The head of the Egyptian parliament's media and culture committee Osama Heikal announced in a press conference Monday that the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh will host a two-day celebration to mark a century-and-a-half of parliamentary life in Egypt. "The celebration will be attended by parliament speakers from 16 countries, 14 parliamentary delegations, and a large number of high-profile Egyptian, Arab and foreign figures," said Heikal, adding that "these speakers will represent the parliaments of Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Tunisia, Djibouti, Kuwait, Sudan, Cote D'Ivoire, Kenya, Namibia, Togo, Gambia, Mauritania, Cyprus and Greece." Heikal added that the speakers of the Arab and African parliamentary unions and the secretary-general of the Inter-Parliamentary Union will also join the celebration. "Parliamentary delegations from the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Hungary, Japan, Palestine, Madagascar, Ghana and Uganda will also attend the event," said Heikal. Heikal indicated that Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Al will open the celebration, which will be held at Sharm El-Sheikh's Conference Centre next Sunday. "President El-Sisi, speaker Abdel-Al, the secretary-general of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the head of the Arab Parliamentary Union, and the head of the African Parliamentary Union will deliver speeches on Sunday," said Heikal, adding that "a dinner and an opera show will be held in the evening." Heikal said a documentary book on the 150-year history of Egypt's parliament will be made available in Arabic, English and French during the celebration. "The book will showcase both the historic role of parliament in Egyptian political and public life as well as underlining the country's stability and progress towards a democratic government." Egypt's parliament, which first convened 10 January this year, includes 596 MPs. Its second legislative season will begin tomorrow after a one-month summer recess. Source: Ahram Online
