Inspiring women Women from Egypt is the 2015 newest production of the Foursan Al-Sharq Lil Turath (The Knights of the Orient for Heritage) dance theatre company, presented at the Cairo Opera House Main Hall for three nights on 5-7 January and at Alexandria Opera House (Sayed Darwish Theatre) on 8 January. It was in Cairo Bassam Al-Zoghby captured this spectacular photo. Choreographer and director of the show Tarek Hassan explained that the music is made up of excerpts from a collection of famous compositions that express the theme of the show, focusing on the role of Egyptian women in society and shedding light on the contributions of five female figures who enriched the history of Egypt: Queen Hatshepsut, Hypatia, the nuclear scientist Samira Moussa, Princess Fatma Ismail (known for her substantial contribution to establishing the Egyptian University) and pioneering Egyptian feminist leader Hoda Shaarawi. The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India (GJEPC) is organising the Signature Exhibition, to be held from 20 to 23 February 2015 in Mumbai, India, Reham El-Adawi reports. The event, marking its eighth year, is supported by India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Signature 2015 is India's top-of-the-line jewellery show, featuring collections by the country's leading designers and manufacturers. Some 550 exhibitors will take part. The event will focus on jewellery that displays the highest standards of design and craftsmanship. The GJEPC decided to make international road shows by meeting local jewellers from Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia to market the Signature Exhibition. The GJEPC delegation arrived to Cairo on 8 January 2015. In the delegation were Ramesh Vora, Middle East Co-ordinator, Nirav Bhansali, Exhibition Convener and Vikrant Pardhan, Exhibitions Assistant Director. Over two days the delegation met with jewellers from different parts of Cairo, including budding talents such as Gihan Al-Shamashergi, and invited them to the roadshow hosted by the Indian Ambassador Navdeep Suri. About 50 participants attended the council's presentation on 10 January, providing a general overview of the gem industry, specifically diamonds and jewellery, in India and a detailed explanation about the Signature Exhibition and other upcoming events. The Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority Mohab Mamish welcomed a delegation of artists invited by the Head of the Actors' Syndicate Ashraf Abdel-Ghaffour and the Syndicate First Secretary Sameh Al-Sereiti to visit the new phase of the Suez Canal project. The delegation included actors Abdel-Rahman Abu Zahra, Samira Abdel-Aziz, Mohsen Mohieddin, Mohamed Riayd, Mohamed Sobhi, Hind Akef, Mahmoud Al-Hiddini and Khaled Abdel-Salam as well as lion tamer Faten Al-Helw. After the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris, major figures denounced the crime including actress Hend Sabri, whose Facebook status read, “I am a Muslim and I believe that hundreds of Muslims like me are fed up with those murderers who plant fear and malice against our religion in the entire world. They killed 12 innocent people in broad daylight claiming that they were avenging the Prophet Mohamed, whom I believe could never have been proud of the murder of 12 souls for his sake. Enough!” For her contribution to arts, culture and cinema, France's Ministry of Culture recently granted Sabri the title of Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. The Cultural and Cooperation Consul and Director of the French Institute in Egypt Jean-Luc Lavaud conferred the honour on Sabri at the French Institute headquarters in Mounira, Cairo. The Satellite Channels Festival was held last week with extensive celebrity presence. Honoured were the head of Satellite Channels Conference Association Ali Abdallah Al-Wahed and the Secretary-General of the Arab Union Council Mohamed Rabie. Among the honourees were actors Mohamed Heneidi, Maged Al-Masri, Tarek Lotfi, Ahmed Rizk, Laila Elwi, Ahmed Zaher, Mohamed Ramadan, Lebleba, Wafaa Amer, Rogina, Hanna Shiha, Hala Fakher, Nelly Karim, filmmaker Kamla Abu Zikri, retired actor Mohsen Mohieddin, TV presenters Tamer Beshir, Gamal Enayet, Maha Othman and Chairman of Mehwar satellite network Hassan Rateb, actress, producer and talk show host Isaad Younis as well as fashion designer Hani Al-Beheiri. The Moroccan Minister of Culture Amin Al-Sobeihi inaugurated the Seventh Arab Theatre Festival in Rabat, Morocco (10-16 January) held at the Mohamed V theatre, where the Cairo Opera affiliate Foursan Al-Sharq Lil Turath dance theatre company is participating in the official competition with its Al-Zeybak (The Mercury) show directed by Tarek Hassan and competing with nine other performances. Present were the Egyptian Ambassador to Morocco Ehab Gamal, the Egyptian Cultural Consul Taha Hassanein and the Egyptian theatre icon Samiha Ayoub. The owner of the Hollywood Sharm El-Sheikh entertainment village Mohamed Al-Massoud organised the Om Al-Dunia (Mother of the World) Festival aiming to promote tourism and support national unity in the presence of South Sinai Governor Khaled Fouda, South Sinai Security Chief Hatem Amin, and Kuwaiti Ambassador to Egypt Salem Al-Zamanan. The festival honoured businessmen Samih Sawiris, Emad Aziz, Mohamed Geneina, Hisham Ali, Goodwill Ambassador for Cultural and Tourism Exchange Atef Abdel-Latif, actors Farouk Al-Fishawi, Nihal Anbar, Samir Sabri, Emad Rashad, singer Ehab Tawfik, director Adel Adib, singer Essam Karika, actress Mirna Al-Mohandes and TV presenters Poussy Shalabi and Inas Ezzeddin. The ceremony was enlivened by singers Ehab Tawfik and Iwan. Albanian Ambassador Eduard Sulo gave a reception to mark the 102nd national liberation day of his country. Arab and foreign diplomats were present including Lebanese Ambassador Khaled Ziyada and his Jordanian counterpart Bishr Al-Khasawena, Greek Ambassador Chris Lazaris, Romanian Ambassador Cornel Alecse, Armenian Ambassador Armen Melkonian and Serbian Ambassador Dragon Bisenic.
