The Rotana Company celebrated the launch of its project to restore old Egyptian films at the Four Seasons Hotel last week. The ceremony was presented by TV presenter Tamer Amin, who explained the aim of the $10 million project is to improve the quality of films and protect them from damage. The ceremony also featured a recorded speech by Rotana owner Prince Walid Bin Talal in which he stressed his own passion for Egyptian film. Present were Saudi Ambassador Ahmed Al-Qattan, actors Gamil Rateb, Ezzat Al-Alaili, Nadia Al-Guindi, Nagwa Fouad, Sameh Al-Sereiti, Fardous Abdel-Hamid and her husband director Mohamed Fadel, versatile artist Samir Sabri, producer Mohamed Al-Abiari, producers Gamal Al-Adl and Mohamed Al-Adl, filmmaker Khaled Youssef, journalists Ahmed Al-Meslemani, Amr Al-Kahki, Omar Zahran, Yasser Ayoub, Mohamed Farouk and Mohamed Karim. Also present were actors Sherif Mounir, Hani Ramzi, Asser Yassin, Maged Al-Masri, Amr Youssef, Mondher Rihanna, Mohamed Karim, Rania Youssef, Boushra, Ferial Youssef, Madlin Tabar, Hannan Mutawe, Dalia Mustafa, Leqaa Al-Khamisi and Kenda Alloush as well as singers Hisham Abbas and Haitham Said. To celebrate the Belarus National Day, Belarus Ambassador Sergi Rachkov gave a reception at the Safir Hotel in Dokki. Present were Omani Ambassador Khalifa Al-Harithi, Saudi Ambassador Ahmed Al-Qattan, Russian Ambassador Serge Kirpichenko, Uzbekistani Ambassador Oybek Usmanov Arifbekovich, Georgian Ambassador Archil Dzuliashvili, Hungarian Ambassador Peter Kveck, Finnish Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, Armenian Ambassador Armen Melkonianwas, Croatian Ambassador Darko Javorski, Azerbaijani Ambassador Shahin Abdullayev, Serbian Ambassador Dragon Bisenic, Romanian Ambassador Cornel Alecse, Ecuador Ambassador Edwin Johnson, Albanian Ambassador Nuri Domi and Mongolian Ambassador Odonjil Banzragch. South Korean Ambassador Yung-So Kim and his wife, together with Head of the Fine Arts Sector Salah Al-Melegui, opened an exhibition entitled Modern Nature at the Museum of Modern Egyptian Art Abaad Hall. Curated by Lee Yoo, the show featured 20 abstract paintings by four female Korean artists. Marking the 238th US Independence Day, Chargé d'Affaires Marc J Sievers gave a reception at the US Embassy in Garden City. Present were Minister of Health and Population Adel Adawi, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Khaled Hanafi, Fayoum Governor Hazem Attia, former head of Intelligence Murad Mowafi, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Badr Abdel-Atti, Egyptian Federation and Chambers of Commerce Chairman Ahmed Al-Wakil, Jordanian Ambassador Bishr Al-Khasawena, Tunisian Ambassador Mahmoud Al-Khomieri, Iraqi Ambassador Diaa Al-Dabbas, Libyan Ambassador Fayez Gebriel and his Moroccan counterpart Mohamed Al-Alaami. Also present were the British Ambassador James Watt, Australian Ambassador Ralph King, Chinese Ambassador Song Aiguo, Canadian Ambassador David Drake, Hungarian Ambassador Peter Kveck, Singaporean Ambassador Premjith Sadasivan, Polish Ambassador Michal Murkociński, European Union Ambassador James Moran, Swiss Ambassador Markus Leitner, Vatican Ambassador Jean-Paul Gobel, Greek Ambassador Chris Lazaris, Slovenian Ambassador Robert Kokalj, Finnish Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, Georgian Ambassador Archil Dzuliashvili, Armenian Ambassador Armen Melkonianwas and Irish Ambassador Isolde Moylan. During a lavish celebration held at the Arab Tower Hotel in Dubai, the Arab Federation for Youth and Environment (AFYE) received the gold shield of distinction from the Arab Organisation of Social Responsibility for its leading role in the field of youth work. Secretary-General of the federation Mamdouh Rashwan said there are a number of activities and projects in which the federation aims to involve young people on the Arab, African and international levels. The federation is to organise its 4th training forum on the environmental education from 11 to 15 August. The munshid (or Sufi chanter) Mustafa Atef celebrated the release of his new album in a concert held at Fairmont Heliopolis Hotel. Present were actor Mustafa Shaaban, preacher Osama Al-Azhari as well as the munshid Ali Al-Hilbawi, the rapper Zap Tharwat, the poet Nour Abdallah, the composer Ahmed Adel and the poet Bahaaeddin Mohamed. Egyptian singer Sherine Abdel-Wahab gave a concert for the benefit of tourism at Sahl Hashish in Hurghada. She wore a dress in the colours of the Egyptian flag. The Embassy of India organised the awards ceremony for the India-Africa Programme: A Common Future competition at the Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture. The Egyptian winners were handed their awards by Indian Ambassador Navdeep Suri and Egyptian businesswoman and member in the competition jury Manal Abdel-Moneim. In the past two years, 11 Egyptians won awards in such categories as photography and poster design. Among the winners are Alaa Al-Deeb, Yasser Al-Amir and Mohamed Mekhamar in photography and Noha Eid in poster design.
