In an effort to encourage the youth to give back to their community, Modern Sciences and Arts University (MSA) is bringing the renowned Broadway musical "Phantom of the Opera to the Cairo Opera House. The proceeds from the student production will be donated to the One Hundred Schools Project. "We want to give the youth an opportunity to contribute and have an effective role in this charity project. Through 'Phantom of the Opera,' the students are using their talents as a way to develop and show their love for their country, said Nawal El Degwi, head of MSA's board of trustees. The One Hundred Schools Project was launched in 2006 under the auspices of Egypt's First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, and the sponsorship of the Heliopolis Foundation, non-governmental organizations and private corporations. The project aims to refurbish schools in low-income areas, providing them with new equipment and introducing new management and teaching techniques to administrative and teaching staff. The project also aims to build 100 public schools throughout the underprivileged districts of Egypt. One-hundred and twenty students from MSA university are participating in the production of "The Phantom of the Opera, handling all the responsibilities on and off stage. "This production will develop the spirit of devotion, passion and contribution to the community in the students through constructive group effort, El Degwi added. Nine private corporations have sponsored the event, and together their donations "exceeded the expenses of the production, according to El Degwi. The university awarded the sponsors with a certificate of merit in recognition of their efforts and contribution to the Egyptian educational community. "The private sector has a crucial role to play in supporting governmental initiatives and reforms, Ahli United Bank is very pleased to be in a position where it can support the government in its efforts to build prosperous communities consisting of well-educated individuals, said James Goold, CEO and managing director of Ahli United Bank Egypt, which is one of the main sponsors of the event. However, El Degwi refused to say how much the entire production costs, saying that "if you include the effort exerted in this project, it's priceless. 'Phantom of the Opera'starts Sunday July 20 and will continue to July 23. Cairo Opera House, Main Hall, 7:30 pm. Tel: (02) 2739 0212
