Who's next? With the spread of swine flu, photographer Sherif Sonbol wonders whether pets will be the next victims of the deadly virus Pop singer Tamer Hosni held an exhilarating concert at Fairmont Heliopolis Hotel celebrating New Year's Eve with his fans. Beautiful actress Zeina -- who participated in a film with Hosni -- and cinema producer Mohamed El-Sobki were among the attendees celebrating to the melodies of Hosni. photos: Abdel-Hamid Eid Also celebrating New Year's Eve, sultry Lebanese singers Elissa and Wael Gassar and popular Egyptian singer Saad El-Soghayar enlivened a lavish concert at the Semiramis Hotel. The concert was attended by retired belly dancer Fifi Abdu and her family, popular singer Hoda, actress Nelly Karim and her husband. A thrilling celebration was held at the Police Club in Gezira organised by Egyptian television Channel 3, presided over by Hani Gaafar, honouring a galaxy of TV and cinema stars who presented distinguished art works in 2009. Among the honourees were veteran theatre actress Samiha Ayoub, veteran music composer Hamada Sultan, veteran actress Laila Taher, actress Aida Riyad, talented actor Hisham Selim, actor Mohamed Wafiq, actress Amira Fathi, actor Ahmed Maher and budding actor Mohamed Ramadan. Former minister of social insurance Aisha Rateb held a prestigious cultural evening at the Diplomatic Club in Giza. The evening was crowned by the presence of flamboyant former first lady Gihan El-Sadat, Minister of International Cooperation Fayza Abul-Naga, former ministers of social affairs Amina El-Guindi and Mervat El-Talawi, former minister of scientific research Venice Kamel, the spouse of former interior minister Kamal El-Ganzouri, the spouse of late former prime minister Atef Sedqi and the spouse of former minister of justice Mahmoud Abul-Leil. photos: Ayman Barayez The Innerwheel Giza Club presided over by Shahira Tolba organised a jewellery show by gifted designer Sherif El-Sergani at the Pyramisa Hotel in Doqqi. Six models participated in the stunning show that was directed by Hatem El-Safti and Mahmoud Ashour. The show's revenues were earmarked for charity. A bevy of ladies active in charity and voluntary work were present at the show including Hanaa El-Sadat, Iman El-Beshari, Rana Azzam, Nadia El-Meqati, Hoda Sabri, Soha El-Qadi, Hanaa Naguib and Hebatallah El-Sadat. ART Satellite Channels held a seminar for the cast of the film Wahed Sefr (One/Zero), starring veteran actress Elham Shahine, actors Khaled Abul-Naga and Intesar, and directed by Kamla Abu-Zekri. At the seminar, the stars of the film talked about their experience with the film participation in international festivals such as the Venice and Middle East film festivals. An honorary ceremony celebrating the stars followed the seminar, presided over by popular ART presenter Poussy Shalabi. More parties celebrating the New Year's Eve: popular singers Amina and Tamer Ashour and Moroccan singer Abdel-Fattah Al-Gereini performed at sunset on a boat in Giza. Congratulations! Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif has approved the extension of the term of service of Abdel-Moneim Kamel as the director of the Cairo Opera House -- upon the recommendation of Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni -- until 2011. Kamel first took up his post in August 2004. In an unprecedented initiative, Omar Samra, Egyptian Everest Summit climber, and a group of Arab mountaineers aim to complete the famous Seven Summits mountain challenge as part of a TV reality programme in 2010. A Beirut-based creative agency, Plan A, has designed "seVen" to promote Arab solidarity among youth, and has teamed up with Balestra, a Canadian sports production agency, to provide specialised logistical support, ranging from planes, tents, equipment and satellite communication. The show will feature live coverage of 12 men and women representing Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Morocco, Iraq, Algeria and other countries as they strive to reach the peaks of the highest mountains across seven continents. A pilot episode will feature the team as they get started to scale Jebel Toubkal in Morocco, the Arab world's highest mountain, in January 2010. "This trip commemorates the first anniversary of my previous expedition on the same mountain with my colleagues from Lebanon and Morocco, where we raised the Palestinian flag in solidarity with the people in Gaza," said Samra. "We are really excited about shooting 'seVen' -- it is a once in a lifetime documentary series. This will mark the first achievement by Arab mountaineers who will join an exclusive club of less than 300 mountaineers around the world who undertook similar initiatives," said Elia Saikaly, award winning Canadian-Lebanese adventure filmmaker. The American University in Cairo (AUC) announced the appointment of leading Qatari educator and president of the University of Qatar, Professor Sheikha Abdulla Al-Misnad, as a member of its Board of Trustees. Prior to his appointment as president of the University of Qatar in 2003, Al-Misnad held positions in teaching, administration and research at the university, including the posts of vice-president for research and community development and head of the University Council. Professor Al-Misnad received her bachelor's degree in education from the University of Qatar, as well as a diploma in education, and her PhD from Durham University in the UK. She has also been awarded an honorary doctorate in civil law by Durham University in recognition of her outstanding achievements in the field of education. Professor Al-Misnad has played a key role in educational reform in Qatar. In the framework of hosting a delegation of the second generation of Egyptian communities abroad, during the period from 21 December 2009 to 5 January 2010, the National Council for Youth, headed by Safieddin Kharboush, organised a visit to Luxor and Aswan in the youth train. Kharboush said the visit programme included meetings with the governors of Luxor and Aswan as well as sightseeing in both governorates. During their stay in Cairo, the delegation had an open discussion with the Grand Mufti of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ali Gomaa who explained that the manners of Muslims abroad should reflect the values of Islam. Likewise, a seminar was conducted with Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Zahi Hawass who addressed Egypt's plans to protect monuments as well as its strategy to regain smuggled monuments into Europe, shedding light on the head of Queen Nefertiti and negotiations with the German authorities to retrieve it after 95 years. Youth of Egyptian communities also held a meeting with Pope Moussa who assured that Egypt embraces the Copts and that what has been propagandised in foreign magazines about Egyptian Copts and their oppression is not true. The first issue of Al-Ahram's newest publication, the quarterly magazine Diwan, will reach readers this week. Diwan is not only about the written history of Egypt; it reflects the pulse of Egyptian life, with the aim of spreading the treasures of Al-Ahram archive. Al-Ahram Chairman of the Board Abdel-Moneim Said asserted that the new publication would document the various eras of Al-Ahram Establishment over its 134 years. Diwan Editor-in-Chief Bahiya Halawa explained that the magazine represents a new type of media, added to Al-Ahram's numerous and distinguished publications.
