In recognition of his many achievements in the ongoing battle to return Egypt's stolen antiquities, Zahi Hawass, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) received, last Saturday, the Ecumene d'Oro (The Golden Globe) Award from the Supreme Institute for Cultural and Environmental Conservation Techniques in Italy. The award is a prestigious international decoration given every 10 years to three people chosen from around the world for their pioneering roles in the protection of cultural and environmental heritage. This year, and in addition to Hawass, the recipients are two Italians: the first a diplomat who had a major role in the signing of several agreements between the Italian government and UNESCO towards preserving Italy's cultural heritage and the second a restorer who worked on the preservation of one of Rome's most important cathedrals, Saint Agnes. Ezzeddin Kamel, deputy-head of the Egyptian Academy in Rome, attended the ceremony to receive the award on behalf of Hawass who was seen the other day in the company of renowned actor Omar El-Sherif in La Peatra restaurant in Mohandessin celebrating his prize. Hoda Abdel Nasser, daughter of the late president and head of the Gamal Abdel Nasser Foundation, was chosen by Ahmed Nawar, head of the Sector of Fine Arts, to become a member of the committee responsible for finally bringing to life the Museum of Revolutionary Leaders. Other committee members include Al-Ahram's Yunan Labib Rizk, assistant professor of modern history Hamada Ismail and the military historian Gamal Hamad. And I was told by Mohsen Shalaan, head of the Central Administration for Museums, that Abdel Nasser will donate some of her father's prize pocessions to the museum including his Austin. Also this week, Al-Ahram Weekly 's environment correspondent Mahmoud Bakr received the Best Scientific Programme Award from Al-Manara Channel. He also received a prize of distinction for his programme entitled "Locusts in Egypt's Sky" and among the other recipients of prizes were the director of the programme Arabi Salama and presenter Mohamed Abdallah. Presiding over the event was Minister of Information Anas El-Fiqi, Amr Ezzat Salama, minister of higher education and scientific research as well as the head of the channel, Rawya Rashed. This is probably not the last time we will here of this winning team: they are currently preparing another programme for Al-Manara entitled "Language of the Environment." Sanafir owner Adli El-Mistikawi celebrated the first anniversary of the Pacha discotheque in Sharm El-Sheikh, formerly known as Bus Stop. The festivities included a week of house music extravaganzas that shook Sharm to its very roots by world renowned DJs including Smokin Jo, Alex and Juan Diaz. Today, the second French Culinary and Cultural Festival, organised by the Nile Hilton, comes to a close. The festival hosted the famous Michelin-starred Chef Thierry Verrat of the La Ribaudiere Restaurant in Cognac, France. Among those who attended the events of the festival were Air France General Manager Olivier Jallet and Nile Hilton General Manager Jean-Pierre Mainardi. Gastronomic delights were the focus of everyone's attention especially the French cheese selection featured at the Rotisserie Belvedere. But the highlight of the event came yesterday when Chef Verrat gave the attendees a cooking class. photo: Khatchig Wanis At the American University in Cairo's Ewart Memorial Hall, I enjoyed a spectacular Armenian folk dance performance by Zankezour troupe held under the auspices of Ashot Mnatsaganyan and the Armenian Orthodox Church in Egypt. The show was choreographed by the talented Elen Mardirossian. A couple of days ago, Minister and Deputy Chief of the Mission of the Embassy of Japan Shinsuke Sugiyama, attended a ceremony held by the Egyptian Association for the Prevention of Blindness, established in 1996 to prevent the spread of eye diseases. The association was celebrating the operationalisation of a mobile ophthalmologic operating theatre which was provided through a grant aid worth $70,000 by the Japanese Embassy.
