On the occasion of launching the third edition of India by the Nile Festival (30 March-16 April) in Cairo, Alexandria, Ismailia and Port Said, a lavish reception party was held on Monday 30 March at India House in Zamalek in honour of actor Amitabh Bachchan, widely regarded as the pre-eminent Indian film star over the last three decades who inaugurated the festival, Al-Ahram Weekly's Pack of Cards and Listings Editor Reham El-Adawi reports. Bachchan was introduced to the attendees by Indian Ambassador Navdeep Suri and his wife Mani who said, “After an eventful and deeply enriching tenure in Egypt, my wife Mani and I will soon be moving for my next diplomatic assignment as High Commissioner of India to Australia. Before we leave for Canberra, we would love to have the opportunity to say au revoir and to personally thank you for your friendship, goodwill and generosity during our stay in Egypt. This event is also special because it marks the formal opening of the third edition of our annual India by the Nile Cultural Festival. This year's festival is also special because it was formally opened by none other than Amitabh Bachchan.” The party was crowned by the presence of a bevy of luminaries including among others TV anchor Mona Al-Shazli, Mona Abdel-Nasser, actors Hassan Al-Raddad, Bushra, Dina Abdallah, Laila Elwie, Indian producer, director and curator of the festival Sanjoy Roy, who expressed his deep love for Egypt and his gratitude to all the teamwork who made the festival possible, former deputy prime minister Ziad Bahaaeddin, former minister of tourism Hisham Zaazou, former presidential election candidate Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh, El-Sawy Culturewheel founder Mohamed El-Sawy, Head of the Cairo Opera House Public Relations Sector Mohamed Hosni, singers Hisham Abbass and Mohamed Tharwat, Al-Ahram Weekly's photographer Sherif Sonbol and his wife Al-Ahram daily newspaper writer Samia Fakhri as well as journalists and ambassadors. A number of figures were also honoured and received a silver plate with Bachchan's picture printed on it such as Director of the Cairo Opera House Ines Abdel-Dayem and the Egyptian-Indian Friendship Society Vice President Nadia Gerdini. The reception party was followed by a press conference took place on 31 March at Marriot Hotel. It was attended by Suri, Roy, the newly named Minister of Tourism Khaled Rami and Head of the Foreign Cultural Relations Sector at the Ministry of Culture Hanan Mounib where Bachchan received a caricature portrait created especially for him by an Egyptian artist. A Street Food Fiesta will be held in Cairo as part of India by the Nile Festival on 2 April outside Al-Hanager Arts Centre and on 3 and 4 April at Al-Azhar Park (see Listings P. 23). Pope Tawadros II honoured the families of the 21 Egyptians murdered in Libya last February by ISIS militants in a ceremony held at the Coptic Cathedral in Abbassiya to mark 40 days since their death. Present were Minister of Youth and Sports Khaled Abdel-Aziz, Minister of Social Solidarity Ghada Wali and former minister of planning Ashraf Al-Arabi and former MP member Mona Makram Ebeid. A celebration took place at the International Club honouring Sheikha Latifa, the wife of the Bahraini Ambassador to Egypt and permanent representative of his country at the Arab League Sheikh Rashed bin Abdel-Rahman Al-Khalifa, for her efforts in supporting the education of the Egyptian and Arab women. Present were, among many others, the wife of the Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri, the daughter of late President Gamal Abdel-Nasser Mona, the widow of late foreign minister Ahmed Maher Hoda Maher, the wife of the Minister of Industry Mounir Fakhri Abdel-Nour, Nazli Al-Shahbandar and Al-Ahram writers Afkar Al-Kharadli and Aisha Abdel-Ghaffar. The Pakistani Embassy's Charge D'Affairs, Minister Plenipotentiary Mohamed Aejaz and his spouse Farkhunda Aejaz gave a reception to mark Pakistan's National Day in the presence of, among others, Giza Governor Khaled Zakaria, Kuwaiti Ambassador Salem Al-Zamanan, Afghanistan Ambassador Fadl Al-Rahman Fadel, Chinese Ambassador Song Aiguo, Polish Ambassador Michal Murkociński, Greek Ambassador Chris Lazaris, Serbian Ambassador Dragon Bisenic, Russian Ambassador Serge Kirpichenko, Vietnamese Ambassador Dao Thanh Chang and his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Ku Jaafar. At the Picasso Gallery in Zamalek, Lebanese Ambassador to Egypt Khaled Ziyada opened the exhibition Egyptian Quartet featuring paintings by four veteran Egyptian artists: Abdel-Wahab Morsi, Georges Bahgory, Omar Al Nagdi and Sayed Saadeddin. Present were artists Hussein Nouh, Nermine Hakim, Ashraf Reda, Akram Zalat and Mohamed Thabet, actor Ahmed Abdel-Wareth and former minister of scientific research Venice Kamel as well as the gallery owner Ibrahim Picasso. Together with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi as well as intellectuals, activists and artists from all over the world, actress and UN Ambassador For Fighting Hunger Hind Sabri and singer Latifa both joined the international march against terrorism organised in Tunisia on Sunday 29 March, held in response to the terrorist attack on the National Bardo Museum on 19 March, in which 23 people were killed. The event saw the participation of world leaders and foreign politicians as well as Tunisian citizens. Sabri is currently waging a campaign across the Arab world to promote tourism in Tunisia, through a video featuring an array of Arab stars including actors Yussra, Ahmed Al-Sakka, Ilham Shaheen and singer Samira Said.
