Aij� in China Aij� is the Chinese word for "Egypt", as Al-Ahram Weekly reporter Nader Habib found out while visiting the Egyptian pavilion at China's World Expo 2010 where eight Pharaonic pieces are on display for the coming six months. He captured this photo of a Chinese girl thrilled by the statue of 18th Dynasty King Amenhoteb IV, proving that Egyptomania is alive in the Far East. Last Saturday, the American University in Cairo (AUC) Kamal Adham Centre for Journalism Training and Research honoured eight Egyptian women hailed as pioneers in Egyptian television. The event was part of the annual awards dinner celebrating the graduation of MA students from the class of Spring 2010. The pioneers honoured were Samia Sadeq, Soheir El-Etribi, Mervat Ragab, Zeinab Swedan, Suzanne Hassan, Laila Rostom, Nadia Halim, Mervat Ragab and the late Tomader Tawfik and Hemat Mustafa. The event was hosted by respected media figure Hafez Al-Mirazi, the centre's current director. Finnish Ambassador to Egypt Roberto Tanzi-Albi and Finnish Military Attaché in the Middle East Jarmo Allen celebrated the Finnish Flag Day of Defence Forces organising a reception at Tanzi-Albi 's residence. At the reception, Nadia Fanous, the ambassador's secretary, was honoured with a First Class Medal, the golden cross, of the Order of the White Rose of Finland from Finnish President Tarja Halonen. At the Cairo Opera House Small Hall, the Japan Foundation in Cairo presented the Japanese musical group AGA-SHIO with the participation of distinguished Egyptian nay player and lecturer at the Higher Institute of Arab Music Mahmoud Kamal. AGA-SHIO was founded in 2009 by shamisen player Hiromitsu Agatsuma and pianist Satoru Shionoya. They have succeeded in combining Japanese traditions with various musical genres infused with their own style. AGA-SHIO's visit to Egypt is part of their 2010 worldwide tour. The Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC), in cooperation with Egypt-India Friendship Association (EIFA), is organising a panel discussion entitled "Indian Cinema through Egyptian Eyes" on 21 June at 6.30pm, at the centre's premises at 23 Talaat Harb Street, Downtown. Keynote speakers will be Egyptian film actor Mahmoud Yassin and leading film critic Magda Kheirallah. Yassin is one of Egyptian cinema's most talented actors. He started his acting career in 1968 with a role in the film Kadiya 68. His latest film was Al-Jazeera released in 2007. He is also closely involved in humanitarian causes. He has worked as a World Food Programme (WFP) ambassador raising awareness about the issue of global hunger. Kheirallah is deputy editor-in-chief of Akher Saa magazine of Al-Akhbar Group. She is also an established scriptwriter. Under the auspices of Mrs Suzanne Mubarak and as part of PepsiCo Tomooh's successful partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP)'s "Walk the World", an annual event to raise money and awareness on fighting child hunger and malnutrition, took place at the AUC new campus with Hend Sabri, UN goodwill ambassador, against hunger, and PepsiCo-Egypt General Manager Adel Garas. On stage, Sabri joined the Massar Egbary band in a brilliant performance. At the gallery of the Italian Cultural Institute, a historical and photographic exhibition dedicated to the 140th anniversary of the Suez Canal was opened at the presence of Italian Ambassador Claudio Pacifico. The Suez Canal, one of the most extraordinary public works ever attempted, was realised thanks to the skills of great Italian engineer Luigi Negrelli. The exhibition showcases 40 photographic panels tracing the history of the canal from the first studies by Negrelli to the final project. Some exhibits come from the archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chamber of Commerce of Rome and are on show for the first time. Giovanni Cipriani is the creator and coordinator of the exhibition. photo: Bassam El-Zoghby In the framework of celebrating Italian National Day, Italian Ambassador Claudio Pacifico, along with head of the Fine Arts Sector Mohsen Shaalan, and in the presence of business mogul Naguib Sawiris, inaugurated an important exhibition of Italian contemporary painters entitled "Under Italian Eyes" at Horizon One Hall in Mahmoud Khalil Museum, Giza. Curators of the exhibition Marta Boeri and Marinç Paduano have designed the event as an extensive panorama of contemporary Italian creativity. This variety shines throughout the exhibition, from Matteo Basilé 's sharp use of new technologies to the meticulous exploration of the cosmos present in the works of Alberto Di Fabio, and Stefania Fabrizi 's chromatic potency. ( see Listings p.6 ) A thrilling concert took place at El Sawy Culturewheel featuring Al-Masryin (The Egyptians) Band, led by music composer and accordionist Hani Shenouda and singer Iman Younis. Actress and cinema producer Esaad Younis was in the large audience that enjoyed the concert and applauded the band. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA) witnessed the conclusion of the poliomyelitis campaign organised by Rotary International Clubs. Haras Al-Hedoud player captain Islam El-Shater kicked a ball in the sea from the top of the bridge connecting the library with Alexandria University as a symbol for kicking away the poliomyelitis. The event was crowned by the presence of Alexandria Governor Adel Labib, UN Children's Fund Representative Erma Manoncourt, Deputy Minister of Health for Preventive Medicine Nasr El-Sayed, World Health Organisation (WHO) representative Helmi Wahdan, WHO representative in Nigeria Ayouba Moussa, goodwill ambassador for poliomyelitis, actor Hani Salama, head of 2450 Rotary zone Assem Abdel-Razeq, coordinator of the campaign in Egypt Ayoub Ayoub and DHL representative Adel El-Gazzar. Labib, Salama and El-Sayed signed the official football of the campaign, while Rotary clubs bestowed a shield upon Salama and El-Shater for their efforts in the campaign. Salalem Resala More news on El Sawy Culturewheel! Last Thursday, Salalem (Stairs) and Resala (Message) bands rocked the stage of the River Hall in a successful concert blending the two moods of the bands. Salalem is a Cairene band presenting Egyptian satirical songs, while Resala blends Cairene and Alexandrian contemporary music in Latin, blues, and rock style.
