photo: Ahmed Abdel-Raziq Egyptian actors, including Omar El-Hariri, Yehia El-Fakharani, Ezzat El-Alaili, Mohamed Fadel, Madeline Tabar, Fardous Abdel-Hamid, Enam Mohamed Ali, Khalid Salah, Mohamed Heniedi led by Hussein Fahmi, who earlier resigned from his post as UN goodwill ambassador in protest, organised a demonstration condemning the Qana massacre outside the UN Regional Office in Cairo. The head of the Artists Union Ashraf Zaki presented a letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, protesting the UN's stance on the war and calling on Annan to resolve the humanitarian crisis and impose a ceasefire. The demonstration started at the Actors' Syndicate in Cornish Al-Nil in Giza, with Egyptian and Lebanese flags and signs supporting the Palestinian and Lebanese people and condemning Israeli brutality. The Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC) organised a lecture entitled "Homeopathy and Vital Energy", by pharmacology professor and president of the Egyptian Scientific Society for Homeopathy Mahmoud Said Abdel-Halim. Abdel-Halim explained the concepts and practise of the homeopathic medical system. He illustrated the differences between various modes of cure and the philosophy of homeopathy, describing it as a cheap and reliable medical system curing even complicated diseases without side effects. The Indian Ambassador A Gopinathan attended along with a large and enthusiastic audiences. photos: Ghada Abd El-Kader Hisham Abdel-Hamid was the guest of this week's Star and Seminar evening at Cinema Palace, reports my colleague Ghada Abd El-Kader, conducted by critic Nader Adli -- a chance to find out all about the handsome star, who graduated from the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in 1948 and started directing in the course of his studies, becoming assistant professor on his graduation. Abdel-Hamid 's first major role was in Gharam Al-Afaa'i (Asp Love, 1988) by Hossameddin Mustafa and he has since worked with, among others, Samir Seif and Mohamed Kamel El-Qalyoubi, whose Kharif Adam (Adam's Autumn) was nominated for an Oscar. Abdel-Hamid announced that he is now working on a new film about the late singing icon Abdel-Halim Hafez, in which he will play the lead, as well as a Syrian TV drama. The Pack of Cards and Al-Ahram Weekly will sorely miss Armenian-Egyptian photographer Khatchig Kulhandjian -- known to all and sundry by his second, Arabic-sounding name as Monsieur Wanis -- who suffered a heart attack in shallow water while vacationing on the shores of Dahab last Sunday. Kulhundjian has been with the Pack since the first issue of the Weekly, a dedicated worker and skilled craftsman. His funeral was held on Monday at the Armenian Church, Surb Grikor Lusavoritch on Ramses Road. As per Armenian tradition a condolence service will be held at the Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate, 179 Ramses Road, on Saturday 12 August, from 7pm-10pm. At the ifa gallery, a division of Berlin's Institut fèr Auslandsbeziehungen (Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations), nine artists from the Islamic world -- Lida Abdul (Afghanistan), Amal Kenawi (Egypt), Anas Al-Shaikh ( Bahrain) Waheeda Malullah (Bahrain), Suha Shoman (Jordan), Ebtisam Abdul-Aziz (United Arab Emirates), Vyacheslav Akhunov (Uzbekistan), Mounir Fatmi (Morocco/France), Nur Hanim Mohamed Khairuddin (Malaysia) -- are presenting Nafas (Breath), a collective exhibition featuring installations, video art and photography. Running until 20 August, Nafas will move to Stuttgart before touring several countries through 2007, during which time the number of participants will vary as per spatial and logistical considerations. The concept of Nafas is the brainchild of Pat Binder and Gerhard Haupt, editors of the online magazine Contemporary Art from the Islamic World. Tunisian singer Latifa is calling on Arab artists to join in solidarity with Lebanon: "All Arab artists must work together and collect donations, whether it be food, money or clothing, which can be delivered through the Syrian border or with help from the Jordanian armed forces." She has also called on composers and lyricists to come up with a song to express her support for fellow Arabs, postponing the release of her upcoming album. Latifa has a charity in Egypt funded from her concert proceeds. The latest event at Al-Sawy Cultural Wheel was the Folk Arts Festival, during which the centre's director Mohamed El-Sawy honoured Mahmoud Reda, Abdel-Rahman El-Shafeqi, Mohamed Khalil, Safwat Kamal, Salaheddin Anani, the late Abdel-Moneim El-Sawy and veteran singer Mohamed El-Ezabi. In collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, the Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC) is organising Lavani folk dance performances to take place from 15 to 22 August 2006 in several places across the country. Lavani comes from the word Lavanya , which means beauty; and it is the Indian Maharashtra State's most popular dance form.
