By Madame Sosostris Moonlight: Al-Ahram Weekly photographer Mohamed Wassim captured this remarkable image of the night landscape on the west bank of the Nile in Luxor. The riverside has changed completely following the installation of a new lighting system that will offer visitors with mesmerising views of the Hatshepsut Temple, the Valleys of the Kings and the Queens and the Tombs of the Nobles. L-r: Arnold, Salama and El-Kersh A farewell lunch was held for the by now former AUC President David Arnold, where well-wishers included the veteran columnist and editor-in-chief of Al Shorouk newspaper, Salama Ahmed Salama, the editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram Weekly, Assem El-Kersh, the editor-in-chief of Al-Alam Al-Yom, Olfa El-Sellami, the editor-in-chief of Nahdet Masr, Mohamed El-Shabba, the education editor of Al-Ahram, Mohamed Habib, the editor-in-chief of Hawwa magazine, Eman Hamza, the editor-in-chief of Egypt Today, Kate Durham, the editor-in-chief of Business Monthly, Bertil Peterson, the senior anchor on Nile TV and CNN Shahira Amin and Sabah Al-Kheir magazine education editor Jihan Abul-Ela. In the meeting, Arnold spoke about his experience in Egypt, his achievements at AUC, and his next post as the president of Asia Foundation. The Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, MP, will visit Egypt on 10 and 11 December to celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Egypt. On 10 December, Minister Rudd will meet with Secretary- General of the Arab League Amr Moussa and visit the Australian Defence Force personnel serving with the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in Sinai. On 11 December, he will meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Abul-Gheit and Minister of Trade Rachid Mohamed Rachid. Rudd 's full itinerary is yet to be finalised and may include other bilateral meetings and cultural visits. On the evening of 10 December, Rudd is expected to make several important announcements about bilateral cooperation during an official celebration at Al-Ghouri Dom in Islamic Cairo featuring an Australian-Egyptian musical performance guest-starring the internationally-acclaimed indigenous Australian composer and didgeridoo player William Barton. Rudd will also open a 10-day collaborative Australian- Egyptian art exhibition featuring landscape photography by award-winning Indigenous Australian artist Wayne Quilliam and Egyptian artist Tamer Shahin. The Ambassador of Latvia to Egypt Maris Selga and his wife hosted a prestigious reception marking the Proclamation of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia. It was attended by foreign ambassadors and high-profile personalities such as Ambassador of the European Union to Egypt Marc Franco and Armenian Ambassador to Egypt Armen Meldoniah. The Nabil Fawzi Charitable Association held a celebration featuring a fashion show by designer Talaat Sharkas and a concert by Lebanese singer Rami Ayash for the benefit of children with special needs. The celebration was presented by media figures Osama Mounir and Heba El-Abaseiri and attended by businessmen, society ladies and celebrities. A thrilling celebration ceremony was held for the 2010 Miss Arab World contest in its fourth round at the Dusit Thani Hotel in New Cairo. The Tunisian Reem Al-Tonsi was awarded Miss Arab World for the year 2010, while the Tunisian Marian Sabah was granted the name of Elegant Arab Girl. The contest, held under the slogan "An Invitation for Beauty and Decency", featured 13 contestants. More American University in Cairo news: Professor Medhat Haroun was appointed the new provost. Haroun, a world- renowned expert on earthquake engineering, has been dean of AUC's School of Sciences and Engineering since 2005. A small delegation of five Egyptian Culinary Ambassadors travelled to Luxembourg to participate in a total of eight categories at the Expogast Culinary World Cup. They scored the amazing results of eight awards in total, in addition to the second highest score of individual chefs. This special prize was awarded to Mohamed Mahmoud El-Saadawi, Chef de Partie of the Semiramis InterContinental, who scored a Gold Medal in the tapas and show platter category and a Silver Medal in the gastronomical menu and vegetarian platter category. The results were excellent for such a small delegation at such a prestigious international competition with 40 years of history behind it. An extravagant inauguration ceremony was held at the Cairo Opera House Main Hall for the 34th Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) under the auspices of Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni (see Culture p.3). The ceremony started with a remarkable speech by the global star Omar Sharif and another by the CIFF President Ezzat Abu Ouf ; it also featured a cheering operetta. Present were the Egyptian stars: Mahmoud Abdel-Aziz, Ezzat El-Alaili, Fathi Abdel-Wahab, Ashraf Zaki, Nadia El-Guindi, Nabila Ebeid, Dalia El-Beheiri, Nelly Karim, Rania Youssef, Fedra, Madline Tabar, Abeer Sabri, Rogina, Manal Salama, Donia, Joumana Murad, Mustafa Fahmi and his wife actress Rania Farid Shawki, Hussein Fahmi and his wife actress Leqaa Swedan, Lebanese singer-cum-actress Nicole Saba, belly dancers Fifi Abdu, Dina and Lucy. Honoured were Juliette Binoche, Richard Gere, Jeong-hee Yoon, Laila Elwi, Safiya El-Emari, and the once Weekly intern Khaled Abdallah. Leading Indian film stars Irfan Khan, Celina Jaitley and the renowned filmmaker Aparna Sen are present at the 34th Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), which runs from 30 November to 9 December 2010. Sen 's film Iti Mrinalini (An Unfinished Letter) is among the Indian movies being screened during the festival. Other Indian movies in the festival include Love Story, Riwayat, Love Thieves and The Way Home. Jaitley and Khan who were both present at the CIFF last year when India was the guest of honour, are also participating as members of the jury.
