A candle-lit Midan While the clock ticked to the end of 2011, thousands of Egyptians marched silently to Tahrir Square bearing candles in honour of the victims of protests since 25 January 2011. Led by activist Gamila Ismail, they chanted the demands of the revolution in place of the countdown to the new year. At the million-strong celebration, Coptic Church priests had a particularly strong presence and they led the call for inter-faith love and national unity as they too lit candles. Among other performances, including hymns by the Better Life band, Ali El-Haggar and Azza Balbaa sang while Sayed Hegab and Youssef Abdel-Rahman read vernacular poems. Photographer Mohamed Mosaad captured the historic moments. At the same time, a New Year's Eve party at the Conrad Hotel featured the singers Mohamed Hamaqi, Amal Maher and Gannat as well as the belly dancer Dina. At Al-Ahram's Tawfiq El-Hakim Hall, a seminar entitled "The Future of Parliament" was organised by the editor of the quarterly Democracy, Hala Mustafa. Among the keynote speakers were the Supreme Elections Committee Secretary-General Youssri Abdel-Karim, MP Yehia Shalash, political activist Ehab El-Kholi, journalist Saad Hagras, Secretary- General of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights Hafez Abu Seada and Cairo University Faculty of Mass Communication professor Howeida Mustafa. photos: Ayman Barayez The Hoda Shaarawi Society, headed by Ragaa Mansour, held its annual charity bazaar at the Safir Hotel in Dokki, inaugurated by the Minister of Social Affairs Nagwa Khalil. Profits will go to orphans and people with special needs. Present were Al-Ahram writer Mona Ragab, actress Ragaa El-Gedawi, singer Nadia Mustafa, and society ladies such as Mona El-Baradei, Nazli Shahbandar, Madiha El-Ganzouri and Tahani Zaher. A cultural evening to promote tourism on the Nile was held at a Giza houseboat, organised by the Kuwaiti tourism expert Mohamed El-Nassar. Present were Arab diplomats like the Kuwaiti Ambassador Rashid Al-Hamad, the Omani Ambassador Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa Al-Harthi and his Qatari counterpart Saleh bu Enein, as well as the poet Gamal Bekheit and media figures like Mayan El-Halawani, Rehab Zaki, Nany El-Deeb, Nihal Ahmed and Tarek Fathi. Filmmaker Khaled Youssef won the best director award at the Wahran Film Festival for his latest film Kaf Al-Qammar (Moon Palm), a recent release featuring Khaled Saleh, Ghada Abdel-Razek, Wafaa Amer, Joumana Murad, Sabri Fawaz, Haitham Ahmed Zaki and Houriya Farghali. Presided over by Father Boutros Daniel, the Catholic Centre Christmas celebration featured carols and speeches. Present were actors Salah El-Saadani and Magdi Sobhi, actresses Elham Shahine, Dalia El-Beheiri, Youssra El-Louzi, Sherine, Ghada Ibrahim, Olfat Omar and Nesrine El-Imam, composer Hani Mehana and journalist Fatma Naaout. photos: Abdel-Hamid Eid The ART network gave its annual Oscar Awards celebration, presented by prominent ART anchor Safaa Abul-Suod with extensive celebrity and media presence. Among those honoured were actors Nour El-Sherif, Ghada Abdel-Razek, Bassem Samra, Khaled Saleh, Riham Abdel-Ghafour, Fifi Abdu, Magdi Kamel, Sherine Adel, Arwa Gouda and Sami El-Adl.
