Shoot to win This picture is taken by Al-Ahram gifted photographer Bassam El-Zoghbi and is currently on show, among many other masterpieces, at his first photography exhibition, in the Saad Zaghloul Cultural Centre. El-Zoghbi is the winner of first prize in the art category and third place in tourism category at this year's Third Press Photo Awards that is organised by the Press Syndicate and took place at Al-Sawy Cultural Wheel. � Head coach of the Egyptian national football team Hassan Shehata became the first sportsman to receive Al-Ahram's Key, a symbol awarded to pioneers in different fields of life. Shehata, who became the most successful coach in Egyptian football history by winning three Africa Cup of Nations trophies in a row, received the award in a lavish celebration attended by head of the Shura Council and the Supreme Council for Journalism Safwat El-Sherif, head of the National Sports Council Hassan Sakr, President of the Egyptian Football Federation Samir Zaher, and their host, Al-Ahram Chairman of the Board Abdel-Moneim Said, who presented Shehata with honour on Sunday. Shehata was happy to receive the award amongst his staff colleagues and team players as well. He said it might appear as a personal award, but in reality he earned it because of the cooperation of his colleagues and the team. Also attending were Al-Ahram Editor-in-Chief Osama Saraya, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ahram Sports magazine Essam Abdel-Moneim, Al-Ahram Al-Masaai Editor-in-Chief Tarek Hassan, board member and head of the Al-Ahram Advertising Department Hassan Hamdi as well as sports editors at Al-Ahram's various publications. � Zamalek Inner Wheel Club (ZIWC) presided over by Samia Abul-Fotouh held an exciting seminar on the occasion of the success of the TV series Hala wel Mestakhabi (Hala and the Dark Side) and Magnoun Laila (Crazy About Laila). The seminar hosted gorgeous actress Laila Elwi along with scriptwriters Hazem El-Hadidi, Mohamed Refaat and director Mohamed Ali who discussed their experience in the latest TV series and its success. The seminar was conducted by ZIWC Vice- President Randa El-Zoghabi. � The Cultural Salon of the Cairo Opera House hosted an impressive seminar with Nobel Laureate Ahmed Zuweil who talked about his latest research. At the end of the seminar, Cairo Opera House Director Abdel-Moneim Kamel and Zuweil handed the Zuweil Award for Young Talents to gifted singer Amira Said. The seminar was held at the Main Hall and chaired by journalist Osama Heikal. � Under the auspices of Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni, the 31st Egyptian Cinema Oscar Festival took place at the Pyramisa Hotel in Doqqi with an extensive media presence. The celebration began with the distribution of honorary shields to veteran comedian Adel Imam, actress Soheir Ramzi, veteran actor Youssef Shaaban, versatile artist Samir Sabri and producer Sobhi Farahat. It also included honouring the names of cinema figures such as late veteran comedian Mary Mounib, late actors Ali El-Kassar and Hussein Riyad, and late writer Abul- Seoud El-Ebiary. The shields were distributed by Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Culture Emad Abu Ghazi and the festival's president, Abdel-Moneim Saad, and head of the Jury Committee, veteran actress Madiha Youssri. The films Welad Al-Aam (The Cousins) and Wahed Sefr (One/ Zero) collected the lion's share of awards (six awards each), accepted by the casts of both films. Al-Farah (The Wedding) received four awards, including to actor Khaled El-Sawi, actresses Sawsan Badr, Donia Samir Ghanem and Rogina. Dokkan Shehata (Shehata's Store) was also granted four awards. Ibrahim Labyad received three awards, including one to veteran actor Mahmoud Abdel-Aziz and actor Ahmed El-Saqqa. Two awards went to Khaltet Fawzia (Fawzia's Secret Recipe). Filmmaker Youssri Nasrallah 's latest controversial blockbuster Ehki Ya Shahrazade (Tell it, Shahrazade) was granted two awards that went to actor Mahmoud Hemeida and talented emerging actress Rehab El-Gammal. The Hala Febrayer Festival (Welcome February) in Kuwait presented two thrilling concerts organised by Al-Watan Television: sultry Lebanese singer Miriam Faris and Egyptian singer Mohamed Hamaki featured in the first concert, along with Kuwaiti Star Academy singer Bashar Al-Shatti and the Miami band. Egyptian diva Sherine Abdel-Wahab, Kuwaiti singer Abdallah Al-Rowaishid and peerless Lebanese singer Fadl Shaker tantalised the audience in one of the most unforgettable nights of the festival. The Carnegie Middle East Centre based in Beirut was ranked the first among 273 think tanks in the Middle East and North Africa for 2009 in a study of the world's 6,305 think tanks. The Carnegie Middle East Centre, established three years ago, was also named among the best five new think tanks in the world. The study recognised the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's global network. The Carnegie Moscow Centre was ranked the first among 517 think tanks in Central and Eastern Europe, while the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment was ranked second among 1,183 think tanks in the United States. The Carnegie Endowment was named first in the world for best use of the Internet to engage the public, while ranked second in the world for most innovative policy ideas and proposals. Director of the Carnegie Middle East Centre based in Beirut, Paul Salem, commented on the news, saying "The survey ranking of our new centre is wonderful recognition of the work of our scholars from various Arab countries and abroad." The Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC), in cooperation with Egypt-India Friendship Association, presided over by Alieddin Hilal, is organising a lecture entitled "India- Egypt Relations: Challenges and Opportunities" to be delivered by head of the People's Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee, Mustafa El-Feki, on 22 February at 6pm, at the centre's premises in Downtown, Cairo. El-Feki has been a member of parliament since 2001. He is also a veteran diplomat and academician. He has held many prestigious positions, including that of assistant foreign minister for Arab and Middle East affairs, permanent representative of Egypt to the Arab League (1999) and ambassador of Egypt to Austria. Earlier, El-Feki was director of the Diplomatic Studies Institute at the Egyptian Foreign Ministry (1993-1995). He also served as secretary of information to the Egyptian president. His academic activities include being an adjunct professor of political science at the American University in Cairo (1978-1993). � Congratulations! The Metropolitan Opera in New York granted gifted Egyptian mezzo- soprano Jala El-Hadidi an encouraging award. She is considered the youngest mezzo- soprano in the Cairo Opera Company, who studied operatic singing at the hands of tenor Sobhi Bedeir since 1998. She featured in several concerts in Rome, Venice and Istanbul, and participated in a number of operas, including Verdi's Aida and Rigoletto and The Magic Flute. � The prestigious commencement ceremony of the American University in Cairo (AUC) for Fall 2009 graduates took place at its campus in New Cairo. More than 160 graduates received their masters' degrees at the Bassily Auditorium Hall. Professor emeritus of international law at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Georges Abi-Saab, delivered the commencement address, focussing on the benefits of university education and ways in which it can be utilised. Abi-Saab served as a member and former chairman of the appellate body of the World Trade Organisation in Geneva. During the ceremony, AUC President David Arnold spoke about the increasing number of masters' students at AUC. Among AUC graduates are the daughter of the late Wafd Party leader, Heba Yassin Serageddin, and Sarah, daughter of Al-Ahram senior writer Mahmoud Mourad. The ceremony was crowned by the presence of Minister of Higher Education and State for Scientific Research Hani Hilal, Nobel Laureate Ahmed Zuweil and Minister of State for International Cooperation Fayza Abul-Naga.
