Community Times January Issue 2018

January 2018

Since 1996

In tune with the Community SINCE 1996

EGYPT’S FIRST VEGAN COOKBOOK

Ethical Fashion in Egypt

ct’s throwback at last year’s top choices and events

egypt

through the lens of

TOGETHER WE ARE STRONG.

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Contents January 2018 TOWN TALK 04

Community

Talk of the Town News

Style 08

Education Ta2heal: Online Platform for Special Needs Children

44

Fieldwork Al Nour wal Amal - Where They are Now

Ethical Fashion in Egypt

Culture 14

42

ART Mahmoud Marei and Tamer Ragab Exhibition

08

Business

15

FIlm January Movie Releases

16

Books This Month’s Recommendations

18

Egypt’s First Vegan Cookbook

52

Scenes Memphis Reveals

20

Events Events You Do Not Want to Miss

54

Travel Prague: City of 100 Spires

22

Stage “The Forty Rules of Love” Play Adaptation

46 27

COVER PHOTO January 2018

Since 1996

In tune wIth the CommunIty SInCe 1996

EGYPT’S FIRST VEGAN COOKBOOK

Ethical Fashion in Egypt

ct’s throwback at last yEar’s top choicEs and EvEnts

EGYPT

ThROuGh ThE lEnS OF

Destinations

Features - 2017 Review

42

27

CT Top Choices - Achievements

28

CT Top Choices - Events

34

CT Top Choices - Projects

38

Significant Figures

39

Celebrities Lost

40

CT Top Choices - Restaurants

41

CT Top Chocies - Organic Food

54

Mind, Body & Soul 28

58

Misconceptions of First Aid

CUISINE 60

Winter Soup Recipes

64

Sea Salt Bakery Review

SOCIETY 68

Photo taken by Khaled Abul Dahab Sponsored by Huawei

Latest Business News

Social Events and Gatherings

Editor’s Note

G

luten free food, vegan food and all the healthy alternatives seem to be making their way to being the dominating trend of 2018 in Egypt.

With a rise in the prices of meat, fish and chicken, people should start looking for substitutes that also contain protein and other important nutrients that are good for the body.

In this issue, we have reviewed the first-ever vegan cookbook published in Egypt that you can probably find in most bookstores. Even if you are not a vegan, you can get ideas for side dishes that can compliment your main one. We have also reviewed a gluten-free restaurant, that is, again, the first to open here.

Publisher Live Colors, Nicosia Managing Partner Najla Riad Associate Partners Ahmed Samy Mohamed Maher

Editorial Department Editor-in-Chief Moguib Roshdy Acting Editor Najla Riad Assistant Editor Rawan Abdel Latif

Writers Ahmed Kafafi, Basma Moustafa, Mona Bassel, Noha Kandil, Rana Kamaly, Rehab Saad and Soha Khater

Art Department Art Director Khadiga El Badan

Senior Graphic Designer Marina Raafat

One of the interesting articles in this issue is called Ethical Fashion that points out the dangers of what is called as “Fast Fashion” where your garments are made in mostly third-world countries under perilous conditions to under-paid workers. The bright side of this article is that many of the designers in Egypt are ethical when dealing with their employees, where the work conditions and earnings are fair.

As we do every year, we have listed the top individual achievements, projects implemented and those that are ready to go and our choices of restaurants for the year 2017.

Sales Department Sales Director Rania Halim

Business development Department Business Development Director Sherif Anis

Production MANAGER Enas Adly

Administration Department Distribution Manager

One last notion: I have noticed that a good number of shops are now bagging your goods in paper bags instead of using plastic. This is a good sign for environmental awareness. Next should be supermarkets that consume a huge amount of plastic bags.

Wishing a blessed 2018 to our readers, clients, Egypt and the rest of the world.

Last but not least, we would like to thank our supporters for their help in keeping our publication going.

The Editor editor@live-colors.com

Rana Ezzat Salem Salem

Office Manager Magda Adib

Financial Consultants Hazem Abdel Tawab Ahmed Abbas

Office Clerk Mohamed Adel Office Custodian Ismail Othman Distribution Al Ahram, Next Media Mohandessin, Zamalek, Heliopolis, Maadi, Nasr City, New Cairo, 6 October City, Sheikh Zayed City

Prepress & Printing: Sahara Printing Company

Address: 48 Abdel Moneim Hafez Street, Midan El Sabaa’ Emarat, Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt Tel/Fax: (+202) 2290 8127 - 2415 8762 Mobile: 0100 005 2322 - 0100 005 2323 E-mail: editor@live-colors.com Website: www.communitytimes.me © Copyright 2004 Community Times is a monthly publication published by LC Live Colors Nicosia, Cyprus

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Towntalk

ALEXBANK’s Second Year of Revealing Egyptian Artistic Treasures through its “Ebda3 Men Masr” Initiative In order to effectively sustain its strategy to empower Egyptian craftsmen and women across Egypt, ALEXBANK was the Title Sponsor & Strategic Partner of the International Handicrafts Show (IHS), featuring for the 2nd consecutive year a grand exhibition of “Ebda3 Men Masr”, its flagship CSR initiative.

The show offered talented artisans, guardians of centuries-old traditions and the chance to promote their handcrafts and artworks at the Cairo International Convention & Exhibition Center from the 15th to the 24th of November 2017.

“Ebda3 Men Masr” was launched by the bank as part of its Creating Shared Values (CSV) model, empowering local communities to develop enlightened economic activities while preserving authentic Egyptian handicrafts.

“Ebda3 Men Masr” leverages on more than 30 partners including: Fair Trade Egypt, Egyptian Network for Integrated Development (El Nidaa), Yadewaya, Tunis Village (Al Fayoum), the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the National Council for Women, in addition to many others, altogether showcasing products from more than 4,000 artisans at the exhibition.

As part of the exhibition’s activities, ALEXBANK signed an agreement with the Egyptian Export Council for Handicrafts to enable companies working in this field to obtain Fair Trade certifications as well as to access the participation in prominent international handcraft exhibitions. This is in addition to setting up tailored training and marketing plans with ALEXBANK’s professional support. p

An Egyptian Archeological Mission from the Ministry of Antiquities to Begin Excavations Soon at El-Gorefa Area Dr. Mostafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explains that the mission will search for the cemetery of the fifteenth region of the New Kingdom, which includes the tombs of ministers, nobles and top officials of this Kingdom.

Dr. Waziri said that according to the burial beliefs of the New Kingdom, the cemetery could be found in this area, located to the north of the Tuna Al-Gabal archaeological site on the west bank of the Nile, where the cemeteries were transferred from the east to the west bank, as the tombs in Luxor.

During the Old Kingdom, the First and Second Intermediate Periods, the cemetery of the fifteenth region has been found in Al-Sheik Saeed area on the east bank, while those of the Middle Kingdom were moved to the north where the city of Al-Barsha is located. p

JW Marriott Hotel Cairo Hosted an Informative “Blush Your Brush” Event Focusing on Glamour, Make-Up and Skincare for Charms JW Ladies Society A group of ladies representing Cairo’s social elite came together to listen to professional make-up artist Amira El Malky discussing the importance of skincare as a foundation for any great make-up look, and offering her best tips and tricks for perfect make-up coverage.

Amira is recognized as one of Egypt’s most sought-after make-up artists. She presented a live demonstration of her application techniques on a model, which was followed by a delectable dinner prepared by JW Marriott’s skilled culinary team.

Charms JW Ladies Society is an exclusive ladies club dedicated to enriching the lives of its members through exciting programs. p

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ECETA Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Hill International Egyptian Facilities Manager ECETA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hill International in managing construction risk to provide project management, construction consulting services and facilities management.

The MOU brings together two prominent companies in the field to enhance the quality of service provided by the companies through the exchange of knowledge, experience and personnel. ECETA and Hill have agreed to partner for one year, and will commence their alliance on a project-by-project basis.

Hill International expects to expand its capabilities to serve its many existing clients in the region. “We are excited to explore this new opportunity with ECETA to further develop our presence in Egypt,” said Waleed Abdel Fattah, Senior Vice President & Regional Manager at Hill International.

Speaking about the industry, Abdel Fattah explains that when selecting an outsourcing partner, it is important to look for providers with a proven track record in IFM solution delivery and with applicable experience in the industry.

The Nile Ritz-Carlton Launches a Women Empowerment Initative The Nile Ritz-Carlton announced a series of initiatives to empower women and build a stronger, safer community for all women to celebrate their momentous achievements.

Entitled the “Woman Up” program, the initiative will be hosted by key female figures in the local community to foster open discussions about how women can gain self-confidence and rise above the barriers of equality that is ingrained in cultural norms.

In a launch event hosted lasted November, program instructor

and self-defense expert, Hatem Sabry, explored the theme of safety and security, teaching participants how to be more alert of their surroundings to protect themselves, their children, their home and their community.

The program includes a three-day self-defense course exploring various techniques to help boost self-confidence and teach participants how to turn an inconvenient situation to their favor.

The program is open to the public starting January 2018 on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6pm to 8pm. p For more information about the self-defense course, please contact The Nile Ritz-Carlton team on +2 (02) 2577 8899

“Within this context, seeking the appropriate partner to provide sustainable business solutions is critical,” Abdel Fattah explains. p

Wadi Food Hosts and Celebrates Egypt’s Annual Olive Harvest Festival Wadi Food, a leading Egyptian agribusiness company, celebrated Egypt’s annual Olive Harvest Festival under the slogan “From our Trees to your Table”, which refers to Wadi Food’s ownership of the entire process, from cultivating the best olive trees all the way to the production and distribution of the finest Egyptian olive oils.

The celebration was held at Wadi Food's farms located at km 54 on the Cairo-Alex Desert Road and attended by senior and executive management of Wadi Group, Wadi Food's mother company, in addition to a number of top figures.

During the festival, guests participated in a fun competition to handpick olives, followed by a tour at Wadi Food’s olive oil facility, to experience the modern way of olive cold press from the earliest harvest.

Guests enjoyed a wide selection of sumptuous food carefully

prepared using Wadi Food’s high quality products. The festival also included entertainment to celebrate Wadi Food's 21st anniversary and the 25th year since the first tree was planted in the olive grove.

The festival is the first of its kind in Egypt, and was launched by Wadi Food last year to revive this old tradition, which is dated back to the ancient eras in the Mediterranean basin countries.

The origins of olive oil extraction and cold pressing go back to ancient Egyptians, who pressed olives for 4,000 years.

Khalil Nasrallah, Head of the Agribusiness Sector at Wadi Group, said, "The cultivation of olives and the cold press of the freshly handpicked crops to extract extra-virgin olive oil are key specialties of Wadi Food that are offered to Egyptian and Arab consumers, in addition to our client base in Europe and USA.” p

jan 2018 | Ct

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Towntalk

The Launch of Downtown Delta The mixed-use project features the largest and first-of-its-kind commercial, logistic and retail hub outside Cairo and Alexandria, with a total area of 340,000 m2. Vernbro Global Investment was awarded the project after it won the bid by the Internal Trade Development Authority.

Minister of Antiquities, Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Inaugurated the First Phase of the Saint Catherine Library Conservation Project and the Mosaic of Transfiguration Restoration Work The restoration project began in 2008 and includes the development of the eastern side of the library, upgrading the architecture of its facade as well as consolidating and conserving the Justinian Wall, which dates back to the 6th Century AD. The ministry announced a month ago that during the conservation works of the library, restorers uncovered the manuscript "Palmist", which dates back to the fifth or sixth century AD. It is a manuscript written on leather and shows medical texts from the research of the Greek Hippocrates, as well as three other medical texts by an unknown writer.

Ahmed Al Nimr, member of the Scientific Office of the Minister of Antiquities, said that the mosaic is one of the oldest, most beautiful and largest in the Middle East, which dates back to the 9th Century AD and is decorated with small pieces painted with precious materials such as gold and silver.

In the icon is the image of Jesus in the centre of the bow and on his right, the prophet Allia and the prophet Moses and below, the prophet John and Jacob prostrate. The mosaic is surrounded by 31 medallions containing pictures of the messengers and prophets in addition to two medallions representing Yahia and Virgin Mary. p

Vernbro Global Investment presented its unique project “Downtown Delta” that comprises numerous projects offering direct and indirect job opportunities exceeding 50,000 jobs.

The project aims to support economic growth of the area, while improving the standard of living for Delta citizens.

Downtown Delta's components include: Mall of Tanta developed

by MARAKEZ for Real Estate Investment and the latest technology in the logistic area for pharmaceutical storage. The mega project is also complemented by automotive showrooms and service centers, administrative and medical centers, entertainment amenities, a hotel and a social club, in addition to a training center, stemming from Vernbro's belief of the importance of investing in human capital.

Downtown Delta aims to encourage decentralization away from Cairo, while creating a new commercial capital in the Delta.

Downtown Delta is only 600m from the International Road and is projected to be opened by 2020. p

Beta Egypt to Launch Phase One of Beta Greens New Cairo BETA Egypt for Urban Development announced the launch of the first phase of its new residential project, “Beta Greens New Cairo”, at Mostakbal City, on an area of 356.000 meters with a total value of investments exceeding LE5 billion. The project will provide 3,000 housing units with various sizes along with Townhouse and Twin House villas distributed in six phases to be completed within five years.

For his part, Alaa Fikri, Chairman of Beta Egypt, announced that the first phase of the project includes 200 units and is scheduled to be delivered by 2021, adding that such units will be offered at competitive prices along with payment facilities of up to nine years without interest.

“Beta Greens New Cairo is a qualitative leap in the real estate sector in Egypt,” Fikri noted, illustrating that Beta Egypt has gambled to achieve such a challenge through adopting modern marketing studies which have concluded to 12 recommendations to be achieved in full through the project.

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Also through Beta Greens New Cairo, Beta Egypt is looking to improve the quality of life in its social, economic and environmental concepts by establishing an integrated urban community based on outstanding design and an environmentally-friendly technology so as to remain a landmark for long generations to come. p

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STYLE

Ethical Fashion:

The Turning Point, a Global Revolution and The Case of Egypt

By Mona Bassel

O

n the 24th of April 2013, Reshma Begum went to work expecting another routine day at the factory where she was a seamstress. The factory was in a building called Rana Plaza, which housed five garment factories serving global brands like Primark and Benetton, alongside 3,122 other workers.

But something tragic happened. Suddenly, sounds of crashing and tearing stunned everyone, and the building collapsed, killing 1,138 workers and injuring thousands in what is now known as the Rana Plaza tragedy.

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Begum was alive under the rubble, where she remained trapped amidst the bodies of her friends. It was not until 16 days had passed that emergency forces rescued her.

A day before, the Industrial Police had approached the owners of the five factories, requesting that they suspend their operations due to the appearance of cracks in the building. The owners dismissed the claim and hired a local engineer, who reassured the workers that the building would last another 100 years.

In fact, they threatened the workers that if anyone failed to show up the next day, they would not be paid the month’s salary, which was (and still is) as little as $68 (32 cents an hour).

The collapse was due to a combination of factors, including swampy grounds beneath the building, too many floors illegally built, heavy machinery and poor quality building material.

The victims are among at least 1,800 garment workers in Bangladesh killed in building collapses or fires from 2005 to 2013. Just six months before the Rana Plaza tragedy, a fire in a factory killed 112 people.

The country’s garment industry was reportedly worth $20 billion in 2014, and it is the world’s second largest exporter of garments after China.

Fast Fashion The concept of exploiting workers and the environment happens because of one simple demand: fast and cheap production. The result is this: factories that aspire to produce the largest amounts possible at the lowest rates disregard their workers or the environment, which is now known as Fast Fashion.

Global Action Bangladesh might not necessarily be the only country raising these concerns, but the Rana Plaza tragedy was a tipping point that shed light on the dangers of Fast Fashion and its impact on those employed by it.

The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh was created in light of that disaster, aiming to secure the rights and safety of workers. A total of 1,600 factories should be monitored under this accord, used by giant names in the retail industry such as Primark, Marks and Spencer and H&M. In addition, Walmart partnered with Gap to create the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety.

Slow Progress and Legitimate Concerns Despite these seemingly grand gestures, progress has been slow.

The alliance reported that more than 78,000 workers still work in buildings that have no fire exits, while only seven of the 1,600 factories successfully completed their corrective actions.

Additionally, most garment workers are still forced to spend long hours in overheated factories that lack proper fire exits, with no effort being made in even removing locks from doors that could potentially trap workers in emergency situations.

The Birth of a Revolution The day of the Rana Plaza tragedy is now known as “Fashion Revolution Day”,wherepeopleuniteonlineforthe#whomademyclothescampaign, which encourages people to ask their brands about who made their clothes. Another initiative is The Garment Worker Diaries, which is a year-longprojectthatincludesweeklyvisitstogarmentworkersinIndia, Bangladesh and Cambodia.

“It takes a garment worker 18 months to earn what a fashion brand CEO makes during their lunch break,” their online magazine reads. More awareness is being raised through “The True Cost”, a documentary on Netflix.

All these initiatives and campaigns emphasize the fact that major companies have the power to influence factories and change their manufacturing processes, but who has power over these companies? The consumer does – which is why every small step matters.

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STYLE

Local Efforts In the context of Egypt, several brands have decided to dedicate their efforts towards ensuring that their production and manufacturing processes are ethical, whether in terms of their responsibility towards workers, their environment or their country.

Studio 81 Rania Afifi is the founder of Studio 81, a brand specializing in beach gear, slippers, clutches and bags – a lot of which are based on vintage styles that induce feelings of nostalgia. Afifi is keen on letting her customers know that her brand is homegrown; with all her products announced on social media as “Proudly Egyptian”, often times accompanied by her hashtag #ByLocalsForLocals.

“I know how easy it is to go to the Chinese market. It is an easy game; in one week I can order anything through Facebook and it will get shipped exactly the way I want or even better, but I said no; if my concept is about nostalgia and bringing back the memories we had as [Egyptian] kids, my products needed to be made here,” she recalls.

Not only does Afifi work with Egyptian craftsmen, but she also reaches out to people all around the country to keep potentially dying crafts alive. At the moment, she is currently cooperating with workers in Aswan for straw work for one of her bags – a craft that is becoming a thing of the past.

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However, producing locally is no small feat in the land of the Pharaohs. Afifi knows she gets scammed on a regular basis when buying raw materials, but treats it as a learning process.

Finding workers to help make her vision come true was a difficult process. “I was told that there was no way I would be able to produce slippers in Egypt due to quality and production [issues], contrary to bags and clutches. For a year, I kept searching until I found someone I was comfortable with who produced the quality I wanted,” she notes.

She was thrilled to know that after production, the sample made in Egypt was actually much better than that made in China. “Egyptian craftsmanship is great, but we just need [to take] initiative and [focus on] quality control,” Afifi exclaims.

Afifi ensures that the workers who manufacture her products are all treated fairly. They provide her with their timelines and she manages accordingly, making sure to give them whatever they ask for. Even if she does not like the end product, she buys it anyway so as not to offend the craftsman who made it.

“If the craftsman is happy with what he is doing, he will want to work with me again. They give me their opinions and they have ownership of their work, and I believe that a good craftsman is an artist, not a machine,” she says.

But does the Egyptian consumer appreciate the effort put in by a local-made brand? The answer is a resounding yes; with Afifi estimating that about 99 percent of the customers she encountered were thrilled with the idea. “They could not believe it was made in Egypt, because I apply international standards and combine them with Egyptian craftsmanship,” she says. In fact, her products are often bought and gifted as souvenirs to people abroad.

Another admirable quality about Afifi’s products is that she ensures that they are not too overpriced, with a goal to be as accessible as possible, even if that affects her profit margins.

If the craftsman is happy with what he is doing, he will want to work with me again. They give me their opinions and they have ownership of their work, and I believe that a good craftsman is an artist, not a machine

She also acknowledges the progress made in the local fashion industry to make it more ethical, but knows that there is still a long way to go, recalling that Egyptian workers do not usually wear gloves or masks to protect them from the chemicals they are exposed to.

In the future, she hopes to expand in the Middle East and aims to highlight her culture in a new way, which is what she admires about Lebanese brand Sarah’s Bag. You can buy Studio 81’s products through their Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as Ghazl Banat Boutique and a variety of concept stores around Cairo.

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STYLE Kiliim Another homegrown brand that dedicated itself to saving a dying craft is Kiliim, created by married couple Ibrahim Shams and Noha El Taher. A kilim is an oriental carpet famous in Egypt, but its market has always been heavily reliant on tourism, since it is usually purchased as a gift, souvenir or keepsake.

“The village famous for making kilim is in Kafr Al Sheikh governorate. In 2003, over 2,000 people were weaving kilims, and now, they are only 200 – the youngest of whom is 49 years old,” Shams notes.

Instead of repeating the previous mistakes that caused the industry to downsize this rapidly, both co-founders focused on doing their research. They found out that the main problem involved insufficient compensation for the craftsmen, in addition to problems with marketing, raw materials, colors and designs.

“We offer the craftsmen trendy designs, so – instead of just relying on tourism – we can modernize the kilim

and change its concept. Instead of it being bought as a souvenir or for a summer home, it can belong in any house – and accordingly, we help revive the craftsmanship,” he says.

Beginning with just four craftsmen, Kiliim now has 14, all of whom are making almost 50 percent additional income compared to when they worked alone. The brand’s process ensures that they can find work at all times. “Each piece is a guaranteed sale for the craftsman because we receive our orders online,” Shams explains.

Another plus that Shams highlights is that kilims are not only trendy, ethical and handmade, but they are also cheaper than traditional carpets, making them a more wallet-friendly, authentic solution for Egyptian homes. He shares the same notion as Afifi: that the difficulty of imports encouraged people to shop local, which in turn helped their businesses grow.

The brand currently targets Germany and the United States, but is hoping to expand in the Middle East as a second step. Shams follows the example of other ethical brands like Qotn, a clothing brand that directly works with cotton farmers, as well as The Crochet Kit, which works with disadvantaged and underprivileged women from Uganda.

Kiliim products can be bought through their online shop and Facebook page, in addition to international platforms such as Amazon.com.

The village famous for making kilim is in the Kafr Al Sheikh governorate. In 2003, over 2,000 people were weaving kilim, and now, they are only 200 – the youngest of whom is 49 years old 12

Ct | jan 2018

Up-Fuse Unlike other homegrown brands, Up-Fuse, a bag, luggage and accessories brand, focuses on ethical fashion from a perspective rarely tackled in Egypt: the environmental aspect. Yara Yassin and Rania Rafie founded Up-Fuse in order to create fashion that does not harm the environment.

The brand creates products made of up-cycled plastic by supporting local communities in Cairo’s garbage district, which is in the Manshiat Nasser area that is referred to as “El Zabbaleen.”

“Apieceofgarmentcancreatejobopportunitieswithoutharmingtheenvironment.

Fashion is the first polluting industry in the world as producing clothing takes a humongous amount of water and energy,” Yassin says.

Her words cannot ring truer; according to the Better Cotton Initiative, just one pair of jeans needs a whopping 7,000 liters of water, while a cotton T-shirt requires 2,700 liters, and to make matters worse, some factories reportedly use around 20,000 chemicals during the manufacturing process. In fact, the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) states that the industry accounts for 20 percent of the world’s industrial water pollution.

Up-Fuse currently has two workshops; one dedicated to up-cycling plastic bags, while the other handles the sewing and finishing. Yassin notes that it is better to work in one’s own space in order to control the working conditions.

The co-founders have made sure to combine environmental awareness with their ethical responsibility towards their workers. In fact, Last November, the brand posted on Facebook that instead of offering massive discounts for Black Friday, 30 percent of all proceeds during that weekend would go to workers and laborers in the garbage district.

“We are not only profit driven, we are also value driven. I want to create job opportunities and put Egypt on the map of sustainable fashion and awareness.

We are up-cyclers by nature; we just need to frame our activities,” Yassin notes.

She acknowledges the difficulty that comes with creating ethical pieces, noting that it is “ten times harder than creating a piece out of leather.” Their profit margins are low compared to other fashion brands that might not necessarily be ethical, but Yassin notes that it is still important to do so in order to pay workers fairly and give them a healthy working environment.

Yassin looks up to similarly ethical brands on the global scale, such as People Tree and Freitag.

You can buy Up-Fuse products through their website or from ABn’G World or Virgin Megastore.

The Bottom Line Despite all of the different brands and methods of production, Egypt’s homegrown companies are trying to teach locals to do their research and ask an important question: Did anyone or anything get harmed because of my clothes?

When the answer is a confident no, then the notion of Fast Fashion will begin to die, and we can all finally purchase clothing that is completely guilt-free. p

jan 2018 | Ct

13

Culture Art

Tamer Ragab & Mahmoud Marei’s Vernissage at Semiramis InterContinental Cairo

A

s part of the hotel’s commitment to promoting the arts as well as Egyptian culture and heritage, the Semiramis InterContinental Cairo in collaboration with Picasso East art gallery hosted a vernissage displaying the artworks of Egyptian artists Mahmoud Marei and Tamer Ragab.

The exhibition featured paintings by Marei as well as Ragab’s sculptures and was inaugurated by Sameh Sobhy, General Manager of Semiramis InterContinental Cairo, Reda Ibrahim, owner of Picasso East gallery and Ambassador Mokhtar Omar, Senior Advisor to the Secretary General of InterParliamentary Union.

The event was held at the lobby of the Semiramis InterContinental Cairo and guests were able to walk through the exhibition, while enjoying the artists’ description of their work. p

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jan 2018 | Ct

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Culture Books

Inspirational Books to Start the New Year With With 2017 behind us, we are all guilty of the “new year, new me” resolution. Looking for a little inspiration to kick-start the year with a fresh perspective, we have put together a list of books that are bound to give you a newer, more positive outlook on life. Whether you prefer self-help books or just touching novels, there is something for everyone.

The Five Thieves of Happiness

By John Izzo

When Strangers Meet

By Kio Stark Discover the unexpected pleasures and exciting possibilities of talking to people you don’t know.

Our lives are increasingly insular. We are in a hurry, our heads are down, minds elsewhere and we only hear the voices we recognize and rarely take the effort to experience something or someone new.

Talking to strangers pulls you into experiences of shared humanity and creates genuine emotional connections.

Passing interactions are beautiful interruptions in the steady routines of our lives.

Throughout the novel are powerful vignettes from Stark’s own lifelong practice of talking to strangers and documenting brief encounters, along with a deep exploration of the dynamics of where, how and why strangers come together.

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The Story of Arthur Truluv

By Elizabeth Berg A moving novel about three people who find their way back from loss and loneliness to a different kind of happiness.

Arthur, a widow, meets Maddy, a troubled teenage girl who avoids school by hiding out at the cemetery, where Arthur goes every day for lunch to have imaginary conversations with his late wife, and think about the lives of others. The two strike up a friendship that draws them out of isolation. Maddy gives Arthur the name Truluv, for his loving and positive responses to every outrageous thing she says or does.

With Arthur’s nosy neighbor Lucille, they create a loving and unconventional family, proving that life’s most precious moments are sweeter when shared.

According to Izzo, happiness is our natural state that can be stolen by mental patterns, which he depicts as thieves: the thief of control, the thief of conceit, the thief of coveting, the thief of consumption and the thief of comfort.

He discovered these thieves as he sought the true source of happiness during a year-long sabbatical, walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain and living in the Andes of Peru.

This inspiring book describes the disguises these thieves wear, the tools they use to break into our hearts and how to lock them out once and for all.

Izzo shows how these same thieves of personal happiness are destroying society as well.

Big Magic

By Elizabeth Gilbert

Shrill

By Lindy West

Author of “Eat, Pray, Love”, Gilbert digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective on creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering, and shows us how to tackle what we love the most, and how to face what we fear the most.

From a painfully shy childhood in which she tried, unsuccessfully, to hide her big body and even bigger opinions; to her public war with stand-up comedians over rape jokes; to her struggle to convince herself, and then the world, that fat people have value; to her accidental activism and never-ending battle royale with Internet trolls, West narrates her life with a blend of humor and pathos that somehow manages to make a trip to the abortion clinic funny.

Gilbert discusses the attitudes, approaches and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, she encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us.

With inimitable good humor, vulnerability and boundless charm, Shrill dissects what it means to become selfaware the hard way, to go from wanting to be silent and invisible to earning a living defending the silenced in all caps.

When Breath Becomes Air

By Paul Kalanithi Kalanithi was a successful doctor in the prime of his life when he learned that he had terminal cancer; but in addition to being a brilliant medical mind, he was also a beautiful writer and observer of the human condition.

Compiled from his papers and finished by his wife after kalanithi’s passing, “When Breath Becomes Air” is a heartbreaking and hope-giving book about what it means to truly appreciate life and the little moments that make up our days.

The Unlikely Pyramid of Harold Fry

By Rachel Joyce

Wild

By Cheryl Strayed

Harold Fry is unhappy in retirement and unhappy in marriage. Then, a letter from his lost love, Queenie Hennessy, arrives at his doorstep. Queenie's writing from the hospice to say goodbye.

At the age of 22, Strayed's life was at a low point: she had just lost her mother, was getting divorced and was hooked on heroine. Four years later, she decided to reboot her life with a solitary trek up the Pacific Crest Trail, stretching from the Mojave Desert to Washington State.

Instead of mailing a letter, Harold is seized with the urge to hand-deliver the letter to the hospice 600 miles away. So long as he is walking, he thinks Queenie will live.

You do not have to take the hike to be bettered by the wisdom Strayed picked up along the way. p

jan 2018 | Ct

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Culture Books

Happy Belly: Egypt’s First Vegan Cookbook

By Basma Mostafa

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any Egyptians would slightly panic at the mere mention of veganism.

After all, how could they resist mouthwatering authentic dishes like the crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside hawashi, the garlic-y fattah or the evercreamy pasta with béchamel? Trying to challenge the culturally prevalent association between delicious food and meat and to instill the element of flavor into the notion of veganism, Yasmine Nazmy introduces Egypt's first ever vegan cookbook, “Happy Belly”, with tried-and-tested plant-based recipes that can tantalize taste buds.

Nazmy started her four-year journey in the food business by establishing her all-vegan restaurant. Although it was eventually shut down, the recipes on the menu inspired her to create her own brand of vegan products and conduct food and nutrition workshops in Cairo that became more and more popular, with attendees coming all the way from Alexandria and Tanta.

Almost everyone Nazmy knows was encouraging her to take a step forward to collect her already-popular recipes into a book. “I was filled with selfdoubt for a while, but then I realized that although I was helping a lot of people with my workshops, I could have a much wider reach if I authored a vegan recipe book,” she explains.

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In one of her standard workshops, Nazmy could teach around five recipes in four hours. “Happy Belly”, on the other hand, provides her audience with more than 100 plant-based recipes.

“Not only did the book cost less, but it also provided more recipes than any workshop would,” she adds, explaining that it also caters to the needs of those who are concerned about their nutrition yet do not have enough time to attend a workshop.

Writing Process

Nazmy spent months experimenting with different ingredients to develop the recipes and take pictures of her creations. “There were recipes that turned out perfect the first time around and recipes that I had to try over and over until I got them right,” she explains. The long months of recipe development meant that Nazmy was always stuck with so much leftover food. “I was eating more than I should have, and I had to work out a lot more to burn all the extra calories,” she notes.

“I was also trying to do everything myself, as I did not hire a photographer or an editor,” she adds. Although the process entailed a lot of hard work, Nazmy found it to be extremely rewarding. The challenges, however, came with the process of marketing and distribution. “When you are a self-published author, you have to put yourself out there if you want to promote your book. If you are someone

who is as shy as I am, then it does not come naturally.”

“Happy Belly” is available in English and Arabic, and one of its most unique features is that it is tailored to the Egyptian audience. Nazmy explains that the recipes were developed with the Egyptian market in mind. “Of course the recipes would work anywhere in the world, but I wanted to make sure that each of the ingredients I used could be found in local supermarkets.”

Why Become a Vegan?

Nazmy’s biggest influence in embracing “veganism” was her grandmother, who went on a dairy- and gluten-free diet when Nazmy was 16. “It was only then that I became more conscious of my health and nutrition, and so I stopped eating junk food and gradually increased my daily fruit and vegetable intake,” she explains. “I did what felt right for my body.”

She explains that her shift to veganism was very gradual. By the age of 17, she was living alone in London, a city where the vegan lifestyle is quite widespread. Nazmy also found herself in charge of making the trips to the supermarket and buying her own food. “When you start cooking your own food, you become more aware of what you are buying. I wanted to eat healthier and at the same time cut back on my expenses, and that is when I realized that the price of meat is much higher than the other ingredients, so I started buying less of it.”

Nazmy also explains that as she took the train through the European countryside, she would see the cattle graze on the open meadows and experience a sharp tinge of guilt. “If I found the animals so adorable, how could I eat them? I felt like I was contradicting myself.” Her internal debate continued until she turned 20, by which time, she had made up her mind that she would stop consuming meat completely. At first, she feared that she would experience a crash in her energy levels, but she soon discovered that her fears were ungrounded.

When asked whether or not she experiences a longing for a juicy hamburger or a crunchy deepfried chicken strip, Nazmy explains that she can no longer picture herself eating meat. “A friend of mine actually rescued a chicken from a TV commercial set and asked me to take care of it. I ended up saying yes and I even got another one to keep her company. I actually felt like I had developed a bond with them and I could never eat them again.”

Future Plans

Nazmy is currently working on publishing a second edition of her book, with a lot more recipes. “As long as the inspiration keeps flowing, I am going to continue sharing vegan recipes,” she says, adding that the support she receives from her readers keeps her going forward. “I am particularly pleased when someone tells me they tried one of my recipes and that their kids loved it, as children are usually the fussiest eaters,” she concludes. p jan 2018 | Ct

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Culture Events Events not to be Missed this Month

Sleeping Beauty Ballet Omar Khairat Concert

Balletto del Sud Company (Italy) Cairo Opera House – Main Hall February 6th and 7th

Legendary soloist Omar Khairat will entertain the crowd with his piano masterpieces.

Fredy Franzutti after a period of training and professional experience in Europe (Italy, Scotland, Germany, France, Spain) began his choreographic fortunate career founding the company of Balletto del Sud in 1995 in Lecce, a beautiful city in south Italy.

Cairo Opera House – Main Hall January 30th to 31st

Time: 8 pm

Ballets created by Franzutti for his company include the best titles of romantic tradition: “The Nutcracker”, “Swan Lake”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Sheherazade” and “The fire bird”.

He was hailed by the critics as “Italy’s young choreographic prodigy” (Michele Nocera), and “One of Italy’s most appreciated and talented choreographers” (Victoria Ottolenghi).

Opera Tosca – Live from the Metropolitan Opera Cairo Opera House – Small Hall January 27th

Tosca is a three-act opera by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, which premiered in Rome in 1900.

Amr Diab

The opera is a melodramatic piece set in Rome in 1800 and contains depictions of torture, murder and suicide, as well as some of Puccini’s best-known lyrical arias.

Starting the new year with a celebration, Amr Diab will be performing songs from his newest album “Meaddy El Nas” as well as his well-known hits during a live concert at Cairo Festival City Mall.

Time: 8 pm

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Cairo Festival City Mall January 19th

Time: 10 pm Tickets available at TicketsMarche.

La Traviata Opera

Cairo Opera House – Main Hall January 21st to 23rd La Traviata (The Fallen Woman) is a three-act opera by Giuseppe Verdi that is based on a play adaptation of a novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils and was first performed in Venice. The opera is set to an Italian libretto.

Time: 8 pm

Yehia Khalil Concert

Cairo Opera House – Small Hall January 18th Yehia Khalil is one of the most respected and talked about drummers, bandleaders, creative producers and jazz musicians who is a phenomenon in the music scene today. p Time: 8 pm

Flamenco Concert (Spain) Cairo Opera House – Small Hall February 8th

A concert of Spanish music with Soloist Ines Abdel Daim (Flute).

Time: 8 pm

Donizetti’s ” L’Elisir d’Amore” Live Opera from Metropolitan Opera Cairo Opera House – Small Hall February 10th

L’elisir d’amore is a comic opera (melodramma giocoso) in two acts by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti..

Time: 7 pm jan 2018 | Ct

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Culture Stage

Bestselling Book

“The Forty Rules of Love”

By Ahmed Kafafi

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Adapted into a Play

hen they announced that the popular book “The Forty Rules of Love” by Turkish novelist Elif Safak was being adapted into a theatrical work, it caught the people by surprise. This was the National Theatre’s gift to its audience during the last Eid El Fitr vacation. Since then, the play has been performed on and off at El Salaam Theatre in Cairo, but the off-season was far from a break for the cast, as they travelled to present their work in provinces around Egypt. After performing at El Salaam for the last few months, the show moved to Luxor for three days.

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Starring Bahaa Tharwat, Ezzat Zein, singer Amira Abou Zeid, Sufi vocalist Samir Azmi, Tamer El Kashef and Dina Ahmed, the play is directed by Adel Hassaan and adapted to theatre by Yasmin Imam and Khairi Fakharani. The addition of the Sufi Mawlawiya band also helped in creating a well-rounded play.

There is every reason as to why this play should elicit such attention amidst a public that is gradually becoming less excited about theatre. The play could not be but a leg-puller to the wide number of readers who have been curious about how the intricately woven novel has been adapted to fit the stage.

El Salaam Theatre was fully packed during the first three months of the performance, generating EGP 1 million, a figure that could hardly be made today by any theatrical production.

Islamic theologians, and for an Imam like Rumi to be brought under the influence of a nomadic Sufi like Shams, was an outrageous happening.

People were shocked to have seen a religious scholar like Rumi go to pubs, host a prostitute and mix with beggars and thieves, which is the outlook of Shams, who advises him that benevolence exists in the souls of even those who appear to be the most malicious. It is a different journey of discovering piety amidst those perceived to be unwanted human beings. Of course, Rumi’s family is incensed at their father’s behavior, but Shams’ words strike a chord with Kira, Rumi’s wife, and Kimya, his adopted daughter. Due to this friendship, the Imam undergoes a spiritual isolation that continues until the disappearance of Shams. After a desperate search for the missing Sufi, Rumi goes through a period of irrecoverable depression and starts to find a release in Sufi inspirations that produce his verses.

The play focuses on that story, ignoring the correspondences between the American housewife and the Dutch Sufi, which would have made the theatrical presentation longer and more complex.

In spite of the novel’s interesting synthesis of both modern and medieval narrations, it arouses a special interest in the Rumi-Shams story that is perfectly depicted in the performance.

“The Forty Rules of Love” recreates a medieval Sufi atmosphere complete with color, sound and emotions, and is perhaps the first theatrical show to become popular despite the absence of commercial actors. The only popular figure is Bahaa Tharwat, who plays Shams, but the rest are lesserknown talents who have presented a perfect performance enhanced by the performance of the Mawlawiya band.

One should also commemorate the brilliant stage decoration that has been designed by Mostafa Hamid. There are two floors of wooden partitions, each serving their own purpose, for while one is Rumi’s study room and another is his home, others are abodes for Sufi fezcapped dancers, vocalists and hermits reciting Rumi’s verses. The main stage is left to represent the public Konia streets.

When the music, dance and Sufi poetry all converge to create a serene and peaceful audio effect, the colorful costumes put together by Maha Abdel Rahman and the spot-on lighting by Ibrahim El Forn were visuals that completed the performance.

The adaptation of “The Forty Rules of Love” represents the excitement surrounding Sufism that has been present in Egypt during the last few years, shown by the spread of the Mawlawiya bands, as well as the growing interest in attending Sufi festivals observed to commemorate Sufi sects like Shazlia, Qadiriya and Rifaiya. p

Revolving around the last phase of Imam Jalaludin El Rumi’s life that has witnessed his spiritual union with Sufi Shamsudin El Tabrizi, “The Forty Rules of Love” is narrated against a modern story of an American housewife who contacts a Dutch Sufi through social media. In the same manner Shams influences the life of Rumi, the Dutch hermit reverses the woman’s life through practicality and materialism. This juxtaposition is meant to reflect how Sufism is needed today to counter a modern world suffering from greed and materialism as well as terror and religious fanaticism.

Having met El Tabrizi, who has been passing by Konia, Rumi’s hometown, the Imam undergoes a spiritual transformation that eventually becomes the inspiration behind his eternal Sufi verses. However, this transformation comes in ways that were not in line with the norms they were used to then. In medieval times, Sufism and Sufis were taken on by jan 2018 | Ct

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Happy holidays! jan 2018 | Ct

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By Re

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P O T S E C I O H C 7 1 20

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SPORTS ACHIEVEMENTS Farida Othman wins Egypt’s first medal in swimming during the World Championship held in Budapest By winning her first NCAA medal in the USA, Osman has proved herself to be one of the fastest swimmers in history after her 50.5 second swim.

Egypt’s national hearing-impaired football team wins a bronze medal This inspirational team won the bronze medal at the 2017 tournament held in Italy, in which sixteen teams from Asian, European, and Arab countries participated in the competition.

Egyptian cyclist breaks Guinness World Record for crossing Europe Helmy El Saeed embarked on a 29-day journey crossing Europe by bike, breaking the world record for the fastest crossing of the continent.

Egypt awarded medals at the African Fencing Championship Egypt won 18 medals, the most awarded to a team, during the African Fencing Championships, six of which were gold. This marks the second time Egypt makes it to first place in the fencing championships since 2012.

Egypt wins both men and women’s under-21 squash championships Sixteen-year-old Rowan El Araby won the Junior Women’s Squash Championship in New Zealand after being the runner-up last year, while 17-year-old Marwan Tarek won the Junior Men’s Squash Championship, making him the first Egyptian to win a men’s junior title since 2013.

Egypt’s Zamalek Sports Club wins the African Handball Champions League Held in Tunisia between October 20th and 29th, the Egyptian team brought home the gold.

Egypt has achieved three medals, two silvers and one bronze, at the 2017 World Games in the city of Wroclaw, Poland Sameh Sidhom won bronze at the men’s competition for billiards sport, and two silver medals were also won at the sumo competitions, the Japanese form of heavy weight wrestling, by Ramy Helal and Misbah Hossam.

Egypt wins Squash World Champion Title The Egyptian squash team won the World Squash Championship title after defeating their English counterpart 2-0 in the final round of the tournament in Marseille, France.

Egyptian couple Farag and El Tayeb make squash history at U.S. Open Husband and wife Ali Farag and Nour El Tayeb wrote their names into the history books as they triumphed at the 2017 U.S. Open to become the first married couple in history to win the same major sports title on the same day.

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top Events Events --Film FilmFestivals Festivals The year 2017 has witnessed an uncountable amount of significant cultural, social and festive events, which introduced various fragments of hope among other tragic memories to step into the new year with an optimistic spirit.

The 39th Cairo International Film Festival 21 – 30 November The festival took place at the newly established El Manara Hall in New Cairo, and featured 175 films from 53 countries, with an extensive lineup of films and awards. This year’s CIFF was dedicated to the late actress and singer Shadia and honored four late renowned figures: critic Samir Farid, director Mohamed Kamel El-Kaloiuby, French director Jeanne Moreau and French director Jean Chamoun. Elizabeth Hurley was the guest of honor and was prized with an award. “The Mountain Between Us” by Palestinian director Hany Abu-Assad was the opening movie.

The 19th Ismailia International Film Festival 19 – 25 April Significant documentaries and short films were presented to reflect reality and deepen our understanding of others’ different social visions, values and thoughts. The ceremony began by honoring a child who participated in the animation workshop while the Honorary Awards were retrospectively granted to late director Mohamed Kamel El-Qaliouby and late critic Samir Farid. The animation movie “Long Road” won Best Arabic film, whereas “Radio Kobani” (Dutch) won best full-length documentary. The film “Those Who Remain”, a co-production between Lebanon and the UAE, was awarded the Special Jury Prize in both the Ismailia Festival and the Dubai International Film Festival and the best short documentary prize went to the Palestinian-Lebanese film “A Man Returned”.

Alexandria’s Goethe Film Week Titled “A Matter of Persective” 2 – 6 May The annual Goethe Film Week organized by Alexandria’s Goethe Institute included several venues like the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Jesuit Cultural Centre and Zawya Alexandria. The program included nine films (features and documentaries) from Germany and the Arab World. Egyptian documentary films incuded “One Plus One Makes a Pharaoh’s Chocolate Cake” that was directed by Marouan Omara and Islam Kamal, “Little Eagles” directed by Mohamed Rashad and “Egyptian Jeanne d’Arc” directed by Iman Kamel. The focal points this year were immigration, revolutions, wars, family and women in society.

The First Sharm El-Sheikh Asian and African Film Festival 14 September Academy Award winner Louis Gossett Jr, who is known for his television series role as former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, was announced as the guest of honor during the Sharm El-Sheikh Asian and African Film Festival that was headed by renowned actress Soheir El-Morshedy and organized by the the Afro-Asian Peoples’ Solidarity Organisation (AAPSO) headed by Helmy El-Hadidiy.

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The First Edition of El Gouna Film Festival 22 – 29 September The festival was established to highlight the role of filmmaking in creating development opportunities and support creative expressions in the MENA region, especially among young generations from the Arab World and their international counterparts. ‫ى‬During the closing ceremony, American film star Forest Whitaker received the Career Achievement Award that was also given to veteran Adel Imam and Lebanese film critic Ibrahim Al-Aris. “Soufra”, the Arab documentary about Platestinian refugee women living in a camp in Lebanon, was permiered in the festival, and the Egyptian Emmy Award was given to film editor Mohamed El-Manasterly.

The 10th Cairo International Women’s Film Festival 4 – 9 March The festival was launched in 2008 and was the first of its kind in the Arab World. This year, it included 59 films from more than 23 countries, including Lebanon, Chile, Argentina, Denmark, Czech Republic, Finland and Switzerland. The films screened and presented for awards included “Looking Like My Mother” (Swiss), a personal documentary that represents complex family relations, “The Day The Sun Fell” (Swiss-Japanese) that recreates the experience of a woman’s grandfather who was working for the Red Cross during the Hiroshima bombing.

Cinedelta Documentary Film Festival 1 – 9 February The festival was organized by Alexandria-based Fig Leaf Production Studios and the Italian NGO Ricerca e Cooperazione and toured Tanta, Alexandria and Rosetta.

The awards ceremony was held in SwedAlex Institute and featured Erik Gandini, the award-winning Swedish/ Italian documentary filmmaker as the guest speaker.

The First Aswan International Women’s Film Festival 20 – 26 February The festival presented 31 films as well as 18 short films from 13 countnries. Spanish actress Maribel Verdu was the guest of honor.

The four Egyptian films that were awarded were “Withered Green” in addition to the short films “Shaimaa” (documentary), “Sandouq El-Donia” (animation) and “Alia” (drama).

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top Events - stage Green Light Performance Stages at Cairo’s Hanager Theatre 17 October The play was performed at El Hanager by street children, and was a series of Egyptian monologues concerned with social issues. The project provided art training to the homeless children.

Three GenderThemed Plays “The Show Goes On” at Cairo’s Falaki Theatre 13 – 22 October The program included three different plays on the theme of gender that ran for three consecutive days, which were “Hal El-Dafayer” (Untangled), “45” and “Hekayat Khat El Om” (Motherline).

“Untangled” is a comedy which focuses on the youth’s issues and social pressures related to marriage.

“45” is a monodrama about a 45-year-old woman who starts to assess her life after awakening from anesthesia in the hospital.

“Motherline” is a storytelling performance originating in the U.S. and co-directed

by Amanda Lederer and Eliza Simpson. The project is a platform for collective stories expressed by women in monologues, making its international debut in Cairo.

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The 24th Cairo International Festival for Contemporary and Experimental Theatre 19 – 29 September The Cairo International Festival for Contemporary and Experimental Theatre (CIFCET) selected EasternEuropean and Latin-American plays, where all workshops targeted youth and were animated by artists from around the world.

The show commenced with “The Three Sisters”, which was performed by the Georgian Tiblisi troupe and tells the story of three sisters who were devastated by isolation and loneliness. There was no dialogue in the show; everything was told through choreography.

The Laboratory of Physical Theatre troupe also used dancing to portray man’s incessant pursuit against time, and his persistent search for eternity, presented in “Wandering Time” that is directed by Lidia Kopina.

The Armenian Yerevan Puppet Theatre troupe performed the melodrama “Flight Over The City”, which is about a young girl who lost her sight, however, her doctor taught her to use her imagination instead.

Cinema 30 at Hosapeer Theatre 17 – 20 August The play was previously staged during the 10th National Theatre Festival. “Cinema 30” was performed by the Business Faculty of Ain Shams troupe. It was a recall of the events that took place in 1930, considering that it was the first non-silent film, and was filmed in the Dai El-Qamar village.

The 10th National Theatre Festival 13 – 27 July The adaptations of spiritual works and enthusiastic youth presence marked this year’s National Theatre Festival. Awards and honors were presented by late critic Nehad Seleiha.

The 26th Festival for Egypt’s Theatre Clubs 10 – 22 September The festival took place at El-Samer Theatre where “Masrahna Nawadi” (Our Theatre is Clubs) and “Taer” (Bird) were performed during the opening ceremony. The festival presented 21 plays performed by Egyptian troupes from 17 theatre clubs all over Egypt.

Egypt’s 7th Hakawy International Arts Festival 7 – 16 March The Hakawy International Arts Festival for Children, organized by ACFA for Arts and Culture and founded by director Mohamed El Ghawy, believes that it is important to develop children’s artistic sense towards arts and create opportunities for the youth to be acquainted with theatre, music and all other forms of art.

This year, science and literature were the two main themes.

“The Wonders of Science”, a performance organized by the American University in Cairo, showcased the basics of science in a humerous way where children were invited to interact in experiments of laws of motion, sound waves, electricity and magnetism.

Aswan Music Project: Reviving the Musical Dynamism of Upper Egypt 12 – 22 May Commissioned by the Aga Khan Music Initiative, the Aswan Music Project rediscovers the musical heritage of Aswan providing benefits for the local and international community.

The project seeks to use the power of music to enhance social consistency, transmit a rich musical heritage and revive Aswan’s performing arts.

Cairo Hosts First Edition of “Arab La Mode” Festival 10 November The two-day fashion extravaganza gave a glimpse into the multifaceted fashion scene in the Arab World.

The first edition was held at Cairo’s Grand Nile Hotel and showcased the latest in the fashion world and jewelry design, as well as the emerging trends of makeup artists and hairstylists.

The festival served as a platform for new talents.

The Flying Noon Performance at Genaina Theatre 1 November The musical circus show held in el Genaina Theatre in collaboration with the Swiss Embassy featured twenty girls from the Darb El-Ahmar Arts School. The school was founded by an NGO called “El Mawrad el Thaqafy” (Culture Resource) in cooperation with the Aga Khan Development Network’s music initiative, and holds around 110 students in both musical and performance departments.

Darb 1718: Taiwanese Choreographer Creates “Ghareeb” Dance Taiwanese choreographer Shao Chen Yu (Asad) combines oriental dance styles such as baladi, folk, saidi and khaleeji with contemporary dance.

He initially performed his latest dance titled “Ghareeb” in Taiwan before presenting a new version of it in Egypt with two Egyptian artists, Osama Khalil and Mario Salib. The dance aims to reflect Middle Eastern heritage and youth sufferings.

The 7th Nassim El-Raqs in Alexandria 4 – 10 May “Nassim El-Raqs” is an annual dance festival produced

by Momkin - Espaces de Possibles in partnership with B’sarya for Art The festival opened with the performance of the “Wild Descent”, which is selected by the choreographer and director of Ballet du Nord, Olivier Dubois, whose piece is divided into three parts, performed over the course of two hours, including a “Night Walk”, “Exploratoring Camp”, and a sound art performance. The Egyptian Silsilah Dance Group from Centre Rezodanse presented “Poem of The Salty City”, as well as a performance from Shapers, a longterm international cooperation project between different dance venues.

Enrico Macias Concert in Alexandria 10 February To celebrate 15 years since the establishment of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the French-Algerian Enrico Macias held a concert at the venue.

Multiple generations grew nostalgic as Macias performed some of his popular songs like “La Femme de mon Amie”, “J’ai Quitte mon Pays” and “Les Filles de mon Pays”.

The 15th Bibliotheca Alexandrina International Summer Festival 10 July – 26 August The festival featured over 60 artistic events, including concerts, plays, dance performances, film screenings and other family-friendly events. The program focused on China as a guest of honor, where celebrations included an exhibition featuring photos of Xinjiang’s national musical instruments, three film screenings and a performance of the Xinjiang national dance. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s orchestra showcased young musicians with music conducted by Shadi Abdel Salam, Ahmed Harfoush and Dalia Farid.

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top Events - arts

The 10th Edition of Luxor International Painting Symposium 10 – 24 December Twenty-five Egyptian and international artists participated in four different categories including four Arabs, 11 expatriates and ten Egyptian artists.

Second Annual International Handicrafts Show The International Handicrafts Show was a display of vivacious colors and tremendous artwork pieces presented by over 30 artists from the Delta to Upper Egypt, reflecting their authentic taste and rich cultural diversity in their works.

Darb 1718 Hosted “Sexual harassment Artwork” 15 – 20 July Darb 1718 hosted an anti-sexual harassment group called “HarassMap” that aims to raise awareness towards sexual harassment through their artworks in order to end social tolerance of such an overruled practice, using face-to-face community, social media and mobile phone-based reporting systems for victims.

The 22nd Aswan Sculpture Symposium 21 January – 5 March This symposium is the most important sculpture event in Egypt, which is recognized internationally as it is a member of the International Sculpture Symposium Alliance. The symposium focused on creative granite sculpting, which is the artistic pattern created by our ancient ancestors.

Exit Contemporary Art Project Workshop 7 – 21 July The workshop was held at Dar Ward in a house designed by Yasser Askar on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road. “Creative Community Platform” is a non-profit organization founded by sculptor Ahmed Magdy and Yasser Askar, who selected creative artists with different mediums, materials and experiences, to present their unique experiences.

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Conferences and Exhibitions

UNAOC Symposium “Spread No Hatred” 13 December The symposium organized by the Egypt Media Development Program (EMDP) and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) was held at the Sofitel Cairo Nile El Gezirah, to address hate speech against migrants and refugees in the media.

The symposium is the fifth of the series and it focused on immigration within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). There were 80 selected participants, where there was an emphasis on journalists working in the region.

The National Youth Conference The NYC aims to establish a productive dialogue between the government and the large population of prominent Egyptian youth by creating the appropriate ecosystem to support technological innovation environment for them.

“Africa 2017” Conference Held in Sharm El-Sheikh 7 – 9 December The conference was attended by heads of states, governments and ministries from various African countries as well as representatives of Egypt’s development partners and high-level figures in the business field from Egypt, Africa and worldwide with a view to promote investments for inclusive growth.

The World Youth Forum - Sharm el Sheikh 4 – 10 November The forum acted as a platform to bring youth from around the world together with officials and provide them with the opportunity to engage with top policy-makers in the region and network with promising youth region-wide.

It also provided the chance to explore Egypt’s rich culture, heritage and history that offers a lot for both locals and visitors who are looking for rich experiences.

Cairo Wood Show 4 – 7 December Wood Show 2017 was the largest international specialized wood and wood machinery show in Egypt and Africa, which introduced the entire spectrum of furniture production technologies, woodworking machinery, tools, fittings, accessories, raw materials and specialty products to over 25,000 eager trade visitors from Egypt and the MENA region.

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Projects and Investments Foreign borrowing and direct investment has helped drive Egypt’s economy up by 4.9 percent in the fourth quarter of its 2016-17 fiscal year, according to a Finance Ministry report. Last November, Egypt signed a $12 billion

three-year IMF loan agreement tied to sweeping economic reforms such as tax hikes and subsidy cuts that the government hopes will lure back foreign investors who fled after the 2011 uprising.

While some projects raised questions on whether or not they will be successful, the government along with

businesses and entrepreneurs have established, or are in the planning stages of megaprojects that will help boost the country’s economy.

The New Administrative Capital Located 45 kilometers east of Cairo, the establishment of the first phase of this megaproject is prosperous. The new capital is planned to include residential districts, educational institutions, hospitals, hotels, a theme park, solar plants and a new international airport.

Majid Al Futtaim The business entrepreneur established the now popular Mall of Egypt last March in 6th of October City. A 6.3 billion EGP project built on 400,000 square meters, 165,000 of which are dedicated to shopping facilities. The two-story complex houses, the country’s first VOX movie theatre as well as an indoor snow park and ski slope at Ski Egypt. The VOX Cinemas is home to 21 screens, including 4DX technology, which essentially means your viewing experience is incredibly enhanced with effects such as moving seats, wind, rain fog, lights and scents.

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New Suez Canal In one year, Egyptians succeeded in developing the Suez Canal region, through the drilling of a new 35-kilometer channel that will facilitate the direct transit of 45 vessels in both directions, and the transit of 97 ships per day. This will increase canal revenues by 259 percent by 2023 and will play a major role in the re-urbanization and geographic distribution of the population through integrated urban projects aimed at the cultivation of about four million acres.

Strategic Development Plan of Southern Egypt (New Valley) The project focuses on strengthening local administrations and building capacities in planning for sustainable human settlements.

Strategic Development Plan for the Greater Cairo Region Given the importance of the region as the urban, political, social and economic capital of Egypt and one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world, the project’s main objective is to develop a vision for Cairo until 2050 using a participatory approach.

Cairo’s Flat6Labs Allocates 100 Million EGP for 100 Startups The accelerator program plans to fund 100 startups with an amount of 100 million EGP in order to help entrepreneurs develop their business dreams.

Energy Projects The Egyptian petroleum minister Tarek El Molla signed three exploration deals for 16 new fields in the Western Desert worth at least $81.4 million with Royal Dutch Shell and the US-based Apex International Energy.

Egypt, which used to be a net energy exporter, has become a net importer in recent years, as consumption has increased while production has fallen.

In December, Egypt accepted six bids for oil and gas explorations worth $200 million.

The Ministry of Electricity announced that by May of 2018, the electricity surplus is meant to reach 15,000 MW after German company Siemens implements power stations in Beni Suef, Borollos and the New Administrative Capital.

Solid Waste Management in Minya Governorate - Phase I The first phase of the project has established an independent organizational structure in Minya – as a pilot project for other rural governorates – and developed an integrated plan for solid waste management.

The new natural gas projects that will be implemented along the Mediterranean are meant to double the production of natural gas by 2020, as minister Tarek El Molla announced.

Additionally, the Italian company Eni began working in the Zohr, the largest gas field in the Mediterranean Sea, at the end of 2017.

Bioenergy for Sustainable Rural Development in partnership with the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency have created a project that will remove the technical, institutional, informational, financial and other market barriers to the increasing use of biomass energy in promoting sustainable rural development in Egypt.

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top Events Projects and - Film Investments Festivals

Conservation of Migratory Soaring Birds In partnership with the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, this project aims to demonstrate the mainstream approach of Sustainable Economic Growth in the Red Sea Governorate, and will be funded by USAID LIFE.

Egypt Network for Integrated Development (ENID) This project aims to develop and design effective strategies to create a viable process for the identification of problem areas and for the dissemination of solutions to selected national problems.

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Strengthening the Institutional and Human Resources Capacities of the Ministry of Social Solidarity The project aims to better deliver social protection services to the poor, women and those with disabilities.

significant visits

Pope Francis’ Visit to Egypt 28 – 29 April Pope Francis’ historical visit to Egypt aimed at improving Christian-Muslim ties, arriving three weeks after the Islamic State’s suicide bombers killed at least 45 people in two Egyptian churches. During his visit, he met an array of religious and political leaders.

Miss Universe 2017 Visits Egypt Miss Universe 2017, Iris Mittenaere, has been sharing pictures of herself on Instagram touring the Egyptian cities. The visit aimed at promoting tourism in the country, where the 24-year-old French model posed for pictures near the iconic Giza Pyramids and Great Sphinx. She also attended the Miss Egypt kick-off at the Marriott Hotel.

Lionel Messi Visit to Egypt 21 February FC Barcelona and Argentina footballer Lionel Messi visited Cairo to promote the country’s “Tour n’ Cure” tourism and medical campaign for the treatment of Hepatitis C.

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SIGNIFICANT Egyptian FIGURES Rami Malek The actor is nominated to play the role of Freddie Mercury in the biography of Bohemian Rhapsody after winning the Emmy award for his role as Mr. Robot.

Mohamed Gaber The creator of Cairo Font, which has become the most used Arabic writing in Google Fonts.

Nora Shawki An archeologist, she received a grant from National Geographic to excavate in the Delta area.

Ghada Wali The Egyptian artist, illustrator and graphic designer based in Cairo was selected among the Forbes List 30 Under 30 – Europe – Arts.

Anissa Hassouna A parliament member, she authors a book on her journey through her illness.

Amir Barsoum Founded vezeeta. com, the largest base for doctors.

Mahmoud Wahid The founder of Ma3ana “Together to save a human being”, that helps street people.

Amr Helmy A food critique who becomes the first Arab to be accredited from the French Society for tasting.

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Remembering Egyptian Renowned Figures Lost in 2017 Though we lost several iconic figures this year, we will always remember them, and their work will remain a part of our lives.

Musician Wagdi Francis Francis was the founder and principal dynamo of Les Petits Chats Band. He passed away last April after dedicating his life to this Egyptian band that sings covers, which he founded in 1967 and managed throughout the years. Francis was considered a musical child. He sang in the Jesuits College choir which he attended. He also joined the church choir and became the youngest solo singer. Following his graduation, he founded the band and began as the bass guitarist, soon becoming its vocalist too. Les Petits Chats saw the peak of its success in the 1960s and 1970s and brought together many renowned musicians and artists, with the lineup including tenor Sobhi Bidair, actor Ezzat Abo Auf, composer and pianist Omar Khairat, among others.

Shadia: Egypt’s Golden Age Actress and Singer Last November, we lost the legendary golden age cinema star Shadia at the age of 86.

Her presence marked the 20th Century, after which she decided to step out of limelight 31 years ago. Her real name was Fatma Kamal Shaker and acted in 117 films and one play.

Critic and Film Historian Samir Farid Farid passed away in April. He received many recognitions over the course of his career that spanned nearly half a century, concluding with his last honorary award last February at the annual Berlin International Film Festival.

Amr Samir: the young TV host The young actor and TV host of ‘Shababeek’ TV show, Amr Samir died of a heart attack.

Screenwriter Mahfouz Abdel-Rahman Prominent Egytian scriptwriter Mahfouz Abdel-Rahman, one of the first screenwriters for Arab television, passed away last August at the age of 76. He is considered as one of the most significant writers in Arab drama, where his work ranged from literary to television series, plays and films. Though he began his career as a novelist and critic, he quickly turned to scriptwriting with a special focus on historical narratives.

Among his best known works for television is the highly popular series Um Kalthoum and Bawabat El-Halawany. He also wrote films like Nasser 56 and Halim, and was honored both locally and internationally.

Halim El-Dabh, Egyptian Ethnomusicologist and Pioneer of Electronic Music Halim El-Dabh passed away last September at the age of 96. He is hailed for the music he created and his thoughts on this art form, as well as his unique outlook on life. His creative journey began in his home country but it flourished during his move to the USA, which placed him among international music figures and pioneers of electronic music.

A few of his works were performed in Egypt, and he still lives in the collective memory of Egyptian musical circles, where his continuous presence is marked by orchestral-choral compositions performed daily during the sound and light show at the Pyramids of Giza.

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CT’s 2017 Restaurant Choices

Izakaya Nikkei cuisine is a result of the meeting between Japanese and Peruvian culinary tradition, blending techniques and flavors and pushing creative boundaries. While Lima will always remain the home of Nikkei, Izakaya, found in Sheikh Zayed, brought the best this cuisine has to offer to Cairo under the masterful guidance of their head chef.

Kazoku Located in Swan Lake New Cairo, Kazoku - a Japanese word that means family - creates an environment with a refined cosmopolitan style, where simplicity and lightness are expressed through a sophisticated vibe and unique design, with a diversity of areas in the venue.

Synonymous with legendary signature dishes like The Black Cod with Miso and New Style Sashimi, Kazoku offers the image of Contemporary Japanese cuisine in Cairo, establishing “The Art of Dining” within the vibrant environment, while offering a unique view.

The Smokery The Smokery offers an array of flavorful dishes, from its specialty: salmon, to perfectly cooked beef and creative drinks. With four branches in Egypt in Katameya Heights, El Gouna, Heliopolis and Marassi, they do not fail to present fine dining at its best, whether from their spectacular golf views, their service or their elegant plates.

Koshary Abou Tarek One of the best locations to order a typical homemade koshary plate is from “Abou Tarek” along with a fresh salad on the side. The service is excellent, fast, cheap and tasty. Putting together a tasty plate of koshary is a fine art and they are excellent in that.

Don’t forget to top it with the rice pudding dessert.

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Mezcal Mezcal, located in Zamalek, is the product of many years of traveling, tasting and discovering. Their journey has led them to a love for Latin American cuisine, with all its modern and traditional variations. With a focus on new age of Peruvian and Mexican cuisine, they stimulate the senses with powerful flavors and varied textures.

CT’S 2017 Organic Food CHOICES

Nature’s Gift Nature’s Gift is the perfect place to order organic food, which they bring from certified farms that include chemical-free meats, poultry and fish.

You can order online.

Makar Farms At Makar Farms located in Sakkara, you can come across a wide choice of vegetables that you may not find often at your local supermarket such as endives and asparagus, orange and purple broccoli, brussel sprouts, butter lettuce or Lolla Rosa. This is the right season to pick up baby spinach and baby carrots as well as fine green beans.

Makar offers delivery.

Isis for Food Industries ISIS produces wholesome nutritious, tasty and healthy food, from carefully selected raw materials, free of any artificial additives or preservatives. The food processed and packed by ISIS includes organically grown cereals, rice, vegetables, pasta, honey, jams, dates, spices, herbs, edible oils, and beverages such as herbal tea, coffee and juice. In order to ensure the best quality and freshness of the products, ISIS adheres to a number of strict guidelines and implements several safeguards throughout the cultivation and production process.

Ma7ali This is where you can get some products from organic farms such as sauces and pasta from Baladina, olive oil from Siwa and Sinai and their thyme mix and smoked and cured meats.

The shop is located in Maadi. p

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COMMUNITY Real People

By Noha Kandil

Ta2heal:

An Online and Offline Platform for Special Needs Children Ta2heal is a company that offers both online and offline services for special needs children. Learning about the impact of quality education first-hand, co-founder Tarek El Fakharany had his mind set on contributing to the advancement of education in Egypt.

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espite the lack of statistics, the overwhelming bureaucracy and shortage in good caliber, Ta2heal aided many children who urgently needed professional help and provided support for parents who were losing hope.

In this interview, El Fakharany tells us more about Ta2heal, and gives us an inside look into special needs education in Egypt.

What did you do before Ta2heal?

I graduated in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, before working for several multinational corporations.

What inspired you to start Ta2heal?

I always wanted to do something that adds value to education. During my studies, I experienced both the positive and negative sides of education, and witnessed the impact it made on my life. I also wanted to focus on child psychology and explore the various factors that make kids enjoy the learning process.

In 2008, my friend and Ta2heal co-founder, Ahmed Mahfouz, and I started focusing on the idea of launching this platform. The entrepreneurial environment was far more challenging back then, and so we had to do everything on our own.

Have you found experts that are willing to help in child psychology?

At the very start, I went to Dr. Manal Omar, a specialist in the field to ask for advice, and she suggested I focus on autism instead of education in general.

Taking it from there, we spent several more months educating ourselves on autism and gathering as much information as possible.

During the trial stage, we welcomed Dr. May El Rakhawy, with a PhD in child psychology, on board. She gave us a lot of support at that time; not only did she help us develop scenarios for our interactive videos, but she also allowed us to record sessions with children at her center, after receiving the parents’ consent. Those sessions were a great success as we learned a lot from her feedback and from the parents and specialists who attended.

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How did you break into the market?

Was it hard to gain parents’ trust?

It took us around six months to break into the market. Most of our clients are from referrals and word-of-mouth, with further emphasis on our credibility in the market. I believe people respect our transparency more than anything, as we tend to be very honest with our clients, even if what we say about their children is not what they want to hear.

Our detailed evaluation that we provide parents with, has helped us stand out as well. Most centers offer a short report without enough information for parents to grasp all the aspects of their child’s condition.

What are the services offered by Ta2heal?

We initially started with the idea of video modeling for autism, which was a new interactive way to help autistic children develop their skills by developing a cartoon character that guides them through the process. We then added games and 4,000 interactive questions.

Following that, we introduced our specialists’ services, which involve oneto-one home sessions by our experts.

This service provides the parents with a more thorough evaluation of their children, and allows them to work on developing their various skills for their different needs. Moreover, we have shadow teachers who accompany special needs children to their schools to help them integrate smoothly.

Are you only focusing on autistic children?

At the beginning, our main focus was on autism. Most of our cases are autistic children in the middle of the spectrum, which means that their autism is neither mild nor advanced. Nevertheless, our videos and services are designed to help

develop all cognitive skills, like memory, concentration, learning and speechdelay, etc. We also work on behavioral adjustment; if a specialist notices any issue with behavior, they work on it by default.

How do you maintain the quality of your service, especially with the responsibility involved with dealing with children?

Monitoring and following up are key to maintaining a good quality of service, and they are what some organizations lack. We are also very picky when it comes to choosing the specialists we collaborate with; we look into character and education, and we conduct in-depth interviews while taking copies of all their credentials.

We also send our own in-house specialists to monitor the first session in order to reassure the parents. Every specialist is expected to provide us with detailed evaluation of each case he/she handles, and if they fail to do so, or do not meet the set expectations, we terminate the agreement immediately.

Parents can reach us by phone 12 hours a day to ask us about situations they face on a daily basis and what they should or should not do.

Is there a certain success story/ testimony that you remember?

During the trial period, there was an autistic boy who loved our games so much that he did not let the expert move the mouse. He insisted on learning it by himself, despite his undeveloped fine motor skills and muscles. We discovered then that kids benefit from many things other than what we originally intended.

Generally, with the cases we deal with, progress takes a lot of time, so we tend to focus on the little things. For instance, we consider a kid repeating the sounds after our cartoon character a success

story on its own. Also, there are other cases, where only after a three-month session, a child gets accepted into a school that rejected him/her once, and these cases make it all worth it.

What was the most shocking fact you found about the special needs subject in Egypt?

The most outrageous fact is that basically anyone can become a certified specialist after taking a two-week course, allowing them into people’s homes to work with their children.

Another thing that startled us was that many doctors and specialists falsely claim that TV/phone/computer screens cause autism. Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder, which means it is genetic-related.

The body does not develop properly, which results in many cognitive and physical issues. Also, autism varies from one kid to the other, and the reason behind it has not been proven yet, so it is scientifically and medically wrong to assume that screens cause autism.

What is the biggest struggle you faced during your journey with Ta2heal?

We had a serious downfall last April, where we invested a lot of money in developing and promoting new games and videos, but all of a sudden there was an update in Google Chrome that ended up preventing the auto-play feature, which was a real inconvenience for the children.

That was followed by the summer, which is an off-season for education in general, and that reflected tremendously on our revenues and development plan.

We are still struggling with financials; we would rather allocate our money to developing new ideas and applications rather than over-the-top campaigns.

Have you considered making Ta2heal a non-profit organization to receive more donations?

Yes, the idea was tempting, but it is not that easy to get funds, and we do not have solid experience in that area.

During our journey, we met people in the field who could have helped us with investments, but it was always under the condition of sharing a percentage of the profit. We knew that our service was not very appealing to investors, and that it would take time and effort to sustain a profit.

That being said, we believe our current business model is more sustainable than a non-profit organization.

What is next for Ta2heal?

We are developing a new project called “Tamareen�, which is a more advanced version of our games. We will record an assessment for the kids during the session, and programmatically generate a learning plan and a syllabus based on that assessment.

This plan will be supported by videos that show parents exactly what their children need, and what they should be doing with them on a daily basis to develop their skills.

We believe it has great potential, especially if it spread across special needs centers in Egypt. Also, we are developing a mobile application, which many of our clients have asked for. In addition to expanding our network of specialists and shadow teachers, we are looking for opportunities to expand abroad, specifically the Gulf and England. p Website: www.ta2heal.com Facebook: Ta2heal

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Fieldwork

Al Nour wal Amal (Light and Hope) Continues to Inspire Photographs Courtesy of Al Nour wal Amal

Written by Rana Kamaly

This life-changing NGO was founded in 1954 with an aim to help the visually impaired girls, and establish a school specialized in teaching the blind handcrafts and help them become a significant part of the country’s labor force.

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hen it first started, it was the only school and NGO in the region to practice such activities for the blind. Then, in the 1960’s, the founders began their most prominent and extraordinary project: the orchestra. “This is the first, and probably the only, school orchestra for visually impaired females in the world, other than the one in Thailand that does not play notes,” says Amal Fekry, head of the board of directors and vice president of Al Nour wal Amal for the past 50 years.

Fifty years ago, a friend of Fekry took her to the NGO so she could donate, but according to her, “Since that day, I vowed to help out and be there for the girls in every possible way.

They are kind, passionate and talented and deserve to be seen and appreciated for who they are, and that is what I try to do everyday. They are my children.”

The Music School When asked about when the music school was created, she says, “We established it when we realized that many girls were interested in practicing this art. It helps them express themselves to the world and feel appreciation.”

Now the orchestra travels across the globe to perform as the voice of Egypt and as a representation of their capabilities and strength. “Each time we play in any city, people are surprised to see how good they are, especially when they perform alongside other orchestras. It is just mesmerizing,” says Fekry.

The school translates the notes to braille so that the girls can play them. “We are the only ones who do so; you will not find any other braille musical notes.

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Teaching the notes might not be easy, but when you see them play, it is definitely worth it,” Fekry explains.

One of the challenges faced is creating harmony between the instruments, which usually takes a lot of time and effort to perfect, from both the girls and the teachers alike. The conservatoire holds music examinations, and so the students graduate with two diplomas: high school and a musical degree.

Twenty years back, a visually impaired Japanese violinist mentioned that he wanted to adopt the same idea in Japan after hearing the girls play, but he has not made contact ever since.

Current Achievements Al Nour wal Amal now has two orchestras: one for graduates and another for undergraduates, as well as a nursery for boys and girls who have the same impairment and a guesthouse for the students. The foundation has four branches so far: in Port Said, Mansoura, Tanta and Beni Suef, in addition to their Cairo branch, and regularly host exhibitions for the students to sell their handcrafted products throughout the year.

The orchestra specializes in performing classical music, but when they play in Egypt, they also add some cultural songs to win the hearts of the audience. “I have to say that the society’s perspective changed a lot over the past few years. When we first started, very few people came to see us or even knew we existed, but now hundreds of people show up and we have good publicity locally and worldwide. Egyptians are now more engaged and supportive and we try to play them different types of music to keep them entertained,” says Fekry.

“Our concerts abroad are very successful and have quickly gained popularity. The Austrians mentioned that the girls are the fourth pyramid of Egypt and that they brought music to Austria, which is a big compliment coming from a country rich in this cultural aspect,” she mentions.

The orchestra has traveled over 31 times since 1988 across the world, playing in 14 different cities in Europe, five in the Middle East and four in Asia, Australia and Canada. They cover their travel expenses through donations, with the help of the Ministry of Culture. Some countries help out with accommodation when they are invited over.

Their last concert in Sharm el Sheikh during the internationally recognized youth convention was a huge success, which they were invited to by the South Sinai governor.

After the revolution, the NGO had financial problems as donations started to decrease, so they reached out to different entities, after which Masr el Kheir decided to help out with school expenses. “It is costly, as we bring the best teachers from the music academy and the conservatoire,” adds Fekry.

Music changed these students’ lives and encouraged them to be successful and independent. They also touch the lives of their audience, who usually leave in tears or in awe of their talent.

“Through their achievements, they are defying social norms and proving once and for all that their existence is for the greater good,” Fekry concludes.

During a concert in India, one of the audience members told Fekry, “We live in a world where people will never believe the brilliance of these girls until they see and hear them.” p

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Business

El Mostakbal for Urban Development and Tatweer Misr Sign a Partnership Agreement to Develop Mostakbal City During a press conference held at the Four Seasons, Tatweer Misr, the Egyptian real estate developer, announced the signing of a partnership agreement with El Mostakbal for Urban Development.

The partnership comprises the allocation of an area of 325 acres for the development of a mixed-use residential area to be completed within ten years with a total estimated investment of EGP28 billion.

During the press conference, Tatweer Misr also announced the signing of a purchase agreement with El Mostakbal for a plot of 90 acres to establish a university and several international schools in Mostakbal City with a total investment of EGP five billion to be completed within eight years. Tatweer Misr is planning to launch the project before the second quarter of 2018.

“We are very happy to sign this agreement with Tatweer Misr,”says Engineer Essam Nassef, Chairman and Managing Director of El Mostakbal for Urban Development. “Tatweer Misr has positioned itself over a very short period of time as a prominent real estate developer with a singular vision in the real estate market. Today’s agreement marks the establishment of a mixed-use urban development, including a business park with various spaces to cater to different needs, in addition to entrepreneurs’ business incubators and an educational district, which comprises a university and international schools surrounded by green spaces,” he adds.

According to Nassef, Tatweer Misr’s proposition centered on the understanding that in order for a successful city to be sustainable and thriving, it must have the economic variables that will ensure the continuous health of the city.

“This thinking is beyond the traditional boundaries of building business parks and commercial and retail areas to attract potential businesses and thereby create jobs,” he says. He continues to explain that Tatweer Misr’s Concept Strategy

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ensures a non-traditional approach that can bring new jobs to a community, which aligns closely with the set objectives and ideals of El Mostakbal for Urban Development.

Ahmed Shalaby, Managing Director and Board Member of Tatweer Misr, explained the concept of the new project, “At its most basic, the new project is a fully integrated mixed-use development, which combines residential and commercial spaces, retail and business areas, in addition to a university and international schools district.

In Tatweer Misr, we believe that developing outstanding urban communities goes beyond urban designs and construction, to create a unique life experience for all residents. Developing an integrated urban community with the economic engine being the educational area represents new thinking and reflects one of the basic principles of Tatweer Misr, which is the development of youth and the communities they live in.”

This new project is in line with Tatweer Misr’s accomplishments in the real estate market over the last few years. They are widely recognized for their flagship project Il Monte Galala in Sokhna and Fouka Bay in the North Coast’s Ras El Hikma, two milestone projects that reflect their pioneering vision.

Since its inception, Tatweer Misr has made entrepreneurship and education the pillars of their community programs sponsoring a wide number of initiatives including innovation awards, and supporting young entrepreneurs by partnering with them. p

Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate Participates in Nile Expo Exhibition, Abu Dhabi In an effort to strengthen its investments in the Egyptian market and expand its customer base, Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate participated in Nile Expo, showcasing its flagship project, Cairo Festival City. The exhibition was held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center across an area spanning 4,000 square meters from December 14th to 16th, with the participation of major real estate developers in the Egyptian market.

Cairo Festival City is a breakthrough in integrated real estate projects located in New Cairo. The project boasts the best location within New Cairo, in addition to the largest shopping center and a wide range of cafés and restaurants, enabling residents, visitors and employees to easily enjoy all of the project’s services and amenities. The completion of Cairo Festival City’s various phases is currently underway in accordance to the set schedule, while adhering to the highest international quality standards.

EngineerAshraf Ezz, Managing Director ofAl-Futtaim Group Real Estate, said, “Cairo Festival City’s participation in the exhibition comes as part of its effort to attract more capital to the Egyptian market. This reflects our commitment to reaching out to more customers by giving them the opportunity to closely discover our range of residential, commercial and administrative projects that will meet various tastes of residents and needs of large companies from around the world, featuring a wide array of services and amenities.”

Cairo Festival City is keen to expand through its project Oriana Villas, spanning 955,000 square meters with 763 villas of various designs in New Cairo’s best location to meet the increasing demand for the project’s units across its stages. Festival Living Apartments has also witnessed an increasing demand, with completion of the first phase currently underway and delivery scheduled starting the third quarter of 2018. The second phase of Festival Living Apartments has been contracted and construction began in the last quarter of 2016. p

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47

Business

OPPO Launches F5, A Selfie Expert with a 6-inch full Screen and the Groundbreaking A.I. Beauty Recognition Technology OPPO unveiled its latest premium model, the “F5”, in a launch event held in Dusit Thani LakeView Cairo.

The brand introduced its first FHD+ full screen display known as “infinity display” model in Egypt, featuring the groundbreaking newly introduced A.I. beauty recognition technology that is designed to personalize beautification for subjects according to the surrounding atmosphere to give you the best Selfie experience and help you to “Capture the Real You”.

Priced at EGP 5490, the F5 went on sale on December 16th and is available both online and offline. Two other models were announced at the launch event, the F5 6GB edition and the F5 Youth to give OPPO fans additional choices to suit their needs.

These two variants will be available in Egypt soon.

OPPO F5 is the first smart phone to bring Artificial Intelligence into the selfie feature in Egypt and is a technology that identifies shapes and facial structures based on a global database emulating skills that help selfies look more real and natural.

OPPO F5 comes installed with a 20MP front camera with an ultra-sensitive F2.0 aperture and 1/2.8” sensor. Both features allow the camera to gain more information to produce better images with less noise in low light conditions. The frontcamera portrait mode also applies a Bokeh effect to the background, creating better gradation and making the subject the focus of the selfie shot.

The 16MP rear camera is excellent for all day and night shots, along with the F1.8 aperture that performs brilliantly for brighter and more precise shots in darker settings.

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The F5 will be OPPO’s first 6.0-inch FHD+ full-screen display device, giving the user a vivid visual without the need to increase the size of the phone. It features a high-resolution 2160 x 1080 dpi screen with 18:9 aspect ratio. The F5 is also the first phone equipped with FHD+ full screen display in its price segment.

The device comes with Facial Unlock, the new face recognition technology that will recognize its user and unlock the phone.

If the user prefers to use the fingerprint unlock function, the fingerprint reader is now on the back of the phone, giving way to a full front screen.

OPPO’s Color OS 3.2, together with 4G RAM + 32GB ROM memory gives the operating system a smoother user experience. A triple slot tray supports two Nano cards and one TF card simultaneously. The Octa-core CPU processor uses less energy, produces less heat while giving a higher performance speed.

It also packs a 3200Ah battery and the Continuous Optimizing Technology that manages the apps running on the device, allowing the user up to 12 hours of continuous use.

The device also has some special features for the consumers such as game acceleration targeting gamers.

The O-share file sharing technology is 100 times faster than Bluetooth where eight to ten pictures (3MB each) can be transferred between OPPO phones within one second.

Another feature that will ensure a smoother experience is the Split Screen that makes multi-tasking easier for the user, allowing them to chat, listen to songs or surf social media at the same time. p p

Netflix Fuels Egyptian Viewers’ Hunger for Entertainment After almost two years of streaming in Egypt, the world’s leading Internet entertainment service is celebrating local fans’ enormous appetite for ‘Netflixing’ and ‘binge watching’, such as the one Egyptian viewer that watched Kung Fu Panda 2 a total of 162 times in 2017!

Looking back to January 2016, Netflix went live almost two years ago in Egypt as part of a 130 country strong international roll out. Currently available in 190 countries, the service has continued to expand to become the first truly global network to ultimately change the way entertainment is enjoyed.

Taking the power into their own hands to watch whenever, wherever and on the device of their choice, consumers across Egypt have continued to discover a new way of enjoying entertainment on demand.

With more than 1,000 hours of original programming, which accounts for more than 400 titles added in 2017, viewers have Netflixed their way through the wide range of movies, kids’ content, documentaries, stand-up comedies and critically-acclaimed Netflix Originals shows available on the service such as Narcos, Santa Clarita Diet, Mindhunter and The Crown.

What Did Egypt Watch in 2017?

Internet TV knows no time slot, no genre and no geographic bounds. Free from these constraints, Netflix catered to a dynamic world full of people with different tastes and interests. Delivering the biggest and most diverse slate of content in Netflix history all year round, viewers were spoilt for choice with new series, films, stand-up specials, documentaries and more.

What’s Next for Netflix?

Netflix is dialing up its focus on the Middle East with the intention of releasing more locally-produced and relevant content. Earlier last year, the streaming service announced its first Arabic production: the stand-up comedy special, featuring celebrated comedian Adel Karam, will premiere exclusively on Netflix in early 2018.

The release signals an abundant pipeline of local and international content expected over the next 13 months, as part of an $8 billion investment in content.

Technology for an uninterrupted experience With sometimes unreliable Internet speeds, Netflix’s “adaptive streaming” technology navigates buffering to ensure uninterrupted adapting quality in relation to bandwidth. p

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49

Business

Hyundai Motor Launches “Be There With Hyundai” Fan Competition for 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea’s largest automaker and a proud FIFA Partner, announced the launch of the “Be There With Hyundai” slogan competition for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Football fans will be invited to submit potential team slogans on FIFA.com for each of the 32 national teams competing in the 2018 World Cup. The submission window ran from December and will continue to the end of February 2018. In April, three finalists for each team slogan will be revealed and a fresh round of online voting will kick off to determine the 32 individual winners.

The winning slogans will be prominently featured on each of the World Cup national team buses used to travel to and from the matches. The fans responsible for the creation of the winning slogan will be rewarded with an exclusive Team Bus Convoy vehicle experience. Each winner and guest will travel to Russia, where they will ride in an official Hyundai convoy vehicle accompanying the team bus and watch them compete in a selected World Cup match. p

Marriott Egypt Global Customer Appreciation Week (GCAW) The GCAW is an annual customer service initiative established to strengthen existing relationships while building the foundations of new ones.

Last November, associates from Marriott Egypt hotels attended events celebrating Marriott properties and the people that have helped make them great.

Day one began with all Marriott sales and marketing associates gathered to view a video from Neal Jones (Chief Sales & Marketing Officer for MENA region) before enjoying Nile cruises in Marriott-branded feluccas. Day two featured a breakfast for luxury Marriott brand sales teams and their corporate accounts at Plateau at JW Marriott Hotel Cairo.

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The morning of day three featured a breakfast for luxury Marriott brand sales teams and their travel agency accounts at “Garden City” restaurant at the Nile Ritz-Carlton. During the evening, general managers and directors of sales and marketing hosted an event for CEOs and general managers of Marriott’s top 20 corporate accounts at Bar’Oro at the Nile Ritz-Carlton.

On day four, Marriott Egypt hosted a spectacular event for all of the corporate and tourism accounts held in the recently opened Cairo Sheraton.

On the last day, Marriott’s sales and marketing associates paid a visit to Abu Al Rish Children’s Hospital to formally hand over funds raised as part of the last “Spirit to Serve” event. p

DESTINATIONS Scenes Scenes

Memphis Reveals

Memphis, Egypt’s first ancient capital, has re cently revealed the acco the “Memphis Site and mplishment of Community Developm ent Project” (MSCD). Th attended by Dr. Khaled e festivity was El-Enany, Minister of An tiquities, Dr. Sahar Na Investment and Interna sr, Minister of tional Cooperation, Th omas Goldberger, U.S. and Kamal Eldaly, Go Ch argé d’Affaires vernor of Giza.

T

he MSCD, first initiated in 2015 as a mutual agreement between Egypt and The United States, connects a number of archeological sites surrounding Memphis’ main Open Air Museum, in which the developmental project was funded by USAID, with a collective cooperation between the Ministry of Antiquities, Ancient Egypt Research Associates (AERA) and the University of York, London.

The project established a field school including inspectors from the Ministry of Antiquities, to receive on site training on cultural heritage management and preservation to enhance Egypt’s heritage and promote tourism. They worked on restoring and documenting the monuments in situ, while developing newly designed signs supporting the visitor route or the so-called “walking

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circuit”, while recounting the stories behind archaeological sites. The project also launched a website called “Memphis Egypt” (memphisegypt.org) that provides detailed information about the site.

The project’s sites include: Ptah Temple West Gate; Apis House; Hathor Temple; Ramses II Chapel; Ramses II Temple; Seti I Chapel and Tombs of the High Priests, which are located outside the open air Museum, on each side of the road. You could freely walk outside and attempt to see through the fences, until they open their doors to the public soon.

The Open Air Museum

On the right, upon entry, you can observe the hard, fine-quality colossal limestone statue of King Ramses II, one of the greatest pharaohs of Egypt, in a building especially made for its preservation. The statue, which originally measured around 13 meters high and weighed approximately 80 tons, is

By Soha Khater

currently missing its feet and base and is unfortunately damaged by water. It shows the king in his regular royal posture wearing the double crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt that are partially destroyed and his body is perfectly shown with detailed muscles and cartouches.

This statue is one of the few that you encounter on the site for Ramses II. Once you exit the building and stroll outside into the museum’s complex, you will find other statues for the same king.

There used to be one that was moved to the railroad station in the fifties and has recently been relocated and positioned at the open court of the New Grand Egyptian Museum near the Pyramids. The existing statue once flanked the entrance portal of the temple of Ptah at Memphis, which was at once a predominant highlight of the city. Ptah was considered one of the great gods of Egypt, a patron deity of artists and craftsmen and also a god associated with the creation of world order.

In the middle of the museum, you will be overwhelmed by a massive alabaster Sphinx weighing roughly 80 tons. Despite its partial deterioration, it is considered as another highlight of the site along with the statue of Ramses II as it is most probably attributed to one of the Kings of the New Kingdom; yet remains obscure due to the lack of detailed inscriptions.

When you stroll around the complex, you can catch a glimpse of other miscellaneous objects ranging from statues, bases of columns and a capital of a column showcasing goddess Hathor – the goddess of joy, love, music, beauty and maternity - in the shape of a human face with the ears of a cow.

Among the collection is the Stelae of Apries erected by this 26th Dynasty pharaoh, which is a huge roundtopped stelae made of whitish–grey Nubian sandstone – measuring over three meters high and 77 centimeters thick. This is regarded as one of the most historically significant monuments in Memphis as it bears a royal decree dedicating certain lands, farms and estates as offerings to the temple of god Ptah at Memphis.

Memphis

The site was chosen by King Menes or Narmer – the first king who unified the two split parts of Upper and Lower Egypt – to be the first historical capital in Egypt due to its strategic location southwest of the apex of the Delta, marking the ancient administrative boundary between Upper and Lower Egypt on the western bank of the Nile; hence a perfect and suitable location for local and foreign trade.

Memphis has been the capital of Egypt since BC 3100 for almost a thousand years, and remained an important and religious center throughout the country's ancient history. Several names have been given to the site, first of which was “Ineb Hedj” or the White Walls representing the wall that surrounded its fortified complex. However, its Greek name Memphis has been derived from “Mennefer”, which means the beautiful monument, referring to the sixth Dynastyold kingdom Pyramid complex of King Pepi I in the nearby vicinity of Saqqara.

Back in history, Memphis used to encompass temples, palaces and other historic monuments, but unfortunately everything was destroyed, usurped or used as quarries with the exception of a few statues and different ruins currently on display in its Open Air Museum. Any records of the site were probably acquired from historical descriptions by classical writers, as well as carvings on different monuments, objects, statuary and blocks of stone.

Lastly, visiting Memphis on your day off is certainly an opportunity that you should not miss, and will unquestionably inspire you to explore more of Egypt’s history and remarkable historical sites. I advise you to take your car one morning and drive to Memphis while enjoying an early breeze. To get there, drive onto Pyramids road, take the exit to Saqqara and drive parallel to the Maryotteya canal for a little more than 20 km until you reach the Saqqara entrance on the right hand side of the road. Keep straight for a few more minutes and then turn left and you will find yourself in Memphis. p

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53

Travel

By Najla Riad

Prague

the city of 100 spires

I

f you are an architect lover you will surely fall in love with Prague, as it is known for its colorful baroque buildings.

It is also known as the city of a hundred spires and for its Old Town Square, the heart of its historic core, with many Gothic churches and the famous medieval Astronomical Clock, which gives an animated hourly show.

When to visit In order to enjoy this beautiful city, it is best to go between the months of May and October.

Where to stay There are a great number of hotels to stay in. During the early spring to late fall, prices may be between EGP 700 per night

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for a quaint inn up to EGP 7,000 or 8,000 in one of the luxurious hotels near the center.

What to do Prague can be a memorable trip if you plan it right. Within the city you can first take one of the city tours that take you around in a bus to get acquainted with the landmarks, or take the Hop-on-Off Bus and browse the most popular historical sites.

There is also a tour combining boat, tram and walking to discover the highlights of the city or the full tour that includes a delicious lunch.

If you are not big on large group tours, here are some of the highlights that you can do on your own:

Prague Castle The castle is the world’s largest medieval castle with its admirable architecture and interiors.

St. George Basilica This is the oldest surviving church inside the Prague Castle. The Baroque façade dates back to the late 17th Century.

The Golden Lane This street takes its name from the goldsmiths that lived there in the 17th Century and consists of small houses painted in bright colors. You can enter several of these houses and experience how people lived during that era. Franz Kafka’s sister used to live in the small blue house.

Boat Trip This is a 40-minute sail on the Vitava River to admire the beautiful buildings of Prague.

Refreshments are served on board.

The Jewish Quarter Walk around the Jewish Quarter to see the old Jewish cemetery, several synagogues, Paris Street, Franz Kafka House and the Jewish town hall and ceremonial hall. jan 2018 | Ct

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Travel

Paris or Parizska Street This is where you will find elegant shops that display the work of top Czech designers and other famous brands. You can also find antique stores and the traditional Czech glass, porcelain and jewelry shops.

Old Town Area Walking through the Old Town is a pleasure of its own with its numerous shops where you can enjoy a great time shopping for anything and everything. You can also stop on the hour to witness the Astronomical Clock. The golden hand indicates three different options of time measurement: Central European time, stellar time and the historic Old Bohemian time and according to this clock you can measure how the sun moves on the horizon and the phases of the moon. The statues along the clock symbolize death and the three deadly vices: vanity - represented by the man with a mirror, evil - Jewish figure, as Jews were thought to be the impersonifications of all evils, and lust - a Turkish merchant. Crowds gather for the show on the hour, when the 12 saints come out one by one.

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Trips outside the City The convenience of Prague is that you can take nearby day tours to several places and return to your comfy hotel at the end of the day.

Bohemian National Park This tour takes you south of Prague into Germany where you will enjoy one of the most beautiful landscapes. Sail on a boat down the river or walk alongside it enjoying the views of the Bastei rock formation.

Dresden Tour Dresden is considered to be one of Germany’s most beautiful cities. You will enjoy the baroque and rococo buildings, the Zwinger Old Masters Gallery, the Royal Palace, the Church of the Virgin Mary and the Blue Wonder Bridge.

Karlovy Vary You can make a full day trip to this worldfamous spa town of Karlovy Vary which includes a delicious lunch to discover the many attractions of the town, such as the Moser glass factory, where beautiful crystalware is made; admire the elegant spa colonnades and fountains and sample some of the reputedly curative waters, light spa wafers and some of Karlovy’s legendary herbal liqueur.

Cuisine Prague is famous for its open-faced sandwiches, the deep fried cheese served with fries or a salad and delicious desserts that include Palacinky, a thin pancake prepared with jam, fruit, cream or nuts and Trdlnik, a rolled pastry served warm and topped with sugar, nuts or cinnamon. You can also take a guided food tasting tour ending in one of the medieval pubs or restaurants for a traditional Czech meal.

what and where to shop Tesco is one of the department stores you should visit where there are about 400 brands under one roof. Other places are the Fashion Arena outlet and the Palladium mall. Of course, Old Town’s quaint boutiques are another delight.

Prague is famous for Garnet, where you can find endless shops selling this semi-precious stone. You should also look for Bohemian glass, marionettes, wooden toys and herbal liqueur.

Nightlife Prague is crawling with pubs, so an evening in one of the traditional bars for a beer and some tapas would be ideal, and an evening of folklore dancing with dinner or a classical music concert in one of the churches should not be missed. p

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MIND, BODY & SOUL

Misconceptions of First Aid

The Dos and Don’ts

F

By Rana Kamaly

eeling helpless in unfortunate situations during which we are eager to help but do not know how to, can be very upsetting.

Recently, a relative of mine experienced a stroke and was not breathing, and while I did not know what to do besides calling an ambulance, someone started massaging her heart and limps and just like magic, she started breathing again.

Most of us have been through situations like this, whether dealing with an accident or simple burns. For me, my immediate reaction was to enroll myself in a basic first aid course, which I would recommend as these basics could help save a life.

From this course, I compiled the first aid dos and don’ts that people should be aware of.

Initial Action

Breathing Difficulty

If you do not know what you are dealing with, then call an ambulance first and make sure you tell them the following and wait for them to finish the call: • Exact address • Number of injuries • What exactly is happening • The cases you have and what has been done to help them

Do ask them if they take any medication when this happens, and if yes, help them reach it or bring it to them. Ask them to find a relaxed position and try to comfort them after calling an ambulance.

Also, make sure that the place you are in is safe for you and the injured person, even if you are at home. Never move them, especially if the accident was critical or if they are suspected to have broken bones.

Choking Don’t place your hands in the mouth to pull out the object, because the jaw is one of the most powerful muscles in our body and if the choker panics, they can easily hurt you or themselves.

Do ask the person to cough hard, and if the object is still not out use the Heimlich maneuver, stand behind them with one leg between theirs and wrap your hands around their stomach or belly button and push back and up.

Repeat this until the object is out. If there is no progress, then immediately take them to the hospital or call an amublance.

If the patient is a baby, then put them upside down on your thigh, face down, and hit them on the back.

Drowning Don’t try to rescue them unless you are trained to do so, instead try to pull them out with a rope or object. Stand firm or hold on to something as they might panic and pull you down.

Do keep them warm when they are out, and if they are not breathing, perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (with a tissue or cloth in between to avoid any contagious illness).

If their heart is not beating, then begin CPR.

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Heart Attack Symptoms include a piercing pain in the chest and surrounding area, pain in one or both arms, shoulders and back, cold sweat or a feeling that they are about to die. If someone is experiencing just one of them, then call an ambulance immediately.

Do try and make them comfortable physically and mentally. If they take any medications for such cases, then help them take it or buy it. If not, then ask them the following: do you have allergy from aspirin? Do you take Antiplatelet drugs or have an ulcer? If the answer is negative to all three questions, then give them two to four children’s aspirins or one adult aspirin.

Fainting Don’t keep them seated with their head up, otherwise they might experience a seizure.

Do help them lie down on the floor or on a bed. If they have to be seated, make them put their head between their legs with their arms stretched out on both sides.

Diabetes If the sugar level fluctuates, patients can experience a change in behavior (anxiety or anger), lack of concentration, headache, weakness and trembling and may faint.

Having a low sugar level is more dangerous, because an increase in sugar happens across days and hours, but a decrease can occur within minutes and can cause death.

Do provide them with 10 to 20 grams of glucose, if available, or anything that contains sugar. The symptoms should fade within 15 minutes, but if it does not, then give them another round.

Don’t provide them with anything if they are not conscious enough to swallow.

If it is a major cut, then ask the patient to keep pressure on it using a piece of clean cloth or gauze, or wear medical gloves and do it for them to avoid any infections. If the bleeding won’t stop, then don’t replace the cloth, but rather add another one on top.

•

Nose bleed: help them bring their head forward, press the nasal holes and tell them to breathe from their mouth.

If the bleeding goes on for over ten minutes, then take them to a hospital.

•

Dislocated Bones: don’t try to reallocate the bone to its former form. Try to provide support to the broken part as is.

•

Spinal cord: call an ambulance and don’t move the person. Even if you are unsure of whether or not they have a spinal injury, do not take the risk. Try to keep them still without moving any body parts, especially the head.

•

Bee bites: try to remove the poison bag that the bee leaves behind with your nails or with a card from downwards to upwards, and don’t pressure the bag so it does not burst inside. Wash the area with water and soap, cover and place ice packs on the area then take them to the hospital.

•

Snake bites: call an ambulance first, then place the injured area somewhere under their heart so that the poison spreads slower. Wash with water and soap while covering it and appl pressure to help keep the infection from spreading. Keep it clean until the ambulance arrives.

Seizure Secure the area, help them lie down and loosen any clothes around the neck until it passes. If they vomit, place their head sideways so that the airway remains unblocked, and of course, call an ambulance.

Burns Don’t use toothpaste, flour, ice etc.

Remove all the jewelry just in case the burned area inflates, place the injury under tap water for around ten minutes and then cover it with Vaseline and gauze or cover it, without direct contact, with a clean tissue to avoid infection. If it is serious, call an ambulance.

Cuts and Injuries For small cuts, maintain pressure on it after you clean it with water and soap, then add an anti-inflammatory such as Betadine before covering it.

General Tips • •

Always make sure that the area is secure.

Don’t make anyy direct contact with an injured person’s blood, unless you are wearing gloves.

•

Don’t attempt mouth-to-mouth resuscitation without a barrier.

•

Sometimes, it is better to not do anything than to make an incorrect move.

•

Do take a first aid course and encourage others to do the same.

•

Make sure to take a course before performing CPR or mouth-to-mouth, or at least watch a professional video. p

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59

Cuisine

Soups to Keep you Warm this Winter Creamy Potato Soup Ingredients: • 6 potatoes, peeled and sliced • 2 carrots, diced • 6 celery sticks, diced • 8 cups water • 1 onion, chopped • 6 tablespoons butter or margarine • 6 tablespoons flour • 1 teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon pepper • 1½ cups milk Directions: • In a large pot, cook potatoes, carrots and celery in water until tender, about 20 minutes.

• • •

• •

Drain, reserving the liquid and setting the vegetables aside.

In the same pot, sauté the onion in butter or margarine until soft.

Stir in the flour, salt and pepper, and then gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thickened.

Gently stir in cooked vegetables.

Add 1 cup or more of reserved cooking liquid until soup is the desired consistency.

Quick Corn Chowder

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Ingredients: • 1 medium onion, chopped • 6 cups fresh or frozen corn, divided • 3 cups chicken broth, divided • ½ cup red pepper, chopped • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed • ½ teaspoon dried thyme • Dash of black pepper • Dash of cayenne pepper

•

Directions: • Coat the bottom of a saucepan with cooking spray.

• Add onion then stir over medium heat until tender, about 4 minutes.

•

• • •

Add 4 cups corn, stirring until the corn is softened, about 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and then cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until corn is tender. Cool slightly.

In a blender or food processor, process the soup in batches until smooth, and then return to the pan.

Add red pepper, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper and the remaining corn and broth, stirring for 10 minutes or until the corn is cooked.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients: • ¼ cup butter, cubed • 1 medium onion, chopped • 2 celery sticks, chopped • 2 medium carrots, chopped • ¾ cup fresh mushrooms, coarsely chopped • 1 garlic clove, minced • ¼ cup flour • 1½ teaspoons dried basil • ½ teaspoon salt • 4 cups chicken broth • 350 grams egg noodles • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken Directions: • Heat butter over medium heat.

• Add onion, celery, carrots and

• • • • • •

mushrooms, and cook while stirring for 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Add garlic, and then cook for 1 minute longer.

Stir in flour, basil and salt until blended, and then gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and then simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Return to a boil and then add the noodles.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Stir in chicken and cook, covered, for 6 to 8 minutes longer or until the noodles are tender.

French Onion Soup Ingredients: • ½ cup unsalted butter • 4 onions, sliced • 2 garlic cloves, chopped • 2 bay leaves • 2 fresh thyme sprigs • Salt and black pepper • 3 heaping tablespoons flour • 9 cups beef broth • 1 baguette, sliced • 250 grams grated Gruyere (or any cheese of your choice)

•

Directions: • Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat.

• Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.

• Add one cup of the broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the onions are dry, about 5 minutes.

•

• •

•

• • •

•

Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir.

Turn the heat down to medium-low so the flour doesn’t burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.

Now add the rest of the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.

Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

When you are ready to eat, preheat the broiler.

Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.

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61

Cuisine

Creamy Broccoli Soup Ingredients: • 2 tablespoons butter • ½ cup heavy cream • 1 onion, chopped • 1 potato, peeled and chopped • Nutmeg, to taste • 6 cups chicken stock, warmed • Salt and pepper • 3 cups chopped broccoli florets and stems Directions: • In a large pot, melt butter and cook the onion until tender

• • • •

• •

over a medium-high heat.

Add the potato and toss to coat it with butter.

Add hot stock and bring to a simmer.

Stir in broccoli and return to a simmer.

When the potato and broccoli are tender, puree in batches in a blender or food processor.

Return to pot and add cream.

Season to taste and serve warm.

Roasted Tomato-Basil Soup Ingredients: • 1 kilogram large tomatoes, halved • 500 grams cherry tomatoes • 4½ tablespoons olive oil • Salt and black pepper • 8 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole • 2 small onions, sliced • 2 cups fresh basil leaves • 4½ cups vegetable broth Directions: • Preheat oven to 200C. • Place tomatoes on a baking sheet and toss with 3 tablespoons of olive oil then season with salt and pepper.

• Place onion slices and garlic on a sheet and brush with remaining olive oil on all sides, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

• Place baking sheet with the tomatoes and the sheet with onions in an oven and roast, leaving the onions for 30 minutes and the tomatoes for 40.

• Peel away any burnt papery layers of the onions if there are any.

• Pull peels from tomatoes.

• Put the onions and tomatoes into a large pot.

• Add 4 cups vegetable broth and the basil.

• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes, adding an additional 1 cup of vegetable broth to thin as desired.

• Blend soup with an immersion blender or in small batches in a blender.

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Sweet Potato Soup Ingredients: • 1 onion, chopped • 1 red pepper, chopped • 2 carrots, chopped • 2 teaspoons canola oil • 1 teaspoon minced ginger • 1 garlic clove, minced • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper • ½ teaspoon ground pepper • 5½ cups chicken broth • 400 grams diced tomatoes • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed • ½ cup creamy peanut butter • 2 teaspoons honey • 4 green onions, chopped Directions: • In a large saucepan, sauté the onion, red pepper and carrots in the oil for 3 minutes.

• Stir in the ginger, garlic, cayenne and pepper, and then cook for 2 minutes longer.

• Add the broth, tomatoes and sweet potato.

• Bring to a boil.

• Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Cool slightly.

• In a blender, cover and process soup in batches until smooth. Return all to the pan and heat through.

• Stir in peanut butter and honey. Cook and stir until peanut butter is melted.

• Garnish with green onions.

Cream of Mushroom Soup Ingredients: • ¼ cup butter • 2½ cups mushrooms, sliced • 1 onion, minced • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 teaspoon dried thyme • 4 cups vegetable stock • ¼ cup heavy cream • Salt and black pepper Directions: • In a large pot, melt the butter.

• Add mushrooms and sauté until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes.

• Season with salt and pepper and remove 1 cup of the mushrooms, reserving them to the side.

• Add onion and garlic to the pot and sauté until fragrant, 1 minute.

• Add thyme and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.

• Cook until mushrooms are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

• Using an immersion blender, or working in batches in a regular blender, puree soup until smooth.

• Return soup to the pot and stir in cream and reserved mushrooms. p

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Cuisine

Sea Salt Bakery:

Flavorful Dairy and Gluten-Free Bites

By Rawan Abdel Latif

W

hile gluten-free and sugar-free food is usually associated with a minimal amount of flavor and variety, this new, cozy bakery in Zamalek proves all those stereotypes incorrect. Sea Salt Bakery is the perfect rendezvous for people meeting for a quick healthy bite and a cup of coffee in the middle of the workday, or with a group of friends for brunch on the weekend.

Not only is this bakery catering to the new gluten-free trend that is now rising in Egypt, it also gives a variety of tasty options to those with gluten or dairy intolerance who have limited places to go to, to fulfill their cravings.

In a modern design, Sea Salt Bakery uses a small space efficiently by opening up a side window for an outdoor bar, as well as placing a mirror inside to make the place feel spacious.

Between the floral display at the entrance and the black and brown wooden interior, the bakery definitely exerts a welcoming, homey atmosphere.

Upon entering, we were greeted by owner and baker Passand El Hammami, who we managed to chat with for a few minutes.

“The idea of being vegan is still challenging,” she mentioned, before continuing on to explain that she was gluten-free prior to opening up this shop. “I make everything myself, right down to the flour. Everything can now be made locally, we do not need to import,” she highlights, emphasizing the fact that she wasn’t worried about there being an industry and a market here in Egypt.

While waiting for our order, we got to admire the hand-drawn diagram that displayed the benefits of certain plant-based

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products on the human body.

We started off by trying the Sea Salt Salad that included avocado, lettuce and apples with a zesty avocado-lime dressing. The sweetness of the apple along with the sourness of the lemon truly made for a refreshing combination.

Then came their Healthiest Burger Ever, which we were all curious about, excited that there might be the option of eating a burger without feeling the guilt later. Indeed, it surpassed our expectations. Even though the patty was perfectly cooked and seasoned with a large array of flavors, what really stood out was the sweet potato fries that accompanied it. As they were baked and not fried, they were the perfect, soft texture and were extremely light. With the skin left on and spices that complimented each other, what pulled all the flavors together was the Catalan (grilled vegetable) dipping sauce.

For dessert, we ordered the Pain Perdu as well as a brownie.

Curious as to how a dessert could taste without dairy or sugar, we were pleasantly surprised.

Although we would have to say that the savory dishes outdid the sweet, the fresh fruits with the Pain Perdu and the nut flavor in the brownie still left us satisfied.

We did manage to try a large variety of dishes, however, the menu included some other great options like pancakes, scrambled eggs, ravioli and pizza as well as hot drinks and juices, among many other pastries and beverages.

The Sea Salt Bakery was definitely a different experience, and knowing that dairy and gluten-free food taste just as good, people will definitely be encouraged to start eating well. p

Opening Hours: Weekdays from 9 am to 7 pm and weekends from 9 am to 9 pm Location: 6 El Mansour Mohamed, Abu Al Feda, Zamalek Telephone: 01093757305 Delivery is offered

Juhayna’s Happy Kitchen

J

uhayna’s newly launched product line “Happy Kitchen” pungently partook the food festival “Cuisine”.

This line entails delightfully unique products which include; cooking cream, sour cream and tomato purée, mainly crafted to indulge consumers.

Nonetheless, the “Cuisine” attendees were coddled with a divine experience from Juhayna’s expert chef, where mouthwatering plates were cooked with their peculiar products!

Reputable Egyptian and foreign chefs embodying 19 countries were present at the festival, presenting various culinary cultures. Representatives all the way from Lebanon, USA, Russia, France, China, India, Mexico and others attended. p

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Cuisine

Kamala Restaurant welcomes Thai Chef Atita Tuparsa and her new Menu Conrad Cairo Hotel held an exclusive dining event at Kamala Restaurant to launch the restaurant’s new menu.

The event was attended by celebrities, influencers and media figures who sampled the new Pan-Asian inspired menu that features different dishes from South-East Asia’s finest destinations prepared by the newly appointed Chef Atita Tuparsa from Thailand.

The Invited guests enjoyed Chef Atita’s latest culinary creations including sushi, noodles, sizzling prawns, Roast Duck Curry, Pad Kapraow Gai, charcoal grills along with

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other Asian dishes full of fresh, aromatic ingredients producing the sweet and sour flavors of the East. In addition to the delicious food, the guests enjoyed a live band, stylish oriental décor and sophisticated mood lighting – all of which make this beautiful Cairo restaurant an outstanding dining spot.

The invited guests were welcomed by Wolfgang Maier, Conrad Cairo’s General Manager and Nevine Nader, Marketing & Communications Manager. p

GROHE Celebrates the launch of the award-winning “Blue Home” GROHE, the World’s leading provider of sanitation fittings, celebrated the launch of its award-winning Blue Home System, which saw more than 60 guests witnessing the creation of cocktails and meals made with a fundamental ingredient – filtered water from a GROHE Blue tap. The event featured an exclusive Live Cooking Show with Celebrity Chef Andrew Mitchell, who highlighted the importance of using fresh filtered water offered by the GROHE Blue to enhance the taste of food and allow natural flavours to shine, untainted by tap water.

The Live Cooking Show demonstrated how the system comprising a kitchen tap and a cooler with an integrated filter and CO2 tank can provide deliciously filtered water drawn directly

from the tap in still, medium or sparkling form. Easy to install, the GROHE Blue Home water system offers pure refreshment at the touch of a button easily installed in all types of kitchens.

Mohamed Ataya, Vice President of GROHE North and West Africa, comments, “GROHE’s product portfolio is continuously getting richer. We are constantly working on optimizing innovations and new solutions to add value to homes and build a greener environment for tomorrow … and in a nutshell, GROHE Blue Home transforms tap water into drinking water, hence providing a healthy and simple alternative to bottled water.”

Plastic or Glass Bottles? Neither! p

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Society Brazilian BBQ “Churrasco” Kitchen Party at Aqua e Luce Aqua e Luce Restaurant at Heliopolis & Towers Hotel invited the city’s key media figures along with Egyptian actors and actresses for an authentic Brazilian experience. Chef Eduardo was pleased to confidently satisfy the guests’ Brazilian food lust.

The Gourmet salad , sushi and cheese bar are not the only intriguing part of the experience, you get to try 11 different juicy meat cuts; tenderloin, filet mignon, top sirloin, short ribs, Alcatra, Picanha, Fraldinha, lamb, Brazilian sausages and much more including special BBQ chicken, shrimps and salmon.

Moreover, Brazil’s traditional exotic drinks and cocktails were being served along with Brazilian live entertainment.

The food choices at Aqua e Luce are capable of bringing you the full Brazilian experience. Join the restaurant every Thursday from 7:00 pm to 11:30 pm, to guarantee that your Brazilian food lust will be satisfied! p

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Hilton Welcomes the New Year Hilton celebrated another year of success in the Egyptian market with its valued media partners.

Wrapping up 2017 in style, Hilton hosted its annual end of year celebration at Conrad Cairo’s contemporary bar and lounge, Stage One. The media were welcomed by Hilton’s senior management team, led by Mohab Ghali, Vice President of Operations for Egypt and North Africa.

The attendees indulged in a wide range of culinary delicacies from the hotel’s top chefs while listening to live music. p

Stadium: Cairo’s Ultimate Destination for Sports & Lifestyle Apparel Stadium touched down in City Stars on December, carrying many of the world’s most esteemed brands, latest drops and hottest styles in performance and lifestyle apparel and footwear; including Reebok, Adidas, Nike, Speedo, Body Sculpture, Livup, Umbro, and more that are sure to up your style game. Stadium looks to empower, inspire and inform shoppers through offering a platform for communities to merge in a motivational environment. It features The Cube, an activation area where customers can train and engage in various types of fitness and lifestyle activities, from yoga classes to nutrition sessions. p jan 2018 | Ct

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Society Second Edition of Jingle Jam This year, Christmas had a different taste!

Attendees witnessed a spectacular Jingle Jam in its second edition and enjoyed the cozy and warm spirit of Christmas, accompanied with carnival games, live entertainment, gift shopping and a delicious food market. This complemented the unique live decoration of the Christmas trees.

This year, “Jingle Jam” Vol. 2 took place at Cairo Festival City’s “The Playground” on the 22nd of December, in partnership with Cairo Festival City.

The event provided sensational performances through more than 45 performers, where Better Life band dazzled the audience with cheerful music suitable for all ages.

There were lots of entertaining and joyful activities including: the Better Life performance, day and night parades, a Christmas shopping bazaar, carnival games, youngsters and kids area, the biggest Christmas tree decorating activation with 30 real giant trees, yummy food court and giveaways and gifts for all!

The flagship brands that presented many surprises, activation and fun included: - Cairo Festival City - Huawei - presented the new “Mate 10 Lite” as the official device for the event - Emirates NBD Bank - the official bank, with lots of charity and CSR through the “Exchangers” - Homeworks - presented a new experience for home improvement and lifestyle - Fit & Fix - spread out free vouchers and free checkups to our Jingle Jam visitors - Special Olympics Egypt - Smash Academy - kept the dynamic mood through several sports and fun activities Kids were thrilled by the play area, where they enjoyed creative activities and fun-filled games, and were inspired by watching Christmas trees getting decorated live!

Jingle Jam Vol. 2 was organized by Phenomena Creative Spot with the cooperation of Nile and Nogoum FM. p

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Society Explore the Excellence of Deutsche Hospitality at Steigenberger El Tahrir Where tradition meets modern elegance, Steigenberger El Tahrir Hotel held a media gathering event to introduce the wonders of the Deutsche hospitality in the heart of Cairo.

Upon arrival at the hotel, the media representatives were greeted by an assortment of Steigenberger Hotel El Tahrir’s management team. The guests enjoyed an exclusive tour of the different services of the hotel and expressed their satisfaction with the facilities and professionalism of the staff.

Located at the very heart of the Egyptian metropolis of Cairo, Steigenberger El Tahrir’s central position makes it the ideal starting point for any kind of activity tourists and business travellers wish to pursue.

The hotel offers its guests 300 exquisitely furnished rooms and suites, all of which are equipped with the very latest technology, five conference rooms and a large banqueting hall with plenty of space for events. There is also a spa, a health and beauty centre and gym complete with a swimming pool. p

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PHASE ONE LAUNCH • Premium location on Road 90, proximate to the New Administrative Capital • Three building types with office areas ranging from 54 sqm to full office building • Underground Parking space that accommodates 4,000 cars