The Cuban National Ballet, one of the world's most distinguished, is performing in the Sound and Light Theatre at the Pyramids Plateau (9-11 April). It promises to be a most fascinating rendition of Don Quijote de la Mancha. We await with abated breath photos: Ayman Barayez On the occasion of Greece's National Day, Greek Ambassador to Egypt Yannis Alexis held a lavish reception at his residence featuring a Greek folkloric performance. Attending the reception were former foreign minister Ahmed Maher, Italian Ambassador Claudio Paccifico, French Ambassador Philippe Coste and Venezuelan Ambassador Victor Carazo. Under the auspices of the Hayati (My Life) Committee, presided over by Awatef Serageddin, a charity concert was held at the Cairo Opera House. Revenues from the concert are earmarked for the construction of the eye hospital in Menoufiya governorate. Both performers at the concert, singers Hani Shaker and Amal Maher, donated their fees to the same cause. The event was attended by Menoufiya Governor Hassan Hemeida, Editor- in-Chief of Al-Ahram newspaper Osama Saraya, Saudi Arabia Ambassador to Egypt Hesham Al-Nazer, Ali El-Samman, writers Anis Mansour and Mona Ragab, and a number of ladies active in voluntary charity work, including Samia Abul-Fotouh, head of the Tahrir Innerwheel Club Gihan Halawa, Bahia Youssef and Safi Zein El-Abdine. Khaira Al-Fassi, spouse of Moroccan Ambassador to Egypt Mohamed Farag Al-Dokali, held a charity lunch to support health projects organised by the Health Improvement Association, presided over by Sawsan Hussein. Present at the event was Laila Moussa, spouse of Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa, spouse of Minister of Social Solidarity Camilla Meselhi, as well as Asia El-Alawi, Gihan El-Sadat, actresses Laila Elwi and Nabila Ebeid, Ahram journalist Mona RagRab, Nisf Al-Donia magazine Editor-in-Chief Afkar El-Kharadli, Gihan Gabr, spouse of the Saudi Arabian ambassador, Amira Al-Nazer, as well as the spouse of the Lebanese Ambassador. President of the Arab-American Institute James Zogby will be delivering a lecture about the US presidential elections under the title, "The Stakes Have Never been Higher: The Middle East Policy Debate at the 2008 Elections", at the Ewart Memorial Hall of the American University in Cairo (AUC) on 8 April at 5pm. A photography exhibition was inaugurated last week at the Egyptian Museum showcasing photographs from Sarite Sanders 's new book The Eternal Light of Egypt. The inauguration was attended by a galaxy of AUC professors, guest writers and artists. Hosted by the Egyptian Writers Union, the renowned Mexican writer Alberto Ruy Sànchez is visiting Cairo and will be participating in a number of events. Sànchez will deliver a lecture in English under the title: "The Arab Presence in Mexican Culture", at the union's new premises at Salah Eddin Citadel on 3 April at 6pm. He will also be offering a briefing on his work and will be signing books at the Diwan bookstore in Zamalek tomorrow at 6:30pm. Sànchez will be delivering another lecture in Spanish at Cairo University in collaboration with the Cervantes Spanish Cultural Institute on 6 April at 11am. At the Grant Arts Gallery, downtown Cairo, an exhibition was held for artist Nermeen Hakim showcasing 35 different folklore-inspired paintings expressing her vision in bold colours. Among the attendees were former minister of tourism Mamdouh El-Beltagui, head of the Plastic Arts Syndicate, Veteran caricaturist Mustafa Hussein, Al-Ahram prominent writer Amal Bakir, Neam El-Baz, Nihal Shaker, Fadya Grant, spouse of German ambassador to Egypt Maye Erbel. Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) Zahi Hawass was chosen by the National Geographic Kids Magazine as one of the seven most international famous adventurers and explorers. He was chosen for his distinguished discovery of the Valley of Golden Mummies in Bahariya Oasis, which contains thousands of gilded Roman mummies.
