It is seldom in life that one encounters personalities unremittingly strong in their commitment and remarkable achievements in the field of human rights protection, the fight for pluralist democracy, and the partnership and solidarity between North and South. It is only a few individuals around the world each year that can be said to have displayed such admirable drive. This year, the Council of Europe's North-South Centre honoured Egypt's eminent Dr Nawal El-Saadawi, in recognition of her leadership in the fight for women's rights and her passionate commitment to global interdependence and solidarity. This year's annual North-South Prize was also given to French Ambassador Stephane Hessel. The decision to grant El-Saadawi the prize was unsurprisingly unanimous -- the feminist writer has over the years brought into the spotlight pressing right's issues previously swept aside. Despite imprisonment, El-Saadawi has displayed a distinguished level of commitment and achievement. Last Tuesday, I attended along with my colleague Reham El-Adawi, a press conference held at the Cairo Opera House on the 16th Citadel Music Festival. In the presence of the head of the Media Office Mohamed Hosni and the Palestinian singer Abeer Sansour, director of the festival Hassan Kami outlined the new items to be offered this year by the festival. The festival,10-25 August, will for the first time present the mega Japanese Drums Group Osaka Dadada-Dan Tenko and the Chinese Acrobatic group. Al-Shurta Al-Gadid (New Police) Theatre formerly known as Al-Saha was renovated to provide more seats. This year, my dears, concert-goers will pay LE2 as an entrance fee, in an attempt to prevent overcrowding. Around 80 concerts will be held at four theatres including the Open-Air Theatre at the Opera House, presenting various types of music: classical Arabic, folkloric, oriental and western music from Egypt, China, Japan, Iraq, Sudan and Palestine. This year popular young singers such as Khaled Selim, Shaimaa Said, Magd El-Qasem and Tamer Hosni will participate. A galaxy of veteran artists -- orchestra conductor Taha Nagui, composer Gamal Salama, opera director Amin Fekri, the Cairo Opera Choir conductor Aldo Magnato and ballerina Ermenia Kamel -- are due to be honoured this year by Culture Minister Farouk Hosni at the inauguration party on 10 August.
