Music for the soul The Nubian Drums group, resident at the Creativity Centre of Al-Ghouri Dome in Al-Azhar district, is performing on the first and third Sundays of the month. During this year's holy month, you can catch them at a special performance that will take place on 10 Ramadan, also at Al-Ghouri Dome. The show displays a full panorama of Egyptian heritage that flows from the River Nile. The rhythms of Nubian drums and tambourines and their dialogue with various instruments from other parts of Egypt express the richness of the country's heritage. In the picture, captured by Sherif Sonbol, group founder and centre manager Entissar Abdel-Fattah performs a dialogue between a tambourine and two pans. Through the performance he uses other traditional musical instruments in order to demonstrate that music can be born even from the most basic tools. photo: Abdel-Hamid Eid Ending the season of concerts in the North Coast, pop singer Tamer Hosni put on a thrilling show at the Roman Theatre in Marina. Hosni 's spectacular concert was accompanied by dancers for four hours on stage, while the pop star performed in five different looks as the set changed while he played the piano during some of his songs. Hosni 's dazzling performance in black clothing with the dancers reminded the audience of concerts by the greatest entertainer of all times, the late Michael Jackson. Further, Hosni celebrated his birthday on stage alongside his audience, with the attendance of a galaxy of celebrities among them were former football player Ibrahim Hassan and his family, actor Ahmed Zaher, actress Maye Ezzeddin, and TV presenter Heba Mandour. Hosni 's father and brother also attended the concert to celebrate the special day. photo: Ayman Barayez Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Wu Chunhua held a lavish reception at the Nile Queen boat to launch the new Arabic International Channel (AIC), affiliated to the Central Chinese Television. The reception was crowned by the presence of Major-General Mounir Thabet, former minister of higher education and scientific research Amr Salama, head of the Middle East News Agency Abdallah Hassan, Judge Khaled El-Qadi, veteran writer Neam El-Baz, professor Randa Rizq as well as media figures Mustafa Abdallah, Ragaa Ibrahim and Mervat Fahmi. The High Institute for Engineering (HIE) located in 15 May City celebrated the graduation of their third batch of graduates at the Cairo International Conference Hall (CICH), Nasr City. The celebration, held for the third consecutive year, was under the auspices of Helwan Governor Hazem El-Quwedi in a prestigious celebration. The event included a presentation of the graduates' projects, praised by their professors. Chairman of the board of the institute Ibrahim Abdel-Fattah, Secretary- General of the National Democratic Party in Helwan Abdel-Hai Ebeid, Chairman of the People Assembly's Arab Affairs Committee Saad El-Gammal, independent MP and Editor-in- Chief of Al-Osbou newspaper Mustafa Bakri, media figure Tarek Allam as well as a bevy of Helwan governorate high- profile personalities were all present in the celebration. Supported by the Culture Resource Centre, Jordanian artist Oraib Toukan is due to participate in the International Istanbul Biennale of Contemporary Art running from 13 September to 8 November. Through her mixed media work titled "The Equity is in the Circle", Toukan attempts to depict the geographical and political changes of the Gulf area, in a bid to pin down the meaning of the region's identity. Toukan is a talented Jordanian artist who primarily works in photography, video art as well as installation art, and she is well known for the socio-political content of her work. She has received two regional awards and many international fellowships from various prestigious institutes. On the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of India's independence, a flag hoisting ceremony was organised at India House. Ambassador of India to Egypt R. Swaminathan hoisted the Indian tricolour at a celebration attended by all embassy staff and a large number of members of the Indian community and friends of India. United States Chargé d'Affaires Matthew Tueller hosted a graduation ceremony for 26 Egyptian lawyers who received five months of training in legal sign language in Arabic. This training will allow the lawyers to better advocate on behalf of deaf Egyptians. This project was fruit of a collaborative effort involving NAS -- a non-governmental organisation supporting the rights of disabled Egyptians -- the National Council on Human Rights, the National Association for the Deaf, Helwan University, and the US Embassy in Cairo. NAS Chairman Ashraf Marie and member of the Shoura Council and National Centre for Human Rights Adel Qura delivered the opening remarks at the event. Tueller also congratulated the trainees saying, "The programme we celebrate today is one example of the many partnerships the US Embassy has with civil society and universities across Egypt to expand opportunities for all citizens of Egypt to be active participants in their communities, regardless of any physical disability. As [US President Barack] Obama said in his historic speech in Cairo, 'We have a responsibility to join together on behalf of the world that we seek.' This includes a world where the rights and dignity of all God's children are respected. This is a mutual interest. But we can only achieve it together." The ceremony concluded with the presentation of certificates to the trainees. The Cairo Opera Ballet Company's lead dancer Hani Hassan has just arrived from Italy after performing the leading role in Zorba ballet at San Carlo Theatre in Naples. He presented two shows along with 70 male and female dancers from the San Carlo Ballet Company. Hassan was selected as the leading dancer during a contest organised by the San Carlo Theatre. The theatre is one of the largest and finest theatres not only in Naples but in Italy as a whole, with a capacity of 6,000. Built in 1737, it has for two centuries been a centre for music lovers from across Europe. Hassan, who has performed the role of Zorba in several shows with the Cairo Opera Ballet Company, performed the same role during the promotions that preceded the Athens Olympics in 2004. He is due to lead in a number of shows with the Cairo Opera Ballet Company in Spain. He will participate with San Carlo Theatre in another group of shows in South American countries in January. photos: Bassam El-Zoghby The National Centre for Children's Culture held a celebration last Thursday evening in the popular district of Sayeda Zeinab after Dar Al-Iftaa had announced the sighting of the Ramadan crescent. The celebration featured shows by the Al-Tanoura Whirling Dervishes and Al-Mawlawiya troupe, led by Amer El-Toni, performing Sufi dances.
