photos: Hamdi Reda Many of us thought it would never happen but then women as gorgeous as Mai Ahmed do not come along every day. And so at a beautiful and fun wedding party, our Managing Editor Galal Nassar took that irrevocable step from bachelorhood into the realm of the married. The setting could not have been more perfect: beneath the Pyramids of Giza ensconced as we were in the arabesque and wood-panelled Abu Nawwas Hall at the Oberoi Hotel. The hall was full of well-wishers and from Al-Ahram I spied Managing Editor Hazem Abdel-Rahman, Assistant Managing Editor Tareq Hassan as well as assistant editor of the Foreign Desk Ezzat Ibrahim and his lovely wife AP journalist Magui Michelle. Diplomat Tareq Dahroug from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also there not to mention Ezzat Hizqiyal of the Egyptian Television's News Channel Gasser El-Shahed and Ahmed Mahmoud from the Red Cross. As might have been expected the dance floor was dominated by Al-Ahram Weekly staff watched over by our senior lay-out editor and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ahram Samir Sobhi and caricaturist the renown George Bahgoury. And when the naughty belly-dancer Hadeer made her way through our midst it was the "lay- out boys" who seemed to catch her eye and the attentions of her shaking hips! It was a night to remember -- all that is left is to wish the handsome couple a wonderful honeymoon and the best in life. On a more sombre note, it was time to take stock of the condition of children in the Arab world last Monday and all those concerned attended the launch of "An Arab World Worthy of Children: A Study of the Conditions of Childhood in the Arab Countries" prepared by UNICEF in cooperation with the Arab League. At the headquarters of the League, UNICEF Deputy Executive Manager Rima Salah, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for the Middle East and North Africa Mahmoud Qabil along with Ambassador Mohamed Salem, media officer at UNICEF explained to us all the importance of the report. photo: Youssri Aql photo: Ayman Barayez Children, it seems, were on everyone's mind this week. Earlier to the UNICEF event, Lebanese singer Assi El-Helani was the centre piece of a charity concert for the cause of the Special Olympics Egypt (SOE) children. Held at the stadium of the Misr Languages School and under the auspices of Mrs Suzanne Mubarak, the honorary president of the SOE, the concert was organised by the head of the SOE Ismail Othman and his wife headmistress of Misr Languages School Magda Moussa. Among those who had the opportunity to enjoy El-Helani 's best songs were Lebanese Ambassador to Cairo Abdel-Latif El-Mameluk, Hoda Maher, wife of former foreign minister Ahmed Maher and Jihan El-Sadat, wife of late president Anwar El-Sadat. photos: Tamer Youssef But for all the enjoyment, who can ignore that we live in a society that exudes stress? It was a fact of life brought home at the Ninth Annual Scientific Meeting of the Egyptian Hypertension Society held at Marriott Hotel. Chairman of the meeting was Aziz Madkour, and president of the society Mohsen Ibrahim delivered a speech entitled "We have come A long way". Among the highlights of the event were the lecture given by newly elected head of the Egyptian Writers Union and Al-Ahram Hebdo Editor-in-Chief Mohamed Salmawy and the opening of a modern art exhibition showcasing a number of paintings by veteran painter Salah Taher. A wonderful charity bazaar was held by the African Ambassadors' wives Association in Cairo, which in case you are not aware is presided over by wife of Senegal Ambassador Sow Bineta. Organised at the Ramses Hilton the event included pavilions from various African countries such as Angola, Cameron, Burundi, Comoros, Zimbabwe, Niger, Kenya, Malawi and Sudan. The event drew society women like a magnet and I could not help noticing Sherine Loza, wife of Ambassador Hamdi Sanad Loza, assistant of minister of African affairs. You might have thought that cosmetics and plastic surgery were your last line of defence. But think again. Momena Kamel, women secretariat at the National Democratic Party, held a seminar last Saturday at the Doqqi Shooting Club to enlighten us on the finer points of beauty and health; and as far as she is concerned pollution, cosmetics and surgery all contribute to our bad health. Among other participants were Amr Khodeir, manager of the Women Health Centre at Nasser Institute, professor of dermatology Agharid El- Gamal as well as professor of plastic surgery at Ain Shams University Saad El- Fayoumi. Last Thursday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean celebrated the World Health Day for 2005 at its headquarters in Cairo. This year, the World Health Day is focussing its campaign on the health of the mother and child. Minister of Health Mohamed Awad Tageddin was there not to mention the Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Osama El- Baz, WHO Regional Spokesman Ibrahim El- Kerdani and WHO Goodwill Ambassador and actress Safiya El-Emari. Preacher Amr Khaled, who came to witness the ratification of an agreement between the WHO and the Iqraa Islamic satellite channel was also there. The Egyptian European Council held a reception in honour of Hurbert Gorbach, deputy of the Austrian chancellor. Among the attendees were State Minister for Military Production Sayed Meshaal, Austrian Ambassador to Egypt Kurt Spalnger, Minister of Transport Essam Sharaf, Vice-President of the council Ihab Sorour and its Secretary-General Mona Zaki.
