� Around 1,200 people were mesmerised by the sonorous voice of Syrian diva Assala, who sang some 20 songs at the charity concert held at the Cairo Opera House's Main Hall. The event, organised by the head of Lions Club Garden City Awatef Serageddin, was dedicated to the founding of Al-Qalioubiya Hospital and to a project for female bread-winners. The event also included a jewellery show presented by Miss Egypt 2005 Miriam George and a host of ravishing beauties. � The 195th anniversary of the National Day of Mexico was celebrated at the Pharaohs Restaurant overlooking the Nile, Giza. The host, Mexican Ambassador Miguel Orozco and his gorgeous wife and gifted painter Maries Ayala, invited my colleague Reham El-Adawi and my good self. It was a lovely party, with heaps of mouth-watering Mexican food and music and dance galore. More than 300 well-wishers chanted Viva Mexico! � My dear friend and talented Egyptian fashion designer Hani El-Beheiri was invited to participate in the Italian Fashion Week 2005- 2006 that took place in Rome. The show entitled "An Oriental Night" was directed by Wafiq Salbeikh. El-Beheiri was the sole Egyptian designer and he was joined by fellow fashion designers from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Lebanon and Qatar. He proudly presented his latest creations of evening gowns and bridal dresses. Among the attendees were Egypt's Ambassador to the Vatican Neveen Semeka ; Egyptian Ambassador to Italy Helmi Bedeir and his gorgeous wife. Also present were a number of Arab ambassadors accredited to Italy. � My dear colleague Amira El-Nakeeb and I attended two very special commemorative ceremonies last week. The first ceremony was held at the French Cultural Centre in Mounira (CFCC) to commemorate the victims who died in the tragic fire that set ablaze a Beni Sweif theatre and that claimed the lives of 48. There were a dignitary of artists and critics who came to bid farewell to the souls of their colleagues and friends. It was led by the head of the General Egyptian Theatre Organisation Ashraf Zaki ; prominent writer Fathia El-Assal ; theatre critic Nehad Selaiha ; and director Mohsen Helmi. It was a most touching experience my darlings. Zaki thanked the Director of the CFCC Denise Louche for the centre's generous gesture and stressed the importance of supporting those who lost their loved ones in his opening speech. He asked the people to contribute generously to the donation box that set up in solidarity with the families of the victims. The other Beni Sweif tragedy commemorative ceremony was hosted by the head of the Hanager Arts Centre Hoda Wasfi. After a moment of silence in commemoration of the victims, many artists were keen to express their condolences to the families of the victims, especially the bereft mothers. They included actors Nour El-Sherif and Mahmoud Yassin, actresses Samiha Ayoub and Dalal Abdel-Aziz. What good news for budding talents! Art speaks a universal language, indeed. My dear friends at the Goethe-Institute Cairo in cooperation with Nahdet Al-Mahrousa, an NGO, organised an Art for Development Competition supporting arts for social change and development. The competition hoped to encourage creative young people. Those interested, my lovelies, must fill out the competition application form available on www.nahdetmasr.org. The winners will be provided technical, institutional and financial support. The deadline for handing in projects is 30 September. � Congratulations! My dear friend Director of the American University in Cairo's Institute of Management Development (IMD) Sherif Kamel, has been awarded the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship. I am overjoyed to tell you, my dear readers, that Kamel is the only fellow in the field of information technology to be selected from the Arab world.
