Remains of the day Abu Sultan, Sinai in 1989 Zaman or "Good Old Days" is the name of the first photo exhibition by Mahmoud Abdel-Wahab currently on show at Atelier du Caire, Downtown Cairo. The pictures, taken by novelist and amateur singer Abdel-Wahab each have their own tale. Most of the pictures were taken in the period from the mid-1980s through the late 1990s. Although it is his first exhibition, photography has always been Abdel-Wahab 's passion since his university years. Though in number the photographs are actually very few, they have one unifying theme, one characterised by a deep nostalgia. They have the effect of compelling the viewer to wonder and sigh for yesteryears. Most of the photos were taken in Alexandria, where Abdel-Wahab spent his childhood and early adult years. The images of the Antoniadis Gardens and the Roman Amphitheatre in particular invoke memories of places people have forgotten about. Other photographs depict Saint Catherine, Old Cairo, and Siwa. In Abdel-Wahab 's pictures, there is no trace of people. You will only see places, stones, staircases and in a few cases some vividly blossoming plants. For Abdel-Wahab, places and objects are the only evidence that people exist. "I let the place with its small details express its own spirit. Each place definitely shows how people behave, feel and react," he says. In a picture taken in Antoniadis Gardens, two wooden two-lover seats are put against each others. They are vacant; nothing in the picture reveals life in the crowded city, except for some remains of orange peelings. It is marvellous, sad and nostalgic. At present Abdel-Wahab is preparing for his next exhibition, focussing on street lights portrayed in an abstract way. ( see Listings p.5 ) � In Algeria, the lavish inaugural ceremony of the Third Wahran International Arab Film Festival took place at the First of November Hall under the auspices of Algerian President Abdel-Aziz Bouteflika. The ceremony opened with an Algerian folk dance performance warmly welcoming festival guests including Egyptian actresses Nabila Ebeid and Yossra. A galaxy of Arab artists and media figures were honoured during the festival, among them Palestinian director Rashid Meshherawi. Meanwhile Ebeid and Egyptian cinema critic Ahmed Fayeq were chosen as members of the festival jury committee. At the end of the ceremony, thrilled by her honouring, Yossra chanted a love song, joined on stage by two Moroccan singers. � Sultry Lebanese singer Haifaa Wahbi performed in a thrilling concert at Port Ghalib Red Sea resort. Wahbi dazzled the audience with her stunning performance as they enjoyed a pleasant summer night filled with her melodies. � After 18 years of absence from the Carthage Music Festival, veteran Algerian singer Warda mesmerised her audience for 90 minutes of continuous singing at the festival held in Tunisia. More than 15,000 of Warda 's fans attended the concert longing to hear her powerful voice. On the occasion of commemorating the first anniversary of the death of veteran filmmaker Youssef Chahine, a memorial service was organised in Alexandria by Chahine 's family. It was followed by a gathering of his wife and his friends in the street named after him in Alexandria, where he was born. A seminar was also held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina discussing Chahine 's long and remarkable filmography. Among the keynote speakers at the seminar were filmmaker Raafat El-Mehei, cinema critic Samir Farid and producer Marianne Khouri. The seminar and the memorial service were attended by a bevy of cinema stars including controversial filmmaker and Chahine's disciple Khaled Youssef, actor Seif Abdel-Rahman and singer-cum-actor Samir Sabri. � On behalf of the French president, whose strategy is to encourage young and promising women in various sectors, especially culture, French Ambassador to Egypt Jean Félix Paganon offered Gihan Zaki, professor of Egyptology at Helwan University and director-general of the International Cooperation Department at the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), the Chevalier De L'Ordre National Du Merite (the Knight's Order of Merit) for her leading contribution in strengthening Franco-Egyptian cooperation in the field of culture and archaeology over the past 10 years. The ceremony took place at the French Embassy premises in Giza, and was attended by top officials from the Ministry of Culture, the SCA, the Ministry of Foreign affairs as well as Zaki 's friends and family. Zaki has acted as mediator between Egypt and France on scientific affairs between Helwan University and regions in France, and more recently between the SCA and the French CNRS. Zaki was nominated to the award after signing the new Karnak Protocol in December 2007 for her scientific role as assistant of professor Ali Radwan in the Scientific Egyptian Direction of Karnak. She has actively contributed to more than five exhibitions held in Egypt and France. In her speech she said, "I shared the honour of having such a medal with all my professors in Helwan University as well as professor Ali Radwan, my distinguished tutor in the cultural heritage field, and with whom I have worked since 2005." � Alexandria Governor Adel Labib, along with head of the General Organisation for Cultural Palaces (GOCP) Ahmed Megahed honoured veteran cinema and TV actress Elham Shahine at Alexandria Creativity Centre. The honouring came after her receiving the best actress award from the last round of the Middle East International Film Festival in Abu Dhabi. The award went to her remarkable role in the hit movie Fawzya's Secret Recipe which she starred and produced. Megahed also awarded the film's gifted director Magdy Ahmed Ali and granted him the shields of the governorate and the GOCP. � Starting this month, the bitterly sarcastic and highly-talked about play Unsweetened Coffee, directed by Khaled Galal is finally back to the Art Creativity Centre (ACC) in the Cairo Opera House grounds. It has recently won critical acclaim in Jordan, when performed at the Royal Cultural Centre in Amman. Among the Jordanian senior officials who attended the show were Jordan's Culture Minister Sabri Al-Robihat, Foreign Minister Nasser Ghouda as well as former prime minister Maarouf Al-Bekheit. The show is running through 20 August at the ACC. � On the occasion of celebrating the Moroccan king's coronation, Morocco's Ambassador to Egypt Mohamed Farag Al-Dokali held a prestigious reception at the garden of the Moroccan Embassy. The reception was crowned by the presence of a plethora of ambassadors and high-profile figures including Omani Ambassador to Egypt Abdel-Aziz Al-Hanaai and his Lebanese and Bahraini counterparts Khaled Ziyada and Khalil Al-Zowadi, permanent Saudi Representative at the Arab League Ahmed Al-Qattan, member of the National Democratic Party's Policies Committee Mohamed Abdallah, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ahram's Democracy magazine Hala Mustafa, Al-Beit magazine Editor-in-Chief Silvia El-Naqadi, actress Poussy, maestro Gaber El-Beltagui as well as Moroccan singers Murad Asmar and Omnia.
