Sweet business To capture the very spirit of Ramadan, Khaled El-Fiqi was ready with his camera at the place where qatayef and konafa, those mouthwatering symbols of the holy month, were being made. Indian Ambassador to Egypt R Swaminathan hosted last Thursday a Ramadan Iftar banquet for a galaxy of Egyptian ministers and high-ranking officials. The Iftar gathering was attended by Waqf Minister Mahmoud Hamdi Zaqzouq, Minister of Higher Education and of State for Scientific Research Hani Hilal, and Egypt-India Friendship Association President Alieddin Hilal. A host of journalists, intellectuals and businessmen were also present. Swaminathan hailed the deeply rooted relations binding his country together with Egypt. Head of Al-Ain Publishing House Fatma El-Boudi hosted a lavish Ramadan Sohour gathering at Garden City Club overlooking the Nile. A galaxy of intellects and poets enjoyed a delightful cultural evening, including Emirati poetess Maysoun Sakr, novelists Gamal El-Qassas and Sahar El-Mougi, Judge Tahani El-Gebali and Al-Ahram columnist Gamal Zaida. photo: Ayman Barayez A thrilling Ramadan night was held at Farhati Hall in the Grand Hyatt Hotel where a plethora of media figures and journalists gathered, welcomed by Omani Ambassador to Egypt Sheikh Ali Bin Khalifa Al-Harithi. On top of the guests' list were Omani permanent representative at the Arab League and Omani Embassy Media Attaché Salem Bin Said Al-Habsi, former president of the Egyptian Radio and Television Union Amin Basyouni, Al-Ahram Al-Arabi magazine Editor- in-Chief Abdel-Atti Mohamed, head of the Middle East News Agency Abdallah Hassan, journalist Nawal Mustafa and head of the Garden City Lions Club Awatef Serageddin. photos: Nasr Attia John Bellingham, ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Egypt, hosted a prestigious party at Saint Vincent de Paul in Abbasiya marking Malta's National Day. Bellingham welcomed a coterie of ambassadors and high-profile figures, including Belgium Ambassador to Egypt Bruno Néve de Mevergnies and Argentinean counterpart Luis Enrique Cappagli, and deputy chief of protocol and head of the Immunities and Privileges Section at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hazem Ramadan and his wife, and Counsellor of the Sovereign Order of Malta Roger Chakkal. photos: Abdel-Hamid Eid Another Sohour gathering was held at the Sofitel Al-Gezira Hotel for the cast of the highly talked about Ramadan TV series Ahl Cairo (Cairo Citizens), starring talented actor Khaled El-Sawi, sultry actress Rania Youssef and actor Zaki Fatin Abdel-Wahab. With the authentic atmosphere of Ramadan, the cast celebrated their success in the presence of TV presenter Poussy Shalabi. The Tunisian Embassy in Cairo held a spectacular Tunisian night at the Cairo Opera House Small Hall, within the framework of the Arabian Nights Festival. The festival featured a number of concerts from different Arab and Muslim countries, including Tunisia, Iraq, Sudan, Bahrain, Indonesia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan and Palestine. Tunisian singer Laila Heggeg headlined the Tunisian night with the attendance of many from the Tunisian community in Egypt. Indian Ambassador to Egypt R Swaminathan and his wife Suchitra Durai hosted a remarkable reception party marking the 64th Independence Day of India. A bevy of ambassadors and high-profile personalities were present at the reception held in the early morning at the headquarters of the Indian Embassy in Zamalek. photos: Bassam El-Zoghby A thrilling concert featuring violinist Abdu Dagher, known as the "violin master", took place at Al-Ghouri Caravansary. The concert was part of the Cultural Development Fund's Ramadan Cultural Festival organised at historically significant venues in Islamic Cairo. Dagher presented a repertoire of famous classical Arab compositions as well as a number of his own works. Once again veteran calligrapher Khodeir El-Porsaidi wowed his fans with a thrilling Arab calligraphy exhibition that opened at Al-Ghouri Dome in Al-Azhar Street, Al-Ghouriya district. The opening was attended by head of the Fine Arts Sector Mohsen Shaalan, head of the Cultural Development Fund Mohamed Abu Seada, artist Reda Abdel-Rahman and director of Al-Ghouri Creativity Centre Intesar Abdel-Fattah. Congratulations! Head of the National Council for Youth Safieddin Kharboush appointed Fathi Mahmoud Farghali in the position of chairman of the board of the Egyptian Federation for Scouts and Girl Guides. Farghali was former deputy secretary-general of the World Scouts Organisation. At Salaheddin Citadel, Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni inaugurated jointly with General Organisation of Culture Palaces (GOCP) head Ahmed Magahed the GOCP Ramadan Cultural Nights at Al-Mahka Theatre. The opening ceremony started with a spectacular mizmar show by Al-Nil Folk Instruments Troupe, followed by another breathtaking show by Al-Tanoura Troupe. Al-Mahka Theatre nights included various activities such as art exhibitions, sculpture, pottery as well as the projects of fine arts caravans and Zakerat Al-Umma (Memory of the Nation) that featured bronze statues of famous figures, including President Hosni Mubarak and Mrs Suzanne Mubarak, Nobel laureate and novelist Naguib Mahfouz, late novelist Taha Hussein and Nobel laureate in chemistry Ahmed Zuweil. A selection of workshops were also held, including cartoon and cinema workshops conducted by a galaxy of cinema figures such as filmmaker Ali Badrakhan, cinematographer Said Shimi, scriptwriter Walid Seif, editor Youssef El-Malakh and producer Mohamed El-Agami. The opening ceremony was attended by Ministry of Culture First Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Cultural Relations Hossam Nassar, Supreme Council of Culture Secretary- General Emad Abu Ghazi, head of the Cultural Development Fund Mohamed Abu Seada, head of the Central Administration of Art Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Mohsen, General Supervisor of the General Administration of Cinema Hani Mustafa and Dean of the Egyptian Academy in Rome Ashraf Reda.
