Capturing the moment It happens only in December. Photographer Sherif Sonbol waited patiently for these immigrating birds to land on the Sphinx. Avid birdwatchers flock to the Giza plateau this time of the year to identify different species of birds that seek rest after a long winter journey. Last Friday, the United Nations Youth Club (UNYC), the Rotaract Club of Gezira Sporting, presided over by Nahla Abaza, Welad Misr Association directed by Mohamed El-Okda, in cooperation with International Club 25 headed by Mohab Kadry, gathered to celebrate the 4th Global Youth Action for Children's Cancer Day, held at the National Cancer Institute. The event started at 11am with a welcoming of the children and orientation by El-Okda and chairperson of the UNYC Mazhar El-Shorbagi. There was then a tour followed by shows with celebrities and the funny characters of Sesame Street, along with face painting by Noha El-Ahl and cartoonist Amr Fahmi. Marking Bahrain's National Day, Bahraini Ambassador to Egypt Khalil Al-Zowadi held a prestigious reception at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Farhati Hall. The delightful evening was crowned by the presence of an array of high-profile personalities, among them US Ambassador to Egypt Margaret Scobey, Minister of State for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Moufid Shehab and Minister of State for Family and Population Mushira Khattab. The Egyptian-Lebanese Friendship Association (ELFA), presided over by Negad Shaarawi, held a magnificent celebration at Al-Salam Concorde Hotel celebrating its Silver Jubilee in cooperation with Lebanese Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud. The celebration highlighted the relentless efforts of the association in supporting charity organisations and NGOs and focussing on charity work to support Cairo University Hospital and Abul-Reish Hospital for Children in Manial. The celebration was enlivened by gifted Lebanese singer Assi Al-Hillani and gorgeous Lebanese singer-cum-actress Serene Abdel-Nour who were both granted the shield of the ELFA in the presence of its Vice-President Ghazi Nasser and Miss Lebanon Mary-Ange Sebaaly. Yesterday, legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese was engaged in a dialogue with Bibliotheca Alexandrina Director Ismail Serageddin at the library about film as an art form and some of his favourite movies. Born in 1942, Scorsese received the Golden Palm award for his masterpiece Taxi Driver i 1976 and best director award for After Hours in 1986 at Cannes Festival. He was granted the Venice Film Festival prestigious Silver Lion award for his hit movie Goodfellas in 1990. It wasn't until 2006 that he received an Oscar for best director for The Departed. On the occasion of choosing Abdel-Fattah El-Gereny and Zizi as the best budding singers of 2009, Assiut University honoured them in a thrilling concert under the auspices of Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Hani Hilal and Minister of Health Hatem El-Gabali. The concert was attended by Assiut University President Mustafa Kamal who handed them the university shield. photos: Ayman Barayez Amid a warm ambiance, International Union of Muslim- Christian-Jewish Dialogue and Peace Education President Ali El-Samman celebrated his birthday at a party organised by his wife, Brigette El-Samman, at their residence. The celebration was attended by a galaxy of high-profile figures and celebrities such as former prime minister and chairman of the General Federation of NGOs Abdel-Aziz Hegazi, Minister of State for Administrative Development Ahmed Darwish, Chairman of Telecom Egypt Aqil Bashir, former foreign minister Ahmed Maher, Moroccan Ambassador to Egypt Mohamed Farag Al-Dokali, Nisf Al-Donia magazine Editor-in- Chief Afkar El-Kharadli, diplomat Nehad El-Asqalani, writer Aisha Abul-Nour, TV presenter Jasmine Taha Zaki as well as singer Mohamed Tharwat and retired actress Nahed Youssri. A spectacular party was held at the Mohamed Ali Palace in Manial hosted by Wa'ai Charity Association presided over by Samir Abul-Magd, the revenues of which were earmarked for good causes. The celebration honoured Paris University's Professor Louis Crouk. It featured a fashion show of soirée gowns as well as a performance by the adorable Moroccan singer Gannat. The party was crowned by the presence of a bevy of ambassadors and high-profile figures, including Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Hisham Al-Nazer and his Moroccan counterpart, Mohamed Farag Al-Dokali, Saudi Permanent Representative at the Arab League Ahmed Al-Qattan, writer Aisha Abdel-Nour and diligent ladies in the field of charity work such as Brigette Louvivre, Nazli Shahbandar, Nadia Abul-Leil and Sawsan Attiya. For the 16th consecutive year, European embassies held their Christmas Charity Bazaar. After being hosted previously at the Nile Hilton Gardens and Tennis Courts, this year the bazaar was hosted by the Conrad Hotel Cairo. As every year, thousands of visitors, VIPs, diplomats, expats, and Egyptian families had the chance to shop for European Christmas items at the beautifully decorated stands of the 25 European countries participating in the bazaar. European ambassadors and their wives welcomed visitors at their respective stands. Musical performers and school choirs singing Christmas carols provided entertainment at the bazaar. It ended with a raffle drawn by Kevin Brett, Conrad Hotel general manager, in the presence of the Nile Hilton Public Relations Manager Farida Mansour and Louise Asquith, wife of the British ambassador to Egypt. The proceeds from the Christmas Charity Bazaar will go to Egyptian charity organisations. The American University in Cairo (AUC) has been selected, for the third year running, as a recipient of the European Union (EU) Tempus grant. The proposal, "Leadership in Higher Education Management," focuses on how to improve the way higher education institutions in the Mediterranean region operate under the stewardship of AUC. The project will commence in January 2010 and will continue for the next three years with the total funds allocated amounting to over one million euros. The AUC's role as an international university makes this project particularly significant. "Since the AUC is a key partner in the education system in Egypt, it has the responsibility to convey best practices to other Egyptian institutions and other universities in the region," said Ehab Abdel-Rahman, a physics professor who submitted the proposal. The selected institutional partners are joined in a structural network to respond to the modernisation agenda of the EU, which focuses on the intersections of education, research and innovation; and to the need for human capital investment, support for future leaders and the encouragement of the professionalisation of higher education management. Established in 1990, the goal of the Tempus Programme, which is now in its fourth phase, is to support the modernisation of higher education in 27 countries in regions surrounding the European Union, including, in addition to the Mediterranean region, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Western Balkans. The AUC was the recipient of two other Tempus grants in the past three years, both of which were applied for by Abdel-Rahman. Within the framework of the Presidential Election Programme which assures developing youth facilities and services, the National Council for Youth, presided over by Safieddin Kharboush, has established the huge Luxor Youth City with a capacity of 650 at an estimated cost of LE87.7 million. Kharboush declared that Luxor Youth City encompasses a large theatre, a library, a computer lab, activity halls, sports halls, a football court and a swimming pool that is under construction. The city will host youth visitors from Arab as well as foreign countries according to cooperation agreements made with these countries. It is also going to accommodate 300 Egyptian youth living abroad during their visit to their home country in December. Kharboush added that the city would host the fourth National Youth Conference to be held next February with the participation of 600 youth. On the sidelines of the conference, youth will commemorate the National Day of Egyptian Youth on 9 February 2010. Under the auspices of Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni, Suez Governor General Mohamed Saffieddin Galal and head of the General Organisation of Cultural Palaces Mohamed Megahed, the first round of the Red Sea Countries Arts Festival held in Suez City was inaugurated. It was attended by Saudi Consul Mohamed Ghabani and the cultural counsellor of Palestine, Mohamed Khaled. The highlight of the opening ceremony was a folk dance carnival, directed by Abdel-Rahman El-Shafei, that included folk dance performances by the troupes of Suez, Port Said, Ismailia, South Sinai, Al-Nile Folk Instruments Troupe as well as the Saudi Folk Arts Troupe. Congratulations! Al-Ahram Deputy Editor-in-Chief Abdu Mubasher has just published his new book, Espionage and Spies, with the General Egyptian Book Organisation. photos: Abdel-Hamid Eid A gigantic concert was held under the slogan Umm Al-Donia Masr (Egypt Mother of the World) at the Hockey Stadium in Cairo featuring world- renowned Canadian- Lebanese R&B singer Massari and Egyptian singer Mohamed Hamaki. Thousands of fans flocked to the thrilling concert to enjoy the songs of Hamaki and Massari, holding the Egyptian flag and dressing according to the colour code of the concert that followed the Egyptian flag: red, black and white.
