Egyptian nationality to children of foreign husbands. The award also covered Zulfiqar 's sound achievements in her profession as an international lawyer, in developing the legislative context affiliated with the laws of banking, telecommunication and the capital market. Her efforts also had a grand impact on Franco-Egyptian economic relations. Among those who attended the award ceremony were EFG- Hermes CEO Yasser El-Mallawani, Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry Sahar El-Salab, former minister of state for environmental affairs Nadia Makram Ebeid, Chairman of MobiNil Alex Shalabi as well as Zulfiqar 's family members and close friends. In August 2008, she was elected member and vice- chair of the United Nations Human Rights Council's Advisory Committee. The play Qahwa Sada (Unsweetened Coffee) was presented at the Cairo Opera House's Creativity Centre. The play collected the best group theatre performance award and its talented director Khaled Galal was granted the award of best director at the Experimental Theatre Festival. The performance was attended by a galaxy of celebrities including Syrian actor Gamal Suleiman, actresses Lebleba, Elham Shahine and Abeer Sabri, as well as top ART satellite network presenter Safaa Abul-Soud, who all applauded the play and congratulated its cast. At Le Pacha Nile Boat actor Sherif Mounir celebrated his daughter's engagement Assma to Ahmed Eissa Allam among family members, friends and an extensive attendance of celebrities and media figures. Among the attendees were talented actor Karim Abdel-Aziz and his wife Haidi Sorour, actor Ahmed El-Saqqa and his wife Maha El-Sagheer, actress Ghada Adel and her husband producer-cum-director Magdi El-Hawari. In solidarity with Gaza, Iraqi oud master Nasseer Shamma had his new musical masterpiece titled Li Gaza Men Rohi Damaa (Tears for Gaza) shot as a video clip at Beit Al-Oud in Al-Hussein district. The musical piece is written, composed and played on oud by Shamma with the participation of actors Sameh El-Sereiti and Ahmed Abdel-Wareth in the shooting of the clip that is directed by Ahmed Medhat. photos: Abdel-Hamid Eid At Talaat Harb Square, the Women's Committee at the Tagammu Party held a women-led sit-in protest in solidarity with Gaza. Witnessing the sit-in were retired belly dancer-cum-actress Fifi Abdu, singer Azza Balbaa, writer Fathia El-Assal, actresses Nadia Fahmi and Abeer Adel as well as ladies from the committee, who all lit candles for Gaza and burnt the Israeli flag. Director of the Cairo Opera House Abdel-Moneim Kamel held a meeting with Canadian Ambassador to Egypt Ferry de Kerckhove to discuss cooperation between the Opera House and the Canadian opera, through the exchange of art troupes. He revealed that a prominent Canadian ballet company will present a number of its shows next June in Cairo and Alexandria. At 7pm on 27 January, Cervantes Institute at 20 Boulos Hanna Street, Doqqi, will organise a workshop on Ashàninka handicrafts, to be coordinated by Pablo Navarro Andrés with facilitators: Marishori Samaniego Pascual and Schunnita Samaniego Pascual. Congratulations! Our colleague Nahed El-Sayed at Al-Beit décor magazine, one of Al-Ahram publications, had her new book titled Arous Al-Nil (The Nile Doll) lately published. The book is written for children using a very simple and appealing language informing them about the problems of pollution endangering the River Nile. The Egyptian-Lebanese Friendship Association (ELFA) presided over by Negad Shaarawi held a seminar at the Semiramis Hotel. The seminar hosted Minister of Health Hatem El-Gabali to discuss the effective role of Egypt in providing healthcare for 350 of Gaza's injured civilians, receiving intensive care treatment in different Egyptian hospitals. Chargé d'Affaires of the Lebanese Embassy in Cairo Ali Al-Halabi, deputy head of the ELFA Ghazi Nasser, former Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon Hassan Shash were all present. photos: Ayman Barayez Hoda Shaarawi's Association presided over by Ragaa Mansour held a lavish seminar at Le Pacha Nile Boat. The keynote speaker was head of the Egyptian Actors Union Ashraf Zaki, who discussed the role of Egyptian actors in supporting Gaza's civilians. The seminar was attended by spouse of minister of administrative development Ahmed Darwish, spouse of former minister of justice Mahmoud Abul-Leil, Al-Ahram backpage editor Mona Ragab as well as members of the association Samia Abul-Fotouh, Nehad El-Sherif, Soha El-Qadi, Samia Naguib, Bahiya Youssef and head of the Garden City Lions Club Awatef Serageddin. More news on the Opera House: Culture Minister Farouk Hosni announced that the revenues of one of Aida opera shows, scheduled to be presented from 22 to 28 January at the Main Hall will be dedicated to the Red Crescent, to help alleviate the pain of the Palestinians in Gaza. At the press conference held last Sunday, director Abdel-Moneim Kamel pointed out that the new shows are going to be another edition of the shows presented last June in Beijing on the sidelines of the Olympic Games. More than 400 Egyptian artists from the Cairo Opera Company and Orchestra as well as A Cappella Choir will participate in the new shows. "Tickets will be available at bargain prices for school and university students in order to enjoy the shows during their mid-year vacation," Kamel said.
