Community Times October Issue 2017

October 2017

Since 1996

In tune wIth the CommunIty SInCe 1996

Graduation Projects:

From Art Psychology to Cancer Therapy

eGyPt’s men in sPace Female solo cyclist to tour eGyPt

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Contents October 2017 TOWN TALK 06

Business 36

Talk of the Town News

Culture 12

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ART –– The Ace of Spades: Exhibiting Human Exploitation –– Crossroad Exhibition –– Tatweer Misr Supports Annual Borollos Symposium

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Business Events and News

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Interviewing Lamia Kamel: CC Plus Managing Director

Cars 52

Destinations

Books –– This Month’s Recommendations –– Egyptian Author Breaks into Fantasy World –– Paul-Gordon’s New Book on Kahlil Gibran

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Events –– Events You Do Not Want to Miss

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FIlm –– October Movie Releases –– Cairo International Film Festival –– “We are the Egyptian Armenians” Screening

Newest Launches

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scenes Sheraton Cairo Reopens after Renovations

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Sheraton Soma Bay Aqua Park

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Travel Exploring the Luxurious Vienna

FEATURES 26

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From Gated City to Gated Communities

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Graduation Projects: Footsteps to a Better Future

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Egypt’s Men in Space

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Community 40

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Cover Credit: © painting by Ahmed Al ansary

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education Malak Zaalouk: First Egyptian Chair of UNESCO for Lifelong Learning

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“Traverse” Summit for Students

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real people Female Solo Cyclist to Tour Egypt

Mind, body & Soul 64

Food and Drink that Help Prevent Breast Cancer

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Understanding Sugar Addictiom

CUISINE 68

Pumpkin Recipes for Every Course

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Brazilian Cusine at Aqua e Luce

SOCIETY 74

Social Events and Gatherings

Editor’s NotE

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

El-Samman – the Interfaith Dialogue Champion

EditoriAl dEPArtMEnt

Egypt has lost a very prominent scholar a couple of months ago – Dr. Ali El-Samman, one of the few left of the respectable in his field.

El-Samman was the President of the International Union for Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue and Peace Education (ADIC) for Europe and Egypt, the Secretary General of the Association for Economic Information “Europe-Egypt” and a freelance journalist with weekly columns in a number of Egyptian newspapers.

During the late nineties, he worked as Vice-President of the Permanent Committee for Al-Azhar for Dialogue with the Monotheistic Religions and Advisor to the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar for Interfaith Dialogue, promoting interfaith education. He was also the President of the Committee for Interfaith Dialogue at the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of Egypt and the Chairman of Nokia Siemens Networks, Egypt.

He held the Insignia of officer of the French National Order of the Legion of Honor in 2012, a Medal from the Archbishop of Canterbury in 2004 for “Successful efforts to promote peace and dialogue among the monotheistic religions.”

He also received a certificate of appreciation from People to People International for “Significant contributions to the promotion of international friendship, and thus advancing the cause of peace in the world” in 2003.

Editor-in-chief Moguib Roshdy Acting Editor Najla Riad Assistant Editor Rawan Abdel Latif

WritErs Basma Mostafa, Enas El Masry, Hania Moheeb, Rana Kamaly and Rehab Saad

Art dEPArtMEnt Art director Khadiga El Badan

senior Graphic designer Marina Raafat

sAlEs dEPArtMEnt sales director Rania Halim

Production MAnAGEr Enas Adly

AdMinistrAtion dEPArtMEnt distribution Manager Rana Ezzat Salem Salem

In 1991, Dr. El-Samman was selected as a member of the International Organization of Achievement Leaders – England.

El-Samman has many studies, researches and writings, as well as many media contributions on political and intellectual issues. He wrote a book titled: “From Revolution to Another: Memoirs of A Good Citizen in the Eras of Nasser, Sadat and Mubarak”. Among his many books, El-Samman partnered with Rabbi David Rosen, a former Chief Rabbi of Ireland, to produce “Three Windows on Heaven”. It compiles Muslim, Christian and Jewish teachings in favor of tolerance.

With all the controversial issues on religions these days, Dr. El-Samman will be missed as a man who advocated for a peaceful interfaith dialogue.

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, Mohandessub

The Editor editor@live-colors.com

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

InterContinental, Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites Cairo Citystars Celebrate IHG Foundation Week InterContinental, Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites Cairo Citystars joined IHG colleagues from all over the world to participate in the IHG Foundation Week, an event that aims to raise awareness and funds for the IHG Foundation.

This year, IHG has encouraged colleagues to participate in as many activities as possible during the week-long event.

InterContinental Hotels Group Cairo Citystars organized various activities to match each employee’s preference; along with some new initiatives to help the environment, such as No Bottled Water Day and No Elevator Day, when employees were asked to refrain from

using plastic disposable bottles for one day to minimize waste and use stairs as a way to minimize power usage and have sufficient physical activity.

Activities also included a blood donation campaign, a race around Citystars complex, healthy walks, a fund raising bazaar, an auction, Zumba classes, healthy meals in the staff cafeterias, different department heads competing in cooking and serving colleagues in the staff cafeterias of each hotel, cooking competitions and going head to head to show serving skills in the infamous waiters race. All these activities aimed to raise funds for IHG Foundation. p

La Trattoria: With the Decade Comes Change Being one of the best authentic Italian restaurants in the heart of Cairo, La Trattoria celebrated their first decade with a total renovation and a new menu created by none other than Chef Augusto Rosati.

Born and raised in Italy, La Trattoria’s new head Chef, Augusto Rosati, has worked all over Europe including Rome, Paris, Nice, Costa Smeralda, Cortina D’ampezzo and Munich. His expertise in traditional Italian as well as international cuisine will bring authenticity and creativity to the new menu, providing an unforgettable experience to guests.

To keep the excitement going, Chef Rosati will present a new menu every quarter, promising to bring a little piece of Italy with every bite. Using the freshest seasonal ingredients, you can taste the authentic, generous and full flavored Italian cuisine.

La Trattoria’s prime location in Zamalek offers easy access to boutiques nearby and the best scenic spots in Cairo. Once you have entered the newly renovated restaurant, you will naturally feel a genuine sense of Italy that is keen to their new look and new feel concept. p

Shell Lubricants Partners with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Shell Lubricants Egypt signed a partnership agreement with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) on September 20th, during the inauguration of Automech Formula 2017 show, which the company co-sponsored for the second year in a row.

The signing took place in Shell Lubricants’ booth at the Cairo International

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Convention Center Nasr City, and was attended by Shell Lubricant’s Managing Director for Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Southern Africa, Nick Chong; Shell Lubricant’s General Manager for the Middle East, Southern Africa and Pakistan, Amr Adel and Shell Egypt’s Managing Director, Saher Hashem as well as Francesco Monaco, Executive Director of FCA. p

Birdcage Awarded 2017 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Semiramis InterContinental Cairo announced that it has received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for the Birdcage restaurant. Now in its fifth year, the award celebrates excellence in hospitality and is given only to establishments that consistently achieve great traveler reviews on TripAdvisor. Certificate of Excellence winners include accommodation, eateries and attractions located all over the world that have continually delivered a superior customer experience.

“Winning the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence is a true source of pride for the entire team at Birdcage, and we would like to thank all of our past guests who took the time to complete a review on TripAdvisor,” said Sameh Sobhy, General Manager, InterContinental Cairo Semiramis. p

IHG Achieves “2017 Aon Global Best Employer” Accreditation by Aon Hewitt IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has announced its “Aon Global Best Employer” accreditation by Aon Hewitt.

The acclaimed accolade comes in the company’s first year of participation in the global survey and is complemented by country-level accreditation in 46 out of the 64 countries assessed by the professional services firm, representing 97 percent of its workforce.

The accreditation is part of the “Aon Best Employer” programme which evaluates an employer’s effectiveness in creating a workplace environment that engages and enables its people to deliver competitive advantage. Assessment is done from survey data collected directly from colleagues based on four indices: Engagement, Leadership, Performance Culture and Employer Brand.

IHG participated in the global survey for the first time this year, contributing more than 126,000 responses from colleagues around the world. The survey results were then benchmarked amongst the industry

by Aon Hewitt to determine whether it qualifies for the “Aon Best Employer” accreditation.

Deborah Woollard, Vice President, Human Resources, Asia, Middle East and Africa, IHG, said, “At IHG we always say our brands represent our promises to our guests, but it is our people who deliver on those promises. To operate in our first year of participation is also a great achievement and we will continue to invest in our people and towards building a great workplace culture across both our corporate offices and our hotels.”

IHG places strong emphasis on growing, developing and retaining its people by creating an inclusive culture where people are encouraged to be true to themselves.

In recent years, the company launched industry-leading programmes to help colleagues grow in their roles and develop

personally and professionally.

These include the IHG Future Leaders programme where young individuals with potential to be leaders are trained to lead a function in the hotel within two years; and the GM Express programme which focuses on accelerating the development of individuals with potential to be a General Manager of a Holiday Inn Express hotel within 18 months.

Amongst the 46 countries IHG achieved country-level accreditation in, more than half sit in the company’s Asia, Middle East and Africa region. p OCT 2017 | Ct

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TownTalk

God Amun’s Goldsmith Tomb Discovered

Hans-Joerg Kreitner General Manager at Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino Hans-Joerg Kreitner brings more than 25 years of hospitality management and operational experience to the hotel. He is responsible for the successful re-launch of the iconic Sheraton Cairo hotel after extensive renovations.

Hans-Joerg began his Marriott career at Le Meridien Damascus as General Manager in 2002, before becoming General Manager of Sheraton Club des Pins (Algiers) in 2006 and later took charge as Area Manager for Algeria. In addition to his base hotel in Algiers, he was also responsible for the Sheraton Oran, the very first international hotel in this secondary city of Algeria.

In 2012 and 2015, he then oversaw the opening of two other hotels in Oran. Kreitner’s strong relationship skills enabled him to initiate growth of the company’s portfolio with the Le Meridien Oran Hotel and Convention Center, the Sheraton Annaba and the Four Points by Sheraton Oran. In 2014, Kreitner’s responsibilities were extended to include the whole of North Africa. His hard work and unwavering determination led to the unprecedented growth of the Starwood portfolio in Algeria.

He moved to Europe briefly in 2016 to join Le Meridien Munich as General Manager, before returning to North Africa in his current capacity as General Manager of Sheraton Cairo. p

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A New Kingdom tomb was discovered belonging to god Amun’s Goldsmith, Amenemhat (Kampp 390) and a burial shaft housing the mummy of a lady and her two children.

The discovery was carried out by an Egyptian archaeological mission led by Dr. Mostafa Waziri, Director General of Luxor, who said that the tomb includes an entrance located in the courtyard of another Middle Kingdom tomb.

The entrance leads to a squared chamber where a niche is found at its end. Inside is a partly damaged duo sandstone statue depicting the tomb’s owner. The statue shows Amenemhat sitting on a high back chair beside his wife who wears a long dress and a wig. Between their legs stands, on a smaller scale, a little figure of one of their sons.

Dr. Waziri pointed out that the tomb has two burial shafts. The first had been dug to bury the mummy of the diseased and his wife and where a collection of mummies, sarcophagi and funerary masks carved in

wood along with a collection of statuettes of the tomb’s owner and his wife were found. The second shaft is where a collection of 21st and 22nd dynasty sarcophagi were discovered but were subjected to deterioration during the Late Period.

In the courtyard, the mission stumbled upon a group of burial shafts which probably date back to the Middle Kingdom. In one of them, the mission unearthed a family burial of a woman and her two children. It includes two wooden coffins and a collection of head rests.

Archaeologist Mohamed Baabash said that during excavations, the mission found several funerary objects, among which are limestone remains of an offering table; 4 wooden sarcophagi partly damaged and decorated with hieroglyphic texts and scenes of different ancient Egyptian deities, and a sandstone duo statue of a trader in king Tuthmose III’s temple named “Mah”. A collection of 150 ushabti figurines carved in faience, wood, burned clay, limestone and mud brick were also unearthed. p

TownTalk

Chief Concierge at Le Meridien Pyramids Joins “Les Clefs D’or”

A Visit to Assiut Heritage Sites Last month, an archeological committee headed by Wagdi Abbas, Deputy of Islamic and Coptic Archeology, visited Assiut in order to inspect a number of historical buildings to find out their significance and register them among Islamic and Coptic heritage.

The committee inspected two churches: “Virgin Mary” and “Tadros Al Meshriqui” in Rifa Monastery village, 11 km from south Assiut, and the “Yousfy” mosque.

Abbas pointed out, as mentioned in the “Khatat” book by Al Makrizi, that the two churches are from the 4th Century.

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He mentioned that in the “Virgin Mary” church there are old manuscripts as well as an icon of Virgin Mary carrying Jesus Christ, and which most probably were there since the church was built.

The committee also inspected the “Yousfy” mosque located near the big “Amawi” mosque. It was pointed out that it was built in the year 1037 Hejra (1618 a.c.) by Youssef Al Quitas.

Other heritage sites that were visited include “Wekalat Lotfy”, “Wekalat Shalaby”, Alexan Palace and “Hammam Thabet” in order to assess their current condition and develop a plan for restoration. p

Reda El Waheed, The Chief Concierge at Le Meridien Pyramids Hotel & Resort and who has been working at the hotel for the past 20 years, became a member of the “Les Clefs D’Or” organization.

“Les Clefs D’or” is an International Association of Hotel Concierges that has been formed under the name Union Internationale Des Concierges d’Hotels (UICH) that includes professional hotel concierge with common interests, goals and a combination of inside information, intelligence and communication.

The association is based on a friendship between members to assist international travellers and tourists.

The purposes of UICH include: to foster the development of the hotel industry and tourism in general through networking with other travel professionals in support of international travel, to establish and promote high professional and ethical standards, to organize meetings and congresses on the international level serving to sustain and propagate the “Les Clefs D’or” ideals and to publish and distribute newsletters and magazines relevant to the professional life of the concierge and to the promotion of the highest standards of service for hotel guests. p

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Culture Art

The Ace of Spades

An Exhibition that Addresses Human Exploitation

“T

he Ace of Spades”, a particular and intriguing title for an art exhibition by Shatha Al-Deghady and Amado Al-Fadni, still needed further elaboration after walking amidst the very expressive figures of the two artists at the Soma Art Gallery.

Consequently, some underground movements started to secretly print aces of spades to complete the card decks without paying taxes, but those who were caught doing this used to face the death sentence, and that is why the Ace of Spades was labeled as the unlucky card,” says Egyptian born Sudanese artist Amado Al-Fadni, commenting on the title of the exhibition.

About the Exhibition

Shatha Al-Deghady was the one behind the idea when she started researching the history of playing cards, learing that the most prominent card crosses roads many times with the theme of the exhibition: it was the card confiscated by the authorities, it was a symbol of death and it also bears the stamp of the manufacturer, which also makes it a symbol of possession. All of this echoes the situation of the unfortunate human beings who have no control over their fate; the ones portrayed in the exhibition.

Al-Deghady and Al-Fadni came up with the idea and developed it together over the past year.

The show that includes several figurative pieces depicting human exploitation over the years like sex slaves and enslaved soldiers is set up in a layout that simulates that of playing cards, recalling the story of the Ace of Spades.

“Playing cards arrived to Europe through the Mamluks of Egypt, hence they relate to the military culture and have had historical connections with wars and armies.

In some countries, buying and playing cards entailed the payment of tax duty, so the government would hold back the Ace of Spades from the deck until it is stamped upon payment of such taxes.

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By Hania Moheeb

Artwork Most of Al-Fadni’s work focuses on enslaved soldiers in regional wars, especially from Sudan where he uses a number of images dating from 1864 to mid-twenties of the

20th Century of Sudanese soldiers in different uniforms of the Egyptian, Turkish, British and German armies. “Those soldiers played different roles, where even the same soldier could be sold from one army to another. I came across the story of a certain soldier who was fighting with the French in Mexico, who then went on to fight with the Ottomans in Greece, then in Jerusalem with the Egyptians and in Sudan with the British, and so he fought with four armies in three different continents. He was practically sold as a weapon, being in the wrong place at the wrong time and constantly being used,” says Al-Fadni.

Floating very lightly on the walls are the elegant female figures of Al-Deghady, who states that eroticism is quite different from pornography. “Through this exhibition, I am attempting to shift the power dynamics: choosing nudes is like a huge statement of not covering our bodies. It is part of the whole concept using the colonial cards.

Here, I am using the erotic cards from the twenties where I am condemning the use of women’s bodies as a commodity.

My works are not about sex, but about sexuality.” According to Al-Deghady, her art is mostly conceptual and this is the first time in four years of exhibiting that she works with nudes.

Near the hall entrance is a large rounded red sculpture that is identified as a magnified red wax seal. This seal is the sign of confiscation or claiming property of a certain object. According to Al-Fadni, both artists at this point claim property of this exhibition hall.

Techniques Used Both artists use the photo transfer technique, which involves transferring photocopied images from paper to other surfaces be it canvas, wood or metal. This gives more room for the artist to alter the image, adding his or her touches of color, sketching or collage, creating a genuine piece of art.

They also use the monoprint technique that is the creation of one specific impression or print of an image, without the possibility of printing several copies, that is usually made from woodcuts or etching.

The issues that both artists tackle in their special exhibition ought to address a larger audience. Al-Fadni speaks enthusiastically about the two years following the revolution when artists were able to do so through numerous outdoor functions and he hopes that this would happen again where artists move out of the walls of galleries.

Artists’ Biographies

Shatha Al-Deghady is a contemporary visual artist born in Cairo, Egypt in 1987.

She graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts (Cairo) from the printable designs division in 2009, and worked as a designer in several fields. Currently, she is an independent visual artist working on studying and experimenting modern art by using different art mediums.

Amado Al-Fadni is an Egyptianborn Sudanese artist. His childhood was influenced by both environments: the Cairene street and the Sudanese home. The relationship, and sometimes tension, between the two strongly influenced his view of both cultures, and this dual perspective led him to create art.

His work discusses the relationship between the included and the excluded, and opens dialogue on issues of identity and politics. By working with forgotten historical events and current state policies, he raises questions of power dynamics between the individual and authority on a social and political level. p

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Culture Art

Crossroad Exhibition by Artist Mohamed Ardash October 1st – 20th Picasso Art Gallery

A

rdash has exhibited collectively since 2004 and had four solo exhibitions since 2005. He has also exhibited in Dubai with paintings of whirling dervishes, a strong symbol of Egyptian culture dating back hundreds of years and has won a photography award from the Youth Salon in Cairo in 1992.

“The complexity of being and interacting is expressed through my art, reflecting my thorough daily observation of people; their facial features and their body language. I am bound by no trend, school or methodology, and I enjoy the unpredictable shifts in my own perception of people and situations brought to surface according to time and place. I simply indulge in momentarily relations with my subjects.” p

Tatweer Misr Signs an Agreement with UNICEF to Support the Annual Borollos Symposium for Drawing on Walls and Boats During October

E

gyptian real estate developer, Tatweer Misr, is continuing its goodwill effort with a focus on art and development in 2017. In its latest CSR project, Tatweer Misr has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UNICEF and Abdel Wahab Foundation.

The foundation will provide alternative solutions for youth at risk of unsafe migration, promoting community cohesion and helping young people and adolescents to become self-employed using artistic and vocational training. The foundation will leverage the International Symposium for Drawing on Walls and Boats held annually in the coastal village of Borollos with renowned Egyptian and international artists from around the globe to provide training to youth and adolescents in Borollos and Baltim. The symposium will take place from October 1st to the 15th.

The artists will be working through the Abdel Wahab Art Foundation, in coordination with UNICEF, the National Coordination Committee on Combating Illegal Migration, the International

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Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports within the framework of Meshwary project. During the symposium, the artists will also interact with families through UNICEF on initiatives related to positive parenting and early childhood development.

The main objective of the Abdel Wahab Foundation is to promote enlightenment and sustainable development through art and culture in deprived communities.

The houses that are being painted in Borollos are owned by people with very

low income or depend on government subsidies.

Through this project, Tatweer Misr is not only offering free painting of buildings and boats, but also transforming the small village into a living gallery where creative pride is demonstrated in finished houses, and painted boats are sold as pieces of art.

The symposium will give the youth of Borollos an opportunity to re-invent themselves and allow professional help in an area of their life which they do not get to nurture often. p

Culture Books

Books to Read this October For all the book lovers out there, we have put together a list of recommended titles to curl up with as the colder weather approaches. From fantasy to tragic comedy, there is a book for everyone to enjoy.

If There’s No Tomorrow

By Jennifer L. Armentrout Lena Wise is always looking forward to tomorrow, especially at the start of her senior year. She is ready to invest time with her friends, to finish college applications and to let her childhood best friend Sebastian know how she really feels. For Lena, the upcoming year is going to be one of opportunities and chances. Until one choice destroys everything.

Now Lena is not looking forward to tomorrow. Not when no one will forgive her for what happened. How can she move on when she and her friends’ entire existences have been redefined and when tomorrow is not even guaranteed?

Girls Made of Snow and Glass

By Melissa Bashardoust Stealing Snow

By Danielle Paige

At sixteen, Mina’s mother is dead, her magician father is vicious and her heart has never beat with love for anyone—or at all, in fact.

Seventeen-year-old Snow has spent her life locked in Whittaker Psychiatric, even though she is not crazy. Worse than that, Bale, her only love, turns violent.

She never guessed that her father cut out her heart and replaced it with one of glass. When she moves to Whitespring Castle and sees its king, Mina forms a plan: win the king’s heart, become queen and finally know love. The only catch is that she has to become a stepmother.

Despite Snow knowing that Bale would never truly hurt her, he is taken away, killing any hope she had for any sort of future in the mental ward. With nowhere else to turn, she finds herself drawn to a strange new orderly who tells her about a mysterious past and a kingdom that is hers for the taking — if only she can find her way past the iron gates.

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Fifteen-year-old Lynet looks just like her late mother, and one day she discovers why: a magician created her out of snow in the dead queen’s image, at her father’s order. However, Lynet would rather be like her fierce stepmother, Mina. When her father makes Lynet queen, displacing Mina, Lynet has to decide how to win her stepmother back or else defeat her once and for all.

Into White

By Randi Pink LaToya Williams lives in Alabama and attends a mostly white high school.

She is so low on the social ladder that even the other black kids disrespect her.

Only her older brother, Alex, believes in her. At least, until a higher power answers her only prayer: to be anything but black. She wakes up with blond hair, blue eyes and white skin.

Her journey of self-discovery takes shocking, and often hilarious, twists and turns into this debut that people are sure to talk about.

As I Descended

By Robin Talley A Shakespeare-inspired novel of revenge and redemption, “As I Descended” tells the story of a school’s power couple Maria Lyon and Lily Boiten, who have one thing standing between them and their perfect future: campus superstar Delilah Dufrey.

The Fever Code

By James Dashner Once there was a world’s end where forests burned, the lakes and rivers dried up and the oceans swelled. Then came a plague, and fever spread across the globe where families died and violence reigned.

Then came Thomas, who built a maze that only he could tear down.

A prequel to the worldwide “Maze Runner” phenomenon, “The Fever Code” is the book that holds all the answers.

How did WICKED find the Gladers?

Who are Group B? Lies will be exposed, secrets will be uncovered and loyalties will be proven.

Golden child Delilah is a legend at exclusive Acheron Academy, but he is unaware that Lily and Maria are willing to do anything to unseat Delilah for the scholarship. Together, Maria and Lily harness the dark power long rumored to be present on the former plantation that houses their school.

When feuds turn to fatalities, the girls must attempt to put a stop to the chilling series of events they have accidentally set in motion.

The Forgetting

By Sharon Cameron Nadia lives in the city of Canaan, where life is safe and structured, hemmed in by white stone walls and no memory of what came before. But every twelve years the city descends into the bloody chaos of the Forgetting, a day of no remorse, when each person’s memories are lost. Unless they have been written.

When Nadia begins to use her memories to solve the mysteries of Canaan, she discovers truths about herself and Gray, the handsome glassblower, which will change her world forever. As the anarchy of the Forgetting approaches, Nadia and Gray must stop an unseen enemy that threatens both their city and their own existence – before the people can forget the truth.

Kids of Appetite

By David Arnold The bestselling author brings us another batch of unforgettable characters in this tragicomedy about first love and devastating loss.

Victor Benucci and Madeline Falco have a story to tell that begins with the death of Vic’s father and ends with the murder of Mad’s uncle. The Hackensack Police Department would very much like to hear it. p OCT 2017 | Ct

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Culture Books

Omar Abdelaziz:

First Egyptian Author to Break into the World of Fantasy

By Basma Mostafa

Having grown up surrounded by tales of children getting sent off to wizard school and several noble houses fighting a civil war over who should be king, Omar Abdelaziz became fascinated with fantasy novels, so fascinated, in fact, that the lines between reality and fantasy became blurred and the characters he read about found their way into his dreams and transformed his sleep into a vivid scene of events.

my control and — by having a will of their own — lived their lives freely in my imagination. Soon, the plot expanded into this huge world with several other characters who shared the spotlight,” Abdelaziz says.

Much like watching a movie, Abdelaziz’s dreams have constructed plots and developed characters. “I first saw the two main characters of my novel, Prince Damien and Lady Maxine, in a dream I had in 2011. They were out celebrating their anniversary in a green meadow somewhere in East Germany when they suddenly saw a little girl running around. Because it did not make sense that such a little girl would be out on her own in such a vast space, they followed her into a cave, soon realizing that the girl was no more than bait used to draw them into an entirely different world,” Abdelaziz recounts.

Why Fantasy?

Having been introduced to the very basic idea of his novel “War of Shadow: The Dark Throne”, Abdelaziz built on his characters and chose a setting for his story. “Not long afterwards, I was rushing to put their lives on paper as those two characters broke free from

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While it may seem that it is usually the writer who crafts the destiny of his characters, they were completely in charge of their own fate in Abdelaziz’s book. “No one can actually believe that I was just rushing to document events that were naturally taking place in my head. A part of my mind was imagining all these scenes and witnessing all these conversations,” he explains.

Growing up, Abdelaziz had read the entire collection of “Harry Potter”, “Lord of the Rings”, “The Hobbit”, “Wheel of Time” and “Game of Thrones”, which hugely influenced his interest and, as the emerging author himself puts it, created an “addiction to” the genre. He found that he was only able to escape the mundane reality of day-to-day routine through the plots, schemes and battles found in the pages of fantasy novels. In that genre, materialism has no place and worlds are instead built with power, love and steadfastness.

“Reading fantasy takes you into a totally different world, one where you can carry a bow and shoot arrows, practice magic and be a wizard; a place that you can be in complete control of,” he adds.

Following the path of “Game of Thrones” and “Lord of the Rings”, the novel is the first of a thrilling trilogy that depicts the struggle between good and evil. It captures how the world of darkness takes over that of light over the course of thousands of years.

easy ride, but the fruits of his labor finally paid off. The novel was released in early June by the Maqam Publishing House, and the second installment is planned to be out in stores in 2019 and the third in 2021.

The novel takes place in “Arkhalia”, a once peaceful, blooming realm that is torn apart when Lord Azarius’ arrogance and abhorrence strips his mind of its defenses, leaving it bare before the evil of Ibliss, who ensnares him. By Ibliss’ evil bidding, Azarius is transformed into a tyrant — a vassal of darkness — whose sole desire is to bring destruction and ruin upon the world.

War of Shadow: The Dark Throne

Furthermore, Abdelaziz joined mixed martial arts (MMA) practice in 2007, an experience that helped acquaint him with real-life feelings of being in a fight. “I have been able to write the battle scenes in my novel as someone who has been there, someone who can vividly describe what it feels like to swing a fist at someone or move their elbow protectively over their face,” he describes.

The Challenges of Being a Writer The journey of creating the novel “War of Shadow: The Dark Throne” took Abdelaziz four years of rigorous and focused writing.

“I have always known that it usually takes an author one to two years to complete a book, but it took me longer as I have a fulltime job as a Logistics Manager and I also teach at a university on Saturdays,” Abdelaziz adds. “I am also a father and a husband, so I always have the challenge of trying to stick to my schedule and learn how to prioritize tasks.”

Abdelaziz would write for two to three hours per day, build up the momentum until he was writing four or five hours, and by the final weeks of completing the novel, he spent 12 hours narrating the destiny of his characters. It may not have always been an

Because he dreams of getting his book in every bookstore overseas, Abdelaziz decided to publish “War of Shadow: The Dark Throne” under the pseudonym “Abba Ryan”.

“Before signing with Maqam, I tried contacting several international publishing houses; however, being an Arab writer based in the Middle East with the name Omar did not benefit me, and I was met with severe rejection from American and British publishers and literary agents. That is when I decided to go with my nickname ‘Abba Ryan’, as people in the West could easily remember a name like that. It also holds a meaning in the Arabic language as ‘the father of Ryan’ (his son),” Abdelaziz explains.

The reader is drawn into the world of “Arkhalia” from the outset by the book cover, which features a human-like figure holding a sword while traces of what seem like an annihilated world is portrayed behind him. Despite his evil facial features, his eyes still look human and one can almost detect a hint of sorrow in his gaze.

“The book cover resembles a human being, who is being ensnared by the ‘darkness’. Essentially, seeds of good and evil are engraved into our souls, yet deciding which will take over the other is the core of human existence,” Abdelaziz concludes.

The novel can be found in Al-Shorouk, Diwan and Alef bookstores. p

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Culture Books

Paul-Gordon Chandler’s New Book In Search of a Prophet: A Spiritual Journey with Kahlil Gibran Now Available for Purchase “A profound spiritual journey into the life and work of the beloved poet, Kahlil Gibran, a much-needed guide for our times.”-Reza Aslan, author of “No god but God and Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth”

Book Overview “In Search of a Prophet” is a fascinating journey through the all-embracing spirituality of Kahlil Gibran, author of the bestselling book “The Prophet”. Capturing our imaginations and enriching our spirits, Paul-Gordon Chandler explores this beloved writer and poet-artist, a mystic who sought to build bridges and tear down walls.

“In Search of a Prophet” is not a traditional biography, but a compelling spiritual journey through Gibran’s writings, art and the places he lived. From his birthplace village high in the snowy mountains of Lebanon, Chandler leads us through his emigration to Boston, art training in Paris, career in New York, and to the far-reaching places of influence his writings and art have traveled.

Delving into passages of some of Gibran’s writings — both famous and lesser-known — Chandler breathes life into this captivating poet who moved beyond religion to the core of universal spirituality and was a unique blend of East and West. His voice is timeless, appealing to the heart and mind, faith and reason; a much-needed guide for our times.

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About the Author Paul-Gordon Chandler, an Episcopal priest, is an interfaith advocate, art curator and social entrepreneur who has lived and worked in the Middle East and North Africa for many years. An authority on the Middle East and on Christian-Muslim relations, he is the Founding President of CARAVAN, an international peace building non-profit that uses the arts to build bridges between the creeds and cultures of the Middle East and the West. He is also the author of “Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road: Exploring a New Path Between Two Faiths” and “Songs in Waiting”.

Available for purchase at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound p

Culture events

EvEnts not to bE MissEd this Month

carmina burana at tHe cairo opera House - main Hall

by Flamenco de madrid company 12tH, 13tH, 15tH, 16tH, 17tH october The dancers of Ballet Flamenco Madrid bring a taste of Spanish tradition to the exciting music of “Carmina Burana”, a choral composition based on medieval poems. Share the thrill of dramatic music and passionate dance.

Hend el FalaFly “eve’s World” exHibition at saFarkHan art gallery 3rd october to 22nd october

Time: 8 pm

El Falafly’s bold and daring work advocates women and gives a voice to the voiceless through expressive body language.

WorksHops at tHe greek campus Writing nuts and bolts 8tH october This one-day workshop hosted by writer Ahmed Mourad will give aspiring writers a chance to further enhance their skills and find out the essentials needed to create a unique piece of work.

introduction to digital cinematograpHy 9tH october

live From tHe metropolitan opera bellini’s norma at tHe cairo opera House - small Hall 7tH october

Ahmed Hussein is presenting a one-day workshop that will provide attendees with an introductory course to creating digital cinematography.

Norma is a tragedia lirica or opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini with libretto by Felice Romani. It was first produced at La Scala in Milan on the 26th of December, 1831.

introduction to Filmmaking 9tH october

The opera is regarded as a leading example of the bel canto genre, and the soprano prayer Casta diva in Act I is justly famous. Notable exponents of the title role in the post-war period have been Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, Montserrat Caballé and, in 2007, Biondi-Minasi’s critical edition based on Bellini’s autograph score, Cecilia Bartoli.

For aspiring directors, this filmmaking course by Dr. Samir Seif will provide them with the foundations needed to begin a career in this field.

Register for the events through E7gezly.

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Time: 7 pm

donIA’s world At cAIro festIVAl cIty 5th to 14th october Egypt’s first musical performance for kids by Donia Samir Ghanem featuring songs from albums, TV shows and movies.

Time: 7 pm

AlexAndrIA operA house 28th october The Hadra ensemble for Sufi songs was founded in 2015 with the aim of preserving the spiritual heritage of Egyptian Sufism. The group includes followers of different Sufi orders.

The group performs the work of poets Mohey Eddin bin Araby, al-Hallag, al-Fared and others.

Time: 8 pm

In the AntIcIpAtIon of A future need to Know – Ash MonIz A VIdeo InstAllAtIon At townhouse fActory 1st october to 1st noVeMber “In the Anticipation of a Future Need to Know” is a fourpart video installation in which artist Ash Moniz recasts the rituals involved in the production of official documents and physical records. In excavating the layers of meaning behind these records, this work exposes the way human conduct - movement, speech and action - is inscribed within the machinery of bureaucratic systems.

The different scenes tell the inter-related stories of a World Bank Loan from 1980, an agreement for a biometric passport, a corporate advertisement for a paper factory and a supply chain scheme.

An orchestrated series of split, decentralized videos plot how a commodity - the physical document - is transformed into a record imbued with meaning. They reflect the transition of manufactured goods into human databases that dictate mobility, identity, nationhood and personhood.

operA lA trAVIAtA MAIn hAll, cAIro operA house 23rd And 24th october La Traviata (The Fallen Woman) is an opera in three acts

by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La Dame aux Camélias (1852), a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas.

The opera was originally titled Violetta, after the main character, and was first performed on the 6th of March, 1853 at the La Fenice opera house in Venice.

Piave and Verdi wanted to follow Dumas in giving the opera a contemporary setting, but the authorities at La Fenice insisted that it be set in the past, “c. 1700”.

It was not until the 1880s that the composer and librettist’s original wishes were carried out and “realistic” productions were staged. p Performed by the Cairo Opera Company.

Time: 8 pm

Presented in an old paper factory, the video installation - in structure and content - dramatizes the corporeal mechanics of logistics, emphasizing the performativity of cogs and their machines.

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Culture Films

This Month’s Movie Releases Renegades • • • • •

Release Date: 11 October Genre: Action, Thriller Director: Steven Quale Cast: J.K. Simmons, Ewen Bremner, Sylvia Hoeks Synopsis: A group of Navy SEALS set up on a mission to try and solve a long-forgotten mystery in the grounds of a war-torn Serbia while they look for treasure in a nearby Bosnian lake.

Blade Runner 2049 • • • • •

Black Butterfly • • • • •

Release Date: 11 October Genre: Thriller Director: Brian Goodman Cast: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Antonio Banderas, Piper Perabo Synopsis: On the outskirts of a mountain town grappling with a series of abductions and murders, Paul, a reclusive writer, struggles to start what he hopes will be a careersaving screenplay. After a tense encounter with a drifter named Jack, Paul offers Jack a place to stay. Soon, the demanding Jack pushes his way into Paul’s work. As a storm cuts off power to the cabin, the two men begin a jagged game that will bring at least one tale to an end.

Geostorm • • • • •

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Release Date: 18 October Genre: Thriller, Fantasy Director: Dean Devlin Cast: Gerard Butler, Katheryn Winnick, Ed Harris Synopsis: After a series of natural disasters threaten the planet, the world’s leaders come together to create satellite networks to control the global climate and keep everyone safe. But something goes wrong: the system built to protect Earth is attacking it, and it becomes a race against the clock to uncover the real threat before a worldwide geostorm wipes out everything and everyone.

Release Date: 5 October Genre: Thriller, Fantasy Director: Denis Villeneuve Cast: Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas Synopsis: A new blade runner for the Los Angeles Police Department, Officer K, reveals a buried secret that has the potential to turn what is left of society into chaos.

His discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard, a former blade runner, who has been missing for 30 years.

Brawl in Cell Block 99 • • • • •

Release Date: 5 October Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller Director: S. Craig Zahler Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Carpenter, Don Johnson Synopsis: A desperate former boxer takes work as a drug courier, and after one of the deals gets deadly, he winds up in a jail where his enemies force him to commit acts of violence.

6 Below: Miracle on the Mountain • • • • •

Release Date: 11 October Genre: Drama, Thriller Director: Scott Waugh Cast: Josh Hartnett, Mira Sorvino, Sarah Dumont Synopsis: Eric LeMarque, Former professional hockey player, finds himself stranded on a mountain during a fierce snowstorm. Coming to terms with his personal demons, he soon rediscovers the power of faith while fighting for survival. p

d Idris Elba Kate Winslet an ing Film of Star in the Open ational Film rn te In o ir a C th 39 Festival

ministration l Film Festival ad na io at rn te In iro The Ca ountain Between the movie “The M at of th d ce un no an ening ceremony ed during the op on e ac pl ke Us” will be screen ta t to of the festival, se Hany the 39th editiston ed by Palestinian ct re di is m fil e Th . t 21 sle r in be W m te ve No tors Ka ing the British ac Abu-Assad, featur and Idris Elba. the ing in Egypt and duled for screen r, be to Oc of ek The film was sche ring the first we du e tim e m sa e tic USA at th stival’s Artis e request of the fe however, upon th if Rizkallah, er Sh f se Critic Yous lm Fi d an th or ct re Di Century Fox Abu-Assad, the 20 with the help of ced the film’s in ine Zend, conv to An er ut ib str Film Di to postpone the uction Company od Pr l na io at rn te In tres until after its ypt’s movie thea distribution in Eg remony. year ’s opening ce screening in this will attend the Hany Abu-Assad The film director a member of the s also chosen as screening, and wa p ry of the festival.

International Ju

Darb 1718 hosts a screening progra m curated by Zawy includes films by a Cinema, which local filmmakers or films that shed issues. Screenin light on local gs are held the la st Sunday of each followed by a Q&A month, and are with the filmmak ers.

“We are the Egy ptian Armenians ” Movie Director: Wahee d Sobhi Year of Producti on: 2016

“We are Egyptian…

Armenians” is a message of toler of the other. It is ance and accept a story about ho ance w people can liv and be part of th e together in harm e same commun ony ity .

It projects Egypt welcomed people at a time when it from all over the world to live, wo culture and expe rk and share their rience with the so ciety they live in of the generation . Through the m of Armenians wh emories o came to Egypt 1915 to the dream after the massacr s of the younger es of generation of toda trajectory of that y we follow the un community. ique The documentary also tells how Eg ypt allowed the Ar their language, cu menians to preser lture and heritag ve e by building their clubs and church own schools, spor es. Furthermore, ting it reveals how th to the Egyptian so e Armenians cont cial and econom ributed ic life and gave al homeland. p l their best to their new Free Entrance 29th October - Su nday - 8:30 PM Running Time: 90 minutes

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FEATURE

FRom GaTEd CiTY To GaTEd CommuniTiEs: EvoluTion oF CaiRo Walls

By Enas El Masry

F

or as long as man has known how to build civilizations, he has erected walls across the world, with the oldest standing proof—the wall of the ancient Sumerian city Uruk—dating back to as far as the 21st century BC. Although those man-made structures have since then served various purposes, one common feature remains the same; a wall will always have two sides whereby a form of authority dictates who is privileged enough to cross to the other side.

From defensive walls with territorial protective features to gated communities and their exclusive luxuries, it is fair to say that walls of all shapes and sizes are a worldwide phenomenon—one that my hometown Cairo has witnessed a clear evolution of over the course of time.

Early Years of Cairo: The Rise and Fall of a City Wall For almost a thousand years, Egypt’s coastal city of Alexandria was the country’s center of administration, and it wasn’t until the Arab conquest of Egypt in 641 AD lead by Amr Ibn al-’As that the administration moved to the vicinity of what is now known as Cairo. After decades of shifting sovereignty, the new caliphal center was overtaken by the Fatimids in the year 969 under the command of al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah, who later gave it its modern name al-Qahira (meaning The Victorious), or Cairo.

Shortly into the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt, Amr Ibn al-’As commanded his general Jawhar as-Siqilly to start building a wall around the new imperial city which was home to aweinspiring mansions and breath-taking gardens. Although the city wall—which was completed in 971—clearly had a defensive purpose, al-Qahira remained exclusive to the ruling elite, their staff and the army, whereby everyone else who was employed within the city walls had to return to al-Fustat—a previous center of administration and a satellite city right next to al-Qahira—at the end of the day.

While al-Qahira remained the exclusive ruling center of Egypt, al-Fustat flourished as a metropolis where economic prosperity was recognized by some of the most prominent historians of the era. Although the populous metropolis had already begun suffering from its quick expansion, the downward curve soon turned into a fatal plunge after famine, plague and natural disasters took their toll on the satellite city. All the while as al-Fustat faced its near doom, Fatimid Cairo was safe-kept within its city walls.

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AyyUBID CIty WAll

Responding to the new situation that arised in al-Fustat, the Fatimid vizier for the first time since the birth of Cairo allowed rich merchants to move to the once exclusive city, which gave way for new markets to form within the city walls.

However, it wasn’t until the rule of Salah al-Din — declared Sultan of Egypt in 1171 — that al-Qahira and al-Fustat were united as one city which no longer shunned anyone. Now that the city was open to everyone, a new wave of social diversity and cohesion gave life and flavor to Cairo. With a bigger city at hand, Salah al-Din saw the importance of engulfing it in a new set of walls to secure and redefine the city’s growing boundaries, a plan that never materialized due to his death after which construction was never resumed.

Almost a thousand years later, the Citadel, which bears Salah al-Din’s name, remains among the most remarkable structures of his era—a grand, fortified structure which not only protected the city from invaders, but also served as the Egyptian government’s headquarters.

Such growing sentiments towards the dreamlike gated communities were easily further entrenched by the constant display of media content warning against the growing insecurity on the streets and the many dangers to take precautions against

AyyubID CITy WALL Although modern Islamic Cairo is no longer considered the city center, it is still one of the most populous and culturally vibrant neighborhoods of Cairo where wafts of history are eminent around each corner and behind each wall.

modern Cairo, Gated Communities and the Promise of a Better life In the millennium since Cairo was founded, it has exponentially grown into a mega-city that encompasses three primary governorates—Cairo, Giza and Qalyoubia—with rapidly growing population that amounted to an astounding 23 million in May 2017 according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization (CAPMAS).

Decades of centralization have rendered Cairo not only the epicenter of many track-altering events in the country and the region, but a desirable haven for many aspiring youth as well.

Along with the influx of opportunity seekers, the city grew remarkably diverse and multifaceted, but also more complex—a wave of unplanned and unguided complexity that gave rise to new forms of disparity.

Despite the differences which permeate the city, the revolution in 2011 witnessed a flood of diverse masses across the country take over many public spaces side-by-side to reshape their country’s political future. Only six years later, the once-united masses are again divided by the ever growing walls of Cairo, devised by the many faces of authority, fragmenting whatever fabric is left of society.

Although the aftermath of the revolution was tainted in growing economic challenges, the real estate market maintained steady growth unlike many other markets which have fluctuated greatly.

The growing need for real estate development is fathomable given the high number of annual marriages—which amounts to 969,399 across Egypt, and 155,199 in Cairo alone (CAPMAS, 2015)— but what raises both questions and eyebrows is the inexplicable boom of gated communities, a trend that takes root in the mid-90s and has seen unparalleled growth in the past decade.

CAIrO TrAFFIC Lining the main roads and highways of Cairo, endless billboards display images of what seems to be a dream life rather than a residential space, a promise that is echoed over and over again across print, TV, radio and the internet. Fed up with the over-crowded, noisy and polluted neighborhoods of the populous capital city, the turn of the millennium saw a rising interest in many of the gated communities growing along the outskirts of the city, a trend that remains particularly popular among the affluent and middle classes.

Instead of solely selling housing units in quiet, aesthetic gated communities, the real estate developers soon started selling safety which they claim lies solely within guarded walls and away from the hotspots of any political tension.

With memories of unrest from the revolution and the years to follow still in wet paint, personal security soon became the prime priority of the market.

Such growing sentiments towards the dreamlike gated communities were easily further entrenched by the constant display of media content warning against the growing insecurity on the streets and the many dangers to take precautions against.

Primarily driven by sales targets, the tonality and direction of such advertisements influenced far more than the market share. The promotion of private gated communities soon took a toll on the social cohesion of the Cairene community—a point real estate developers did not stop at.

Already sold at very high prices that only a minority of the society could afford, some gated communities went as far as including the potential owners’ fashion and lifestyles to

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FEATURE

Image Source: http://renchispace.com/index.php/2015/10/17/fifth-post/

the aesthetic elements of the community. While many stories narrating this degrading trend spread across social media and through word of mouth, TV advertisements showed no interest to hide the increasingly candid classism upon which some of the gated communities are built.

From Physical to Mental: The Psychological Effect of Walls At face value, walls are physical structures that define borders and limit access. However, upon closer inspection, a wall is a manifestation of much more than meets the eye. Similar to an iceberg, wherever a physical wall is erected, a corresponding wall grows mentally, reshaping how people perceive their society and redefining the boundaries they draw around themselves.

GATED COmmuniTiES in 6TH OF OCTObEr

“Like marginalities, fears define borders,” writes Eric Denis in his 2006 research on Cairo’s gated communities entitled “From Walled City to Gated Communities”. “These [new urban] policies separate and establish a hierarchy well beyond that which a simple functionalist perspective would require.”

While walls may breed sentiments that were not present before, they also legitimize and instill others which would have otherwise been kept in the shadows, accentuating the differences between people and creating a clear line that defines “us” and “them”.

On one side of the wall, people live in fear of what lies outside, equating it to disorder and chaos, or simply life standards that are not high enough for their own taste. On the other side though, curiosity rises about all that the wall conceals—a valuable asset, no doubt, that requires such amount of protection. As this game of teasing carries on, those who have been walled off begin to do whatever it takes just to get a taste of the exclusive luxuries that lie behind the wall.

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EL rEHAb CiTy GATE

“Like marginalities, fears define borders,” writes Eric Denis ... These [new urban] policies separate and establish a hierarchy well beyond that which a simple functionalist perspective would require It is argued that while gated communities are sold as the ultimate solution to the risks many people take refuge from, they do in fact contribute greatly to the very existence of such risks. “[Egypt’s gated communities] generate by their very presence many profound forms of social risk, fragilization and general vulnerability that all the physical and discursive ramparts of neo-liberal geography and luxury housing would like to block out,” Denis writes in his research conclusion. “Walled communities realize, in fact, the national fragility and produce the generalized social risk they claim to secure against.”

THE WallED Off HOTEl INTErIOr

The Many Faces of Artfully Shaming Walls Despite the various axes of academic interest which discuss the different natures of walls and their effects on social cohesion, the topic remains neglected on the most part, garnering very little attention in the public spheres of discussion. Meanwhile, various artists around the world have taken matters into their own hands, voicing their utter frustration at walls, especially those of clear political nature, and driving attention to what the media continues to turn a blind eye to.

In times of political unrest in Egypt and the times to follow, the cement walls that were built within the vicinity of Cairo’s Tahrir Square were often the center of attention, inspiring both musicians and graffiti artists alike. While Youssra el-Hawary brought the sarcastic lyrics of Walid Taher to life through her mellow vocals and accordion, many graffiti artists turned the scorned walls themselves into canvases, using them to revolt against the status quo through art.

Some of the most prominent graffiti artists of the time include Ganzeer, Sad Panda and Keizer.

Similarly, the world renowned graffiti artist Banksy continues to make unexpected appearances around the world, leaving intriguing stencil art that encapsulates the ugly truth of modern governments. Banksy has for long

THE WallED Off HOTEl ExTErIOr been an active advocate of the Palestinian case which took him all the way to the West Bank where he left some of his iconic work, reminding the whole world of the longstanding case.

In his latest move of artistic advocacy, Banksy announced the opening of the Walled-Off Hotel, which he says has “the worst view of any hotel in the world.” Situated in Bethlehem right across the wall separating Palestine and Israel, the hotel gets no more than 25 minutes of direct sunlight per day and hosts an array of the artist’s artwork depicting the daily struggles and suffering of Palestinians behind the wall.

No matter when or where walls are built, they are eventually vanquished or torn down, an inevitable conclusion that history has narrated time and time again. While some physical walls may no longer exist, the mental walls that grow along with them continue to live on for much longer, causing huge tears in the fabrics of local and international communities whence much of the violence, discrepancy and misunderstanding grow—a narrative that the Berlin wall attests to.

Walls are walls regardless of their purpose or size; once they are complete, they influence everyone around them for far longer than many people expect. If we truly have any hope for peace getting a chance at healing the many faces of tragedy in this world, we need to be more mindful of the walls that we build and take responsibility for them—if not as governments, then at least as individuals. p

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FEATURE

Graduation Projects: Footsteps to a Better Future

By Rehab Saad

A few years ago, the government presented a new educational curriculum based on interactive learning, workshops and projects that empowered students and helped in generating highly qualified youth who are capable of entering both the local and international labor market.

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D

espite the ongoing challenges that educational entities have faced in the past that hindered their development, it is evident that Egypt is overwhelmed with talented youth in all fields, whether science, engineering, art or media.

Support from the state has been seen towards significant scientific projects. The Academy of Scientific Research and Technology allocated an amount of 228,070 EGP to fund the best nine graduation projects presented by Minya University students, where the selected projects were all related to solar energy and nanotechnology with its various applications.

World of Science “Break in Point” Project The “Break In Point” is a robotic project that was ranked seventh among 18 teams from various public and private universities in a competition organized by the Faculty of Military Art for UGVC Robotics.

The robot was designed by a team from the Faculty of Engineering of Mansoura University, who designed and implemented a solar powered robot capable of moving on rugged and rocky territory.

“Our main concern was the handicapped community. We wanted to do something to help them earn their living. The robot carries out the maintenance of equipment and is controlled by cameras within one kilometer, and it is also capable of performing the same human hand movements,” says Mahmoud, one of the team members.

Nanotechnology for Cancer Therapy Egypt was gifted the honor of scientific excellence when the Egyptian student Nancy Tawfiq from the Faculty of Biotechnology at the Modern Science and Arts University was selected as one of the top ten students to participate in the Conference of Young Scientists in Paris.

“I was ecstatic when I was selected along with two other students to continue our graduation projects abroad for three months. I felt that this was the first step towards success,” she said. “I felt so honored and proud of my country when it was selected as one of the best worldwide,” she continues.

The main idea of the project is to use nanotechnology for cancer therapy. We were a team of three, however, my part was based on the development of smart materials using nanotechnology in connection with cancer cell therapy .... I deeply grieved for the loss of my friend’s mother, which motivated me to find a way”

“The main idea of the project is to use nanotechnology for cancer therapy. We were a team of three, however, my part was based on the development of smart materials using nanotechnology in connection with cancer cell therapy to solely target infected cells without affecting other healthy ones, in order to reduce the consequential symptoms related to treating cancer patients like hair loss and fatigue,” explains Tawfiq. “I deeply grieved for the loss of my friend’s mother, which motivated me to find a way for cancer therapy without the pain that comes with treatment,” she mentions.

Tawfiq was honored by Dr. Nawal el Degwui, President of the Board of Trustees, and Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, the Minister of Higher Education, who both felt that she will change the history of cancer in Egypt. As a gesture of state support to distinguished students, the Minister of Higher Education gave her a scholarship to any country of her choice as well as to be appointed in any oncology hospital she wishes to be a part of.

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FEATURE World of ArT Moving from the world of science and pragmatism to the world of imagination and visual creations, we met many talented students in the Faculty of Fine Arts.

“Aphrodite” Project An oil painting that embodies five beautiful young ladies grabbed our attention as the artist succeeded to personify each character.

“The period given to all graduation projects was 30 days during the month of Ramadan, so I was working around 12 hours per day,” says artist Ehab Ezzo. “A lot of preparation goes into these paintings. Firstly, I had to select my models who were actually my colleagues. Secondly, we had to determine their pose and their clothing, as well as take photos and then put them on a sketch and start painting,” he explains.

I am mainly concerned about beauty and I was keen to choose distinguished ladies, each with their own personality, complexion and skin color” “The project is called ‘Aphrodite’, after the goddess of beauty mentioned in Greek history. I am mainly concerned about beauty and I was keen to choose distinguished ladies, each with their own personality, complexion and skin color. I intended to show grievance and wandering in their look, which represents my status at that time. I am planning to display my project at the Mahmoud Mokhtar exhibition,” he continues.

Ezzo participated in a lot of competitions and has always been encouraged by his school to develop his talent. “When I was in primary, I was awarded a prize in a competition organized by UNESCO and the Egyptian Ministry of Education,” he says.

As for his future ambitions, Ezzo concludes, “I have been working as a freelance decoration engineer, and I have pages on social media that present my artwork. I have also participated in several exhibitions inside and outside of the university, so I am planning to develop the private business which I have already started.”

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“El Khanka” Project Ahmed Al Ansary’s masterpiece was ranked first in the oil painting division. His passion towards art started since he was a child, as he was inspired by his siblings whom, along with his school teachers, helped and encouraged him to develop his skills.

“All the subjects we studied were beneficial, for example, the sculpting class taught us how to deal with both flat shapes and 3D. From the anatomy course, we learned the shape of muscles upon contraction and expansion, the various proportions and sizes as well as in drawing the lines and the complexion of the face when we show emotion,” explains Ansary.

When asked whether the faculty of Arts shows any restrictions when it comes to what artists paint, he says, “We are free to choose any idea we like, where the faculty’s main role is to supervise our projects on a daily basis, and provide us with some remarks. Moreover, they give us the chance to present our graduation projects in exhibitions, giving us more exposure.”

“As for the idea of the project, I believe in the theory that says that every person has some sort of inner madness, and if the level of madness exceeds a specific percentage, the person becomes abnormal or insane. I visualized the mental hospital in my project as if it is the world we live in, where the doctor looks crazy, while the person in a wheel chair, though paralyzed, is the only normal person among them. I have also added many unrelated objects like placing on the table a plate of rotten fish and oranges, newspapers and wine emphasizing the message that we are living in an irrational world, and the best achievement for a person is to remain rational and well-balanced,” he continues.

Ansary participated in many art exhibitions, like the 27th Youth Salon Exhibition – Ebda3 El Shareka. He also worked as a designer in a textile and carpet factories, as well as creating wall and ceiling paintings for different buildings.

“I believe that there are vast employment opportunities in the market, yet my ambition is to paint with my hands and grow my academic career,” he concludes.

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FEATURE

“Noah’s Ship” Project Another outstanding oil piece of art titled “Noah’s Ship” by artist Radwa Atwa highlights the idea of “a new beginning” in a very creative way. Atwa believes that art is important in all fields, especially engineering. She also enjoyed studying anatomy, where her passion was reflected in her creative stereogram painting of animals.

“The idea of the project is based on my own imagination and is not derived from any other source. I wanted to stray away from ideas related to psychological problems like loneliness and isolation, so I decided to introduce the theme “A New Beginning”, explains Atwa.

“The end of any evil deed or corruption can be seen as a new beginning, and every difficult situation that any person passes through must end one day. That is why I have placed all animals in a ship that is symbolic to the people who survived in the real story of Noah’s Ark, which showed that kindness and good pervail,” she continues.

Atwa has a lot of ambitions for her future. “I am already working in a newspaper, but I am looking forward to establishing my own gallery where I can present my own artwork,” she concludes.

A Project Comparing Civilizations Moving from oil paintings to the world of sculptors, Menna Ahmed created a project that focused on the Indian culture compared to that of the Pharaohs, emphasizing that those civilizations were based on meditation and science. “Both cultures are fervent for hunting yet respecting animals, for example, the high value of bears and their spiritual meanings is present in both cultures,” she explains.

“After sketching the idea, I have to make a wire mesh which takes around a week before forming the paste and spraying it with water, and then adding polyester or gypsum casting,” continues Ahmed.

“I realized that sculpturing was the course I enjoyed most at an early age as it enhanced my observation skills, allowing me to feel the shape, lines and size of each object I create. Moreover, I was able to improve my creativity and I realized the value of scientific research in the art of sculpture,” the young sculptor mentions.

When asked about the evaluation process, she comments, “The committee included around 20 professors from different art faculties in Egypt, where each one evaluated the projects separately, therefore, decisions were taken separately, eliminating any chance of bias.”

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“Alexandria Bibliotheca Planetarium” Project The art of stained glass requires patience, accuracy and an artistic skill to visualize an appropriate design, as well as engineering knowledge to assemble the pieces together and fit them into the designed space. We met with Moshera Al Mahdy to find out more about this art, which she used in her project “Alexandria Bibliotheca Planetarium” that revolves around horoscopes.

“There is a lot of pre-work that should be done before implementation, like drafting several patterns and sketches in order to ensure that each piece fits together.

I chose to use horoscopes as I read a lot about them, and in the project, I created a new symbol for each – for example, a girl pouring water out of a pot represents Aquarius, and at the same time, two fish are coming out of it, which symbolizes Pisces,” she explains.

“Actually, using stained glass in the project took a lot of time and effort, as I have to craft the colored glass into the stained glass in which small pieces are arranged to form the pattern I designed on a sketch, and then the colored glass is held together with strips of lead and supported by a rigid frame,” she concludes.

World of Media and CoMMuniCations Going deeper into the world of artistic creations, we have chosen the Faculty of Mass Communication at Misr International University as one of the examples for a unique educational system provided by highly qualified professors and experts.

A Short Movie on Psychological Illnesses Engy Magdy, who graduated this year from the Radio and TV Department, was determined to apply to this field as she believes that it is a chance to be in direct interaction with people.

“Disturbance”, the title of Madgy’s short Arabic film, holds more than one meaning – “It was difficult to find a creative idea that can be reflected in ten minutes. The film talks about newly married couples where one of the husbands suffers from a split personality as well as an addiction to drugs, but he is unconscious of his illness,” she explains.

The main message was to show the consequences of drugs that can destroy a whole family, as well as shedding light on the difference between having a “split personality” and Schizophrenia. The film ends with a scene of the wife leaving home at the same moment as the drugs dealer and her husband arrive to find a knife full of blood. The end was left open to interpretation.

“Some of the challenges I came across included deciding whether to cast famous or amateur actors. Due to my tight schedule, I decided to get an amateur but talented group, then the next obstacle was finding appropriate shooting locations,” Magdy mentions.

When asked about any restrictions that are placed upon them, she mentions that the students are only not allowed to talk about gays or homosexuals.

“I believe that entering the media labor market is difficult, where having contacts and building up a strong network is essential. We have gained many skills and knowledge in all related fields like script writing, research, magazine design, video editing and directing, as well as experience from the evaluation of our graduation projects and films. These are all assets that can open up opportunities for us,” she says.

At the end of our tour, we discovered that universities in Egypt, whether public or private, include a full generation of young scientists, intellectuals and inventors who deserve more attention, support and guidance to allow them to implement these projects in the market and enable them to develop and contribute to the society. p

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FEATURE

Egypt’s Men in Space

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By Enas el Masry

or as far back as man can remember, humanity has been a race – a race towards new frontiers, but also towards marking territories. In the last century, the world stood witness to the clash of many powers, on top of which being the American and Soviet (now Russian), whose feud, despite toxic, paved the way for some advances for humanity.

Although such achievements were celebrated as leaps for humanity, history will forever remember who actually made them happen. Besides the space giants who led the race, the space industry today witnesses an evergrowing interest in becoming part of the space league. Among the countries that are growing as recognizable players on the field are China, several European countries such as Holland, as well as some developing countries such as India.

Among the many arenas within which the two powers duelled was space, which they not only hoped to reach, but to conquer as well. The Space Race that spanned the late 50s and 60s was marked by two prominent feats: sending the Russian Yuri Gagarin into space in 1961, and eight years later in 1969, putting the Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon.

The inevitable question remains, where does Egypt lie on the space spectrum?

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Despite Egypt’s obvious distance from the space industry, it has, as a matter of fact, introduced many scientists throughout history whose theories, instruments, and even false conclusions, were stepping stones for what led humanity to what it knows about space today.

The extent to which they turned to the stars for knowledge and wisdom clearly manifests in the positioning of almost all of their grand structures, their alignment with the sun and stars and the directions they face

Space in Ancient Egypt Similar to many ancient civilizations, ancient Egyptians were greatly preoccupied with outer space and the mysteries it holds. The extent to which they turned to the stars for knowledge and wisdom clearly manifests in the positioning of almost all of their grand structures, their alignment with the sun and stars and the directions they face.

According to historical records that date back to the third millennium BC, a tablet from the reign of Djer, a First-Dynasty pharaoh, describes how the heliacal rising of Sirius (a binary star system) marked the beginning of the Nile flooding. This ultimately led to the creation of the Egyptian solar calendar – one of the world’s oldest.

The Egyptian solar year consisted of 12 months that comprised three seasons of 30-day four months each. To round up the total number of days to 365, the calendar included an extra intercalary month of five days at the end of the year.

One millennium later, as the ancient Egyptian astronomers continued to observe the heavens above, they not only recorded seeing Mars in the second millennium BC, but went on to give it an identity that was known as Horus of the Horizon, and later changed to Her Deshur (or Horus the Red).

Space in Roman Egypt Shortly after the fall of the Ptolemaic era and the rise of the Roman rule in Egypt, Alexandria flourished as one of the beacons of knowledge and enlightenment for the region and the world. During the 2nd century CE, Alexandria was home to one of the most prominent Greco-Egyptian astronomers, mathematicians and geographers, Claudius Ptolemaeus, or simply Ptolemy.

Although he wrote several treatises, his fame stems from what is regarded as his most prominent astronomical piece of work, “Almagest”.

Completed in 150 CE, “Almagest” includes the fruits of Ptolemy’s observations that span quarter a century, where he explains stellar motions and planetary paths. Although his scientific texts remained influential for a long time, the most controversial of his theories was the Ptolemaic system, which proposed a geo-centric model for the universe, hypothesizing that Earth lies at the centre of our solar system.

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FEATURE Space in Islamic Egypt A few centuries after Alexandria’s rise to centre-stage intellectual prominence, Al-Fustat (or Cairo as we know it today) became one of the Islamic Golden Era’s scholar focal-points and enlightenment epicentres, which, similar to its harbour counterpart, presented Egypt and the world with many thinkers who altered the tracks of philosophy and science.

Born to a reputed family of scholars in the mid-10th century, Ibn Yunus al-Sadafi al-Misri was an Egyptian astronomer and mathematician whose works were revered for being ahead of their time. Based on meticulous calculations and attention to detail, Ibn Yunus was famous for his predictions that include 40 planetary conjunctions, and 30 lunar eclipses. Due to the great accuracy of his work, it remained a trusted reference for many years to follow To honour his contributions to science and space, the Ibn Yunus Moon crater was named after him.

Shortly after Ibn Yunus’s rise as a scholar, Abu’l Hassan Ali Ibn Ridwan al-Misri was born in 988 to succeed the former as a keen observer of the heavens above. Recognized as a physician, astronomer and astrologer, Ibn Ridwan’s most valued contribution is his detailed record of the supernova which took place in the year 1006 – commonly referred to as SN 1006 – one of history’s brightest stellar events.

Three centuries later in Cairo, circa 1330, a new Egyptian name was scribed in the history of space when Najm al-Din al-Misri wrote his treatise describing over 100 scientific, mathematical and astronomical instruments, many of which he had invented himself.

Space scientist Dr. Farouk al-Baz has come to be associated to numerous scholarly achievements and hands-on contributions to major space projects, such as the NASA Apollo Program 38

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Space in Modern Egypt Considered to be one of the very few Egyptians who are not only recognized, but highly esteemed as well in the modern space industry, space scientist Dr. Farouk al-Baz has come to be associated to numerous scholarly achievements and hands-on contributions to major space projects, such as the NASA Apollo Program.

During the Apollo years between 1967 and 1972, Dr. al-Baz assisted in the planning of scientific exploration of the moon, including a selection of landing sites for Apollo missions and the training of astronauts in lunar observations and photography.

After NASA’s success in putting a man on the moon, the 1970s defined humanity’s next frontier in space: shooting farther beyond our atmosphere to our next intragalactic neighbour: Mars.

Standing at the forefront of what the space industry is all about today, NASA JPL scientist Dr. Essam Heggy, who earned his PhD in astronomy

and planetary science in 2002 with distinguished honours from Sorbonne University, is celebrated for his extensive work on the Mars exploration projects, as well as the Rosetta Mission.

On the Rosetta Mission, Egypt made another appearance on the space arena at the hands of Mohamed Ramy el-Maarry, former planetary scientist at the University of Bern, and current scientist at the Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics.

Today, many young Egyptians are out there carving Egypt’s name on the space frontier though various, world-renowned projects, such as Project PoSSUM, which includes citizen-scientist astronaut candidates Abdelraouf al-Waqad (aerospace engineering student at EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University), Ahmed Farid (space ground controllers at the German Space Operations Centre, and co-chairman of the African group at the International Astronautical Federation), Akram Amin (aerospace engineer at the German Aerospace Centre), Omar Samra (future astronaut with XCOR Aerospace,

citizen-scientist astronaut candidate at PHEnOM, and member of Citizen Science Association for space science) and last but not least, Sherief Sharaf (aeronautics science student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University).

Other Egyptians reshaping the space industry today are Mohammed Sallam (the only Egyptian and Arab astronaut candidate for the Mars One project, and national point of contact for Egypt at the Space-Generation Advisory Council ‘SGAC’), Amr Abdelwahab (consultant at the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, and president of the Astronomical Society of Mustafa Mahmoud mosque) and Hamed Gamal (chapter head at the Mars Society, Egyptian chapter regional coordinator for the Middle East at Space SGAC, and former project manager at Space Systems Tech Lab ‘SSTL’).

As the space industry continues to grow, will we be able to help more Egyptians participate in the Space Race? Maybe even send our first Egyptian out into space? Only time will tell. p

Today, many young Egyptians are out there carving Egypt’s name on the space frontier though various, worldrenowned projects, such as Project PoSSUM

DR. FAROUk AL-BAz OCT sep 2017 | Ct

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COMMUNITY Education

AUC PROFESSOR MALAK ZAALOUK: FIRST EGYPTIAN CHAIR OF UNESCO

INSTITUTE FOR

LIFELONG LEARNING Malak Zaalouk, professor of practice and director of the Middle East Institute for Higher Education (MEIHE) at the Graduate School of Education, The American University in Cairo, was recently named chairperson of UNESCO’s Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), making her the first Egyptian to be elected to this post.

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board member of UIL since 2012, Zaalouk is also the first Egyptian woman to serve on this governing board.

Stationed in Hamburg, UIL is a leading institution in promoting the philosophy of lifelong learning. It has three areas of interest: adult education, literacy and basic skills. “UIL is strong on research and very strong on policy,” she said.

“It is really upstream, so it supports governments and helps them figure out which policies they need to implement lifelong learning in nation states.”

Zaalouk’s new post comes after a lengthy journey in the field of education and empowerment through lifelong learning. After receiving her BA in political science and MA in sociology, both from AUC, she earned her PhD in social anthropology from Hull University. She also holds a diploma in educational planning from the International Institute of Educational Planning in Paris. In addition, she worked on several education councils, such as the Global Monitoring Report, the Girls’ Advisory Council and Egypt’s Presidential Specialized Council for Education and Scientific Research.

Over the years, UIL has gained itself a reputable standing in terms of fundraising and is in charge of one of the most valued periodicals in education, the International Review in Education, where Zaalouk also serves as a board member.

As director of AUC’s MEIHE, which connects universities to schools and policy makers to students and uses advanced research to implement education reform, Zaalouk maintains and advocates the philosophies and mandates of UIL’s mission of endorsing lifelong learning while adhering to gender sensitivity, development and social equity.

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As chairperson, Zaalouk will be working on maintaining current strategies for enhancing government policies, such as the UIL’s Recognition, Validation and Accreditation, which offer equivalences through governments that aid young adults – particularly the marginalized or excluded – to catch up in case of missed years of education.

Moreover, Zaalouk aims to synergize more educational programs, particularly in this region. “I want more attention to Arab states, and Egypt, of course,” she said. “There are emergencies, refugee issues and so many challenges in our region that require attention to ensure that we do not have generations of youth not learning.”

Three of Zaalouk’s students, who worked in Sharqiya, Monofiya and Cairo, were selected as part of UIL’s internship. Zaalouk’s admiration for her students lies not only in their academic achievement, but rather their enthusiastic future plans.

For Zaalouk, her work at both AUC and UIL is part of a wave of education reform that emphasizes the necessity of education by encompassing a wider range of humanitarian values. p

There are emergencies, refugee issues and so many challenges in our region that require attention to ensure that we do not have generations of youth not learning

Education

iSpark Career Development Services Company, iSpark, is holding its second annual summit for high school students on Saturday October 21st 2017 at the Greek Campus in Tahrir from 10 am until 8 pm, under the name “Traverse”.

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he event aims to help high school students explore different parallel education opportunities that will help them develop their skills, build their characters and accordingly excel at their chosen career. It also encourages them to network and get exposed to different opportunities and facilities, engage in different fun activities during the day, get inspired through talks, panel discussions and success stories by a variety of speakers and enjoying entertaining performances.

Traverse is providing students this year with a wide platform of local and international universities as well as 30+ student activities provided by NGOs and clubs in different areas of interest such as: ICGE, ISLC, MUNs, Tedxyouth, Entrepreneurs’ Society, Arcadia, Artkhana, Journey of Entrepreneurship, Astronomy Club, Seeds of Peace, The Fight Zone, Egypt Poet Society and much more. In addition to a big variety of inspirational talks by influential speakers in Egypt and young entrepreneurs, there will be performances by young talents.

“Why not have an annual summit that connects all students in Egypt with extracurricular activities that can provide them with different experiences?

Extracurricular activities have become one of the deal breakers for many employers nowadays and can be seen as a clear indicator if one’s character is built strongly. Starting this while you are still in high school will help you grow faster and aim higher,” stated Co-founder and COO of iSpark, Ahmed El Rosy.

“We are aiming through Traverse to surround our high school students with all the opportunities they can seize and give them the exposure to build their skills and prepare for what is after their high school years,” concluded Co-founder and CEO of iSpark, Mostafa Hashisha.

Students can register online through the following link traverse.therafiki.com, then they can get their tickets from the closest “Bouza Roll” branch. p

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is Holding its Second Annual Summit

‘Traverse’ For High School Students

Advertorial

Schneider Electric Celebrates 30 Years in Egypt

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chneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management and automation, celebrates 30 years in the Egyptian market since its debut in Egypt in 1986 with its partners of success.

Over the years, Schneider Electric has provided continuous support to Egypt’s development plans through its latest solutions for energy management and energy consumption reduction, starting with its first project in 1986: building the country’s first high-voltage station in the area around the Cairo Stadium.

The official celebration, held at the citadel, was attended by over 350 customers and hosted by Schneider’s top local, regional and international representatives such as Luc Rémont, Schneider Electric’s EVP International Operations; Caspar Herzberg, President of Schneider Electric Middle East & Africa and Walid Sheta, Regional Cluster Head of North Africa and Levant.

Guests of honor included the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, H.E. Yasser El Kady, and Ms. Asmaa Hosni, CEO of Information Technology Industry Development Agency.

Some ambitious national projects that Schneider Electric Egypt has been a part of include the new administrative capital, the giant Zohr gas processing plant (the largest natural gas plant in the world), Egypt’s largest gridconnected solar power park in Aswan, the Suez Canal economic zone and supplying the first phase of the first and largest solar power plant in Sharm El-Skeikh.

On this occasion, Luc Rémont, Caspar Herzberg and Walid Sheta, as well as Sherif Abdel Fattah, Board Member of Schneider Electric, met with the Prime Minister of Egypt H.E. Sherif Ismail.

Real People

Female Solo Cyclist to Tour the Red Sea & Sinai

By Rana Kamaly

Lately, Egyptian women are trying to shatter the stereotypes that society dictates for them by following their hearts, and one of those young ladies pursuing her dreams of cycling solo across Egypt is Hamsa Mansour.

LEadInG a GROup tO tHE SuMMIt OF MOunt CatHERInE

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ansour is a 29-year-old Cairo based adventurer, inspiring storyteller and documentarian who currently works as an adventure trip leader at Wild Guanabana and manager at Muricata, which are both owned

by Omar Samra.

She is currently training for an 11-day trip covering 775 kilometers around the Red Sea and Sinai. Having previously experienced cycling by herself to Ismailia, Mansour is aware of the safety measures she needs to take.

Her following journey is planned to be a 1,600-kilometer trip around Wahat next February where she will camp on the road, all in preperation to help her achieve her dream of solo cycling across Egypt, which she would like to complete by the beginning of 2019.

We sat down with Mansour to understand further where this passion came from and what she plans on doing in the future.

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I want to venture on this trip to challenge myself physically, mentally and emotionally, and to use the exposure I will get to create stories using videography and photography to prove to society that what seems impossible is in fact within reach

You are the only one there to pick yourself up from the ground when you breakdown

When and why did you start cycling, and what made you decide to cycle across Egypt?

The main drive behind this decision was the passion I had towards adventure, traveling, experiencing new places and challenging myself.

I loved cycling just as much as every other kid. Years back, I was traveling to Sokhna and I saw a cyclist on the road and this is where my interest began. At first, I only dreamt of doing the same, but then years later, I met Galal Zekri Chatila and Nour El Din Sherif who both had solo cycled around Egypt and their stories inspired me to pursue it. That is when I adventured on my trip to Ismailia last March. However, I still wanted to achieve more, and so I decided to embark on this next journey.

WHItE CANYoN

I want to venture on this trip to challenge myself physically, mentally and emotionally, and to use the exposure I will get to create stories using videography and photography to prove to society that what seems impossible is in fact within reach. I hope others will get inspired to see the beauty of this country, and what its roads have to offer.

Do you feel safe while cycling in Egypt alone as a female?

Being on your own is a different experience. This kind of isolation helps you absorb every minute and it teaches you about the importance of determination, self-motivation and believing in yourself. You are the only one there to pick yourself up from the ground when you breakdown.

I feel safe cycling in Egypt alone and I hope women would not have their gender dictate what they think they can do. I befriend those I meet on the road or even while cycling in Cairo.

During my trip to Ismailia, I came across one driver who tried to scare me by pretending he would run me over, but that was the only incident I had experienced. Many people showed interest in finding out why I am doing this and offered their support in many ways.

IN CHEfCHAouEN, MoroCCo

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Real People What reactions do you receive from people about what you do?

The reactions vary. At first, I was called reckless and irresponsible among other things and I have sat in conversations where I have been told that I won’t get out of this alive.

Some of my friends tried to convince me to do this with a support car following me - which to me would defeat the purpose - but after a while came acceptance and right now I am glad to have a strong support system and many people who believe that I will be able to do this.

Talking with Nour and Galal about their experiences and seeking their advice was what helped me and pushed me forward. I put down a training plan that included several small cycling trips that would prepare me for the big adventure, as well as planning the logistics of the trip and preparing risk assessments.

SOlO CyClING The Red SeA & SINAI

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Tell us about your first trip to Ismailia.

I was on the road on an early Saturday morning and I remember being anxious, not about any safety concerns, but rather I was doubting whether I had the strength to do this or not. Once I got on the bike, it all went away and I just enjoyed every minute of it.

To my surprise, I did better than I expected. I did not need the two breaks I had planned and it took me 5 hours and 45 minutes instead of the eight I had estimated. After completing it, it did not feel like much of an accomplishment, and I remember telling myself that I could have started with something bigger.

What was the hardest trip you ever experienced and why?

I always use the word challenging instead of hard. They have to be challenging or else I won’t grow

or learn from them. That being said, I believe the most challenging adventure was not a cycling one, but it was actually climbing Mount Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa.

I was in so much pain on the second day that I could barely get down the stairs in the morning without crying in pain. I had to stand for a minute and tell myself: “if you are still walking, then you are still climbing,” and that is what I did. It was also psychologically challenging to accept that I made it to the summit in five hours instead of the four.

How do you prepare for a cycling trip?

I start with the map where I check the distances, the places I will be staying in, the points I will reach on each day and then I start to think about the gear I will need and the safety measures I will take. What I bring with me depends on the trip itself and on whether I am camping or staying in a hotel.

My main gear consists of tools, a first aid kit, my camera, clothes, my spot device that I use to track my movement, several power banks, a music player and most importantly, Felfel, my stuffed elephant that I have had since I was a toddler and had promised to show him the world.

How many hours do you train daily and how do you train?

It depends on the day to be honest as I have a full-time job and sometimes it is challenging to balance all of this. I used to go to crossfit sessions three times a week and I try to cycle to and from work in addition to one long cycling day per week.

Now, I actually train on the stairs of my building by carrying weights and taking the flights several times, alternating between running and walking.

What advice would you give to female cyclists in Egypt?

I know that they will receive concerns and negative comments, but believe me, they should not listen to them and they should know that they are exaggerated. Just get on the bike and experience it for yourself. If we listen to the concerns, we won’t break new grounds and we won’t realize our huge dreams. Do not let people’s opinions make you believe that something is not doable.

Being a female should not be a factor that stops you, it just means you might have to take extra safety measures. I know we do not have cycling-friendly roads but do not let that stop you either. p If you want to follow her trips, make sure to visit her Instagram account: @hamsa_mansour

ON the MOuNt catherINe SuMMIt

If we listen to the concerns, we won’t break new grounds and we won’t realize our huge dreams

rOck clIMBINg IN DahaB

ONtOp OF MOuNt tOuBkal, MOrOccO OCT 2017 | Ct

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Business Shuaa capital iNitiateS prOcedureS fOr Security buSiNeSS reeNtry iN egypt

Narrative Summit 2017 Scheduled iN OctOber

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C Plus, a leading PR firm led by Managing Director Lamia Kamel, will be powering Narrative PR Summit’s second edition this year that is to be held on October 17th in Cairo.

Under the concept of “Nation Branding”, the annual international summit is aimed at promoting a positive image of the country through the diverse fields of investment, communications, education, entertainment, soft powers and entrepreneurship.

Narrative PR Summit 2017 will bring together a host of local and international professionals, public figures, as well as leading think tanks and opinion leaders under one roof to capture the power of a nation working united towards building one brand.

This year’s summit is organized in cooperation with a number of leading media and business organizations. The PR professional highlighted that media coverage had greatly helped shed light on how the summit contributed to promoting the role PR plays in raising the organizational and governmental profiles, enhancing the public image at both the national and international levels. p

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HUAA Capital, the United Arab Emirates-based integrated financial services firm, announced that it has formally begun discussions with Egyptian regulators for reintroducing its securities business into the Egyptian market.

As a stepping-stone, SHUAA Capital’s Board of Directors has set a clear mandate targeting the Egyptian market for the expansion of the firm’s brokerage services under its broader Capital Markets offering.

The decision to restart brokerage operations in Egypt, which was voluntarily suspended as the region recovered from the 2008 global recession, is a key component of the group’s long-term growth strategy, and reflects the firm’s belief in the fundamentals of the Egyptian market.

Fawad Tariq-Khan, General Manager of SHUAA Capital, explains: “We have ambitious plans to extend our platforms further beyond our local jurisdictions, to allow clients both current and prospective, direct access to other markets through a single trading account, blended with a suite of increasingly comprehensive brokerage services. We look forward to relaunching operations soon, with the guidance of the Egyptian authorities and regulators.”

Once reinstated by the respective regulators, SHUAA Securities Egypt will form an important addition to SHUAA’s brokerage network by offering retail and high net-worth clients from across the region access to the Egyptian capital markets. p

paNaSONic’S tv factOry tO briNg mOmeNtum iN egypt’S maNufacturiNg SectOr

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anasonic, one of the global leaders in technology, expanded its presence in the Middle East and Africa region with the opening of the first TV manufacturing unit in Egypt. The Japanese manufacturer is collaborating with Arab Company for Electrical Equipment to produce over 16,000 Panasonic LED television sets before the end of this year.

annual growth target of 9% for manufacturing, increasing its share of GDP to 25% by 2020.

This factory promises a manufacturing unit that will employ 200-250 personnel and further boost Egypt’s manufacturing sector. According to industrial studies, Egypt has recently seen an oning growth in all industrial sectors, with the manufacturing sector registering a 2.60% last April over the same month in the previous year. The planning ministry of Egypt has set an

Mr. Ito commented, “The Egyptian market is one of the most promising in the North Africa region. Our locally based TV manufacturing unit reflects Panasonic’s Basic Business Philosophy of contribution to the society as it will provide opportunities for the Egyptian workforce to understand the Japanese Craft and Craftsmanship.” p

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The 50,000 square yard facility is located at Mostorod, Cairo, and was inaugurated by Mr. Daizo Ito - Managing Executive Officer for Panasonic Corporation, Regional Head India, South Asia, Middle East and Africa (ISAMEA).

Business news Egypt to repay at least USD 4 bn of debt in 2018, Central Bank says

Government announces incentives in Suez Canal Economic Zone

Egypt signs USD 1.24 bn light rail deal with two Chinese state companies

ost of the rest of Egypt’s USD 13 bn in obligations, which are coming due in 2018, will be rolled over or extended, Central Bank (CBE) Governor Tarek Amer said. “What can be paid is between USD 4 bn to USD 5 bn,” he said, adding, “Some items will be renewed,” such as an USD 2.6 bn currency swap with China.

he Suez Canal Authority (SCA) and General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (GASC Zone) have announced up to 50% discounts on fees for loading and offloading containers in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. Other incentives include discounted rates proportional to the volume of trade at transit ports and a bonus on the annual volume of trade of container vessels, Mohab Mamish, Head of the SCA, announced last week.

wo Chinese state companies have signed a USD 1.24 bn deal with Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) to build a light rail system around Cairo, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday. Under the agreement, China’s AVIC international and China Railway Group will build a 66 kilometer network with 11 stations, on which trains will run at speed of up to 120 km/h to Cairo’s surrounding districts. The project would start within two or three months and would be able to carry 340,000 passengers daily once completed, NAT chief, Tarek Gamal El-Din, said.

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Source: Bloomberg

Unemployment rate below 12% for first time since 2011

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gypt’s unemployment rate dipped to 11.98% in 2Q17 from 12% in 1Q17, official statistics agency CAPMAS said on Tuesday. This is the first time it has been below 12% since the political uprising of 2011, but it was still slightly higher than government’s expectation.

Finance Minister, Amr El Garhy, said in May that he expected the rate to reach 11.7-11.8% by the end of FY16/17. The unemployment rate is, nevertheless, down compared to 12.5% in 2Q16 and 12.84% in 2Q15. The country’s labor force grew by 33,000 people in 2Q17, reaching 29.2 million people (less than a third of Egypt’s more than 93 million people).

The total number of unemployed during the quarter stood at 3.4 million people, the CAPMAS report said. Young people remain disproportionately impacted by the jobs shortage, with data showing 79.6% of those unemployed aged between 15 and 29.

Source: Reuters

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The incentives aim to attract new shipping to ports in the region and increase the frequency of visits and the number of transit vessels passing through, as well as encourage investors to launch value-added activities in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.

Source: Al Ahram

NUCA divides 6th of October City into three smaller cities

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he New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA) has decided to divide 6th of October City into three smaller cities, in light of recent expansions that took place in the area.

6th of October will now be divided into October City, New October City, and October Gardens. Each city will have a separate established authority.

Source: Al Borsa

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Source: Reuters

Egypt ranks 19 among world’s 21 most powerful economies in 2030: PwC Report

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gypt was ranked the 19th most powerful economy out of a list of the world’s 21 most powerful economies in 2030, according to a report published by global accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The spot comes based on the country’s expected global gross domestic product (GDP) by purchasing power parity (PPP), a macroeconomic analysis used to determine the economic productivity and standards of living between countries across time. p Source: Egypt Independent

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Business

Interviewing CC Plus’ Managing Director

Mrs. LaMia KaMeL

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tarting off as a small PR boutique, and then going on to creating campaigns for international companies and presidential candidates, CC Plus has attained substantial growth throughout the last few years.

Reaching even further, they are now organizing their Narrative Summit on October 17th that aims at promoting a positive image for the country as well as encouraging the idea of “Nation Branding”, and which will be attended by local and international key figures.

In order to gather more insight on the PR firm and their upcoming event, we interviewed their Managing Director Lamia Kamel.

Please tell us a little about the 2017 Narrative Summit Scheduled iN OctOber that aimS at buildiNg ONe NatiON braNd.

Well, as you know, last year’s Narrative PR Summit adjourned with a small hint on nation branding. We brought the concept to light this year and incorporated all aspects of society under one umbrella: crafting the message and reputation of our nation.

With over 30 speakers joining us, our narrators – as we like to call them – include corporate, government, NGO and international speakers.

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The Summit is about creating content without the need to sell it This year’s pillars that we will discuss all fall under the umbrella of Nation Branding. We will be exploring the tourism industry as well as that of entertainment, technology, national prominence and so much more.

Narrative this year vows to become an inspiring epiphany to PR professionals.

hOw impOrtaNt dO yOu believe it iS fOr egypt tO prOmOte “NatiON braNdiNg” at thiS pOiNt iN time?

Nation Branding is currently crucial for Egypt to help erase misconceptions and negative stereotypes about the country, which have been going around for the past three to four years. It would also help Egypt attract tourists, stimulate inward investment, boost exports as well as build its reputation with an aim of influencing foreign affairs.

Egypt needs to be positioned as the center of the region and the leader of transition.

egypt haS pOteNtial iN the fieldS Of iNveStmeNt aNd eNtrepreNeurShip, aS well aS OtherS. what OppOrtuNitieS dO yOu believe will riSe frOm thiS Summit?

Last year’s summit introduced PR as a whole to Egypt, with many sub-groups underneath that umbrella, which opened people’s eyes to the effect public relations – or even a normal social circle – can have on our lives as well as on our enterprises.

I believe that the opportunities we have gained from last year’s summit will arise again this year – and hopefully even better ones. It could lead to more investment opportunities in Egypt, be it by sole traders or by enterprises. This gives Egypt a voice and a chance to tell its story to the world.

Altogether, this narrative will get a good word of mouth going; thus boosting and improving the country’s reputation.

How is it forecasted to better our international image? wHat are some of tHe sHort-term and long-term effects you are expecting out of tHis event?

Nation Branding is currently crucial for Egypt to help erase misconceptions and negative stereotypes about the country

When a nation keeps rebranding itself, the message reaches simultaneously both the citizen of the other state and their government, therefore, the government should not only target the other government but the public as well. The immediate post effect, in my opinion, is the digital response the event will get from both those who attended and those who did not. People will be talking about it within their circle.

The first phase is the post-event awareness regarding Nation Branding.

People will do their research and possibly contact us to grasp the subject a bit more, and so on.

However, in the long-term, this Summit will not only enhance Egypt’s external communications, but people will be knocking on our door. They will have a road map ahead and will want us to put it into action, which provides the right perception on the state by highlighting investment opportunities and investment stories.

seeing as cc plus began as a pr boutique, would you Have expected taking on sucH a significant role in promoting tHe country’s international image?

Well, as much as I had faith in us reaching the top of the scale in terms of PR, I did not think we would escalate this far and this fast in just a decade. It is crazy to see how far we have come since we first opened to where we are today. We have an outstanding record of successful campaigns with big names such as Nestle, Ericson, Nile Radio Productions and Sony Mobiles.

How large is tHis summit in comparison to some of your previous pr projects? How is tHe planning process and How do you prioritize tasks?

To begin with, CC Plus is the sole financier of this event. It is our investment from our own creation; not someone else’s.

Tasks are carried out based on their importance and how they affect the Summit. Do they add to it? Do they bring it to life? The planning starts by creating content in terms of what we will be discussing, what the message is and through which means we will deliver it.

But in all honesty, I think it became clear where we were heading after working alongside H.E. Amre Moussa and H.E. President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi during both their campaigns.

The Summit is about creating content without the need to sell it. In order to achieve this, we need people who see the vision of the Summit, and by that, I do not mean sponsors; I mean people who are willing to participate in making this event successful because they see its future outcome.

That was truly the kick off that put CC Plus right under the spotlight.

Also, instead of looking for a speaker, we find the topic first then the speaker.

If we tie ourselves down with who is speaking rather than what they will be saying, we could be stuck forever.

How would you say tHe creativity of business campaigns Have cHanged in recent years?

They have reached a much larger existential scale. Their new slogan is “less consumerism, more relevance”; meaning their content has to be more socially relevant to their audiences.

People nowadays think about how brands are part of people’s lives, not the other way around. It is consumer centricity, not brand centricity. That was not necessarily obtainable ten years ago.

Marketing executives no longer talk about “reach” or “impressions” as measurements of success, but they instead aim for “conversations” and “engagement” with their fans. Brands are searching for experiences and ways to always improve, and that is a never-ending cycle of product enhancements.p

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Cars ToyoTa EgypT UnvEils ThE all-nEw yaris haTchback aT Automech 2017 For the first time, Yaris is Available in 1000 CC (3-door) & 1500 CC 5-door Hatchback The Only Car with 9 Airbags, High Safety Features, Low Fuel Consumption & Smooth Performance on the Road

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he car’s design brings to life Toyota’s excellence in designing its automobiles, which boasts high quality and efficient use in the long term, in addition to the utmost safety standards for more driving comfort and powerful performance.

For the first time, Toyota Egypt introduces the new car Yaris HB 2018 in two different trims to meet the various hatchback needs and styles. The first is the 3-door manual transmission and 3-cylinder 1000 CC engine which is the first of its kind to be introduced by Toyota. The second is the 5-door automatic transmission New CVT and 4-cylinder 1500 CC engine.

spacious interior

smooth performance

Dynamic Design

The All-New Yaris HB 2018 has a spacious interior with more comfort for five passengers. The car also features ample trunk space.

The All-New Yaris HB 2018 features a unique design with attractive cruise lines with less air resistance while on the road, which helps minimize fuel consumption. The car’s latest front design includes new headlights for a more powerful look after adding chrome accent to its distinctive LED lighting.

The front fog lights have been moved to the sides to allow better visibility during night driving. It also features new rear lamps with more attractive horizontal-oriented design for a higher-class feel, with 15-in. machined alloy wheels in addition to its new tires equipped with unique rims and tinted rear glass for further privacy.

The dashboard, in addition to its multifunction steering wheel, allows easy maneuvering on the road, while maintaining stability.

The car is also equipped with a powerful air conditioning system, modern transmission, AUX, USB, CD, Bluetooth, six speaker system, cup holders, and an advanced dashboard design giving the driver easy access to all functions within the cabin.

Toyota Yaris HB 2018 comes with two models, a manual transmission, 3-cylinders, 1000 CC engine with a 12-valve, and an automatic transmission, 4-cylinder, 1500 CC engine, with 16-valve DOHC to provide an impressive performance on the road through the advanced automatic transmission CVT, also switching to the manual transmission mode and changing speeds from the steering wheel, in addition to the Sport Mode to achieve the highest accelerating rates and to affirm its strong sporty performance.

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Ultimate Safety Both models are equipped with 9 air bags, also an advanced brake system to ensure safe driving, including Ventilated Disc Brake, Leading Drum, ABS, BA, VSC, TRC, and Hill Starting Assist. Additionally, it has three-point seat belts for all passengers for complete safety as well as antitheft Immobilizer, and LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) to ensure the highest safety rates.

after-SaleS aleS ServiceS Toyota provides an international standard of after-sales services at Toyota Egypt centers and a network of certified service centers nationwide, in addition to original spare parts and highly-trained labor accredited by Toyota. p

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Cars

E-Class Coupé, GLC w ne e th s al ve re nz Be sde ce er M defining the re é up Co C GL d an e cl hi Ve ity til Sports U e Egyptian market th in t en gm se ive ot m to Au ry xu Lu

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ercedes-Benz introduced its outstanding line up and latest innovations with 10 luxurious models that were carefully selected to meet the needs of the Egyptian market. For the first time in Egypt, the brand with the silver-star unveiled a special dream car: the new E-Class Coupé, in addition to the new SUVs, the segment leading GLC Sports Utility Vehicle and GLC Coupé.

The displayed models include the tenthgeneration of the E-Class with two models namely the E180 Exclusive and E300 AMG, the new generation GLA that witnessed great success in the Egyptian market, as well as the striking new CLA and CLA Shooting Brake models available for the first time in the Egyptian market. Mercedes-Benz also displayed the exceptional C-Class Cabriolet, C-Class Coupé, and C-Class Estate.

Three new exclusive cars To be displayed for The firsT Time in egypT Mercedes-Benz displayed 3 new exclusive cars, the new E-Class Coupé, the GLC Sports Utility Vehicle and GLC Coupé.

The new e-class, a class leading acT The brand synonymous with luxury and innovation, showed its tenth-generation generation of the majestic E-Class, a masterpiece of intelligence introduced to the Egyptian market in March. The executive salon marks the world premiere of numerous technical innovations, as well as an all-new

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exterior and next-level interior design. It features new engines with 9G TRONIC automatic transmission, next generation driving assistance systems taking safety, comfort and driver assistance to new levels. The new E-Class family includes wooden interior trim elements along with multi-contour seats with massage functions and the E180 Avantgarde with a host of upgrades for 2018 such as leather upholstery, new 18-inch light alloy wheels and surround lighting with projection of brand logo. The E300 AMG is powered with 245hp to deliver a sporty driving experience with optimum efficiency.

The new c-class family ... endless possibiliTies Also introduced at this year’s Automech-Formula motor show is the C-Class family which has grown with the addition of the C-Class Cabriolet, Coupé and Estate variants for truly

endless possibilities. Both the new C-Class Cabriolet and Coupé combine design with sportiness and modern luxury. C-Class Cabriolet additionally features an aerodynamic soft top which can be opened and closed in approx. 20 seconds while driving up to 50 km/h for an enjoyable open-top driving experience.

mercedes-benz redefines The compacT car segmenT Also on display is the new GLA, CLA and CLA Shooting Brake. The widely popular GLA features a sporty design and a strong stance supported by stylish elements, a diamond radiator grille and new light-alloy wheels. The interior also benefits from numerous enhancements with slimmer display, new trim parts and chrome-plated controls. While the CLA Shooting Brake is a first for the Egyptian market offering a concept that is unique in this class of vehicle. p

Alfa Romeo Giulia is Launched in Egypt

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oday, a new page of the brand which never ceases to surprise is being written by introducing a new model, a genuine manifesto which concentrates past, present and future and is one of the most brilliant examples of automobile excellence.

The new Alfa Romeo boasts a strong identity drawn in few simple strokes: a line gouged along the sides which marks the doors and envelops the handles and, naturally, the legendary trefoil nose, possibly the most famous and recognisable style element in automotive history.

Finally, Italian style is characterised by a high quality surface finish which means creating rich, harmonious reflections across the volumes.

The end result is the new Giulia, a sculptured shape reminiscent of a big cat just about to pounce. The same inspiration is found inside the car. Everything is clean, essential and centers around the driver, such as the controls grouped on the small steering wheel designed to adapt to all driving styles. The driver’s position was ‘cut’ as a fabric with a diagonal tunnel, a slightly

undulated dashboard and cleverly oriented instruments which convey the impression of a tailor-made suit with hand-crafted care and premium materials: carbon fibre, wood and fabrics are chosen for their visual and tactile pleasantness and assembled in such a way to make the human touch visible.

The new Alfa Romeo Giulia also features a renewed Alfa DNA which modifies the car’s dynamic behaviour according to the driver’s selection: Dynamic, Natural, Advanced Efficient

(energy efficiency mode implemented for the first time on an Alfa Romeo) and naturally Racing (on high performance versions).

The passenger compartment of the new car offers the best in terms of quality, safety, equipment and comfort with a specific, profoundly Alfa Romeo style element: the centrality of the driver.

Alfa Romeo Giulia can be reserved in Egypt through the authorised dealers: Nile Engineering and Abou Ghaly Motors. p Oct 2017 | Ct

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Cars

Nissan Introduces New Patrol and Qashqai at Automech 2017

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issan reaffirms its strong and long-term commitment to Egypt at the 2017 Automech Show in Cairo by announcing the launch of two new models.

Speaking at the exhibition, regarded as one of the leading automotive events across North Africa and the Middle East, was Nissan’s Motor Egypt Marketing & Sales Director, Ahmed Abdel Ghani, who confirmed the immediate launch of the iconic Patrol 4x4, which will be followed in October by the latest Qashqai crossover.

The two new models were on display in the Nissan Pavilion alongside the company’s two locally produced cars – Sunny and Sentra. Also on the stand, for the first time in Egypt, was the latest generation GT-R supercar, which attracted a host of sports car enthusiasts.

The all-new Patrol is characterized by an attractive, modern design that hints at its powerful 5.6 litre, 400 horsepower engine. This is supported by a seven-speed automatic transmission to accommodate various rough roads and difficult driving conditions as well as on-road performance.

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Nissan’s latest generation GT-R perfectly captures the essence of speed, thanks to its streamlined exterior and intersected sports line. Its dramatic appearance is brought to life by a very powerful, hand-built V6, 3.8 litre engine which works with a double turbocharged fuel pump including 24 valves.

The Qashqai, also on stand, brings premium features into a new level where the car is equipped with around view monitor, front and rear Sonar, D-shape steering wheel for ease of accessibility, dual zone A/C, leather seats, push to start engine, 19 inch sporty look alloy wheels along with a panoramic roof. Furthermore, the new Qashqai is powered by a 1.2-liter, four-cylinder engine capable of generating 117 horsepower at 4,500 Revs per Minute (RPM) and fueling 92, making the car the most fuel efficient in its range while offering the highest level of stability and safety. Nissan also added an optional control system to the vehicle body to help maneuver safely in narrow streets.

Nissan also displayed two of its locallybuilt vehicles. Firstly, the Sunny, the number one family car in Egypt, is a spacious and comfortable saloon that is

perfect for Egyptian families in terms of exterior and interior shape. In addition to its competitive price, Sunny offers performance though its 1500 CC engine with 4 cylinder and 16 valve with high power by 108 with a capacity of 4000/134 RPM. The vehicle also comes equipped with an electronic fuel injection system, EBD electronic fuel distribution and an ABS brake system.

The second Egyptian-made vehicle is the Sentra that was displayed for the first time in its accessorized version. The Sentra, always characterized by its luxurious and comfortable driving experience is a front wheel drive car that comes with a 1600 CC engine powered by 118 Horsepower and a maximum capacity up to 4000/154 NM with 4 cylinders and 16 valves.

The new Sentra accessorized version comes with new front bumper and rear bumpers, air spoiler, mudguard, front grille and GPS Radio to meet the customer’s needs and satisfy their taste. p

Geely Emgrand Presents its Newest Models at Automech 2017 Ghabbour Auto participated in Automech this year by displaying its most recent models of the Geely Emgrand in the 24th edition of the exhibition.

Geely presented for the first time in the Egyptian market the Emgrand GS, GL and the X7. These models are characterized by their modern design, incorporating advanced technology and powerful 4-cylinder engine performance that ensures a comfortable driving experience that is suitable for Egyptian roads.

The X7 is an SUV designed under the supervision of former Volvo designer Peter Herbury. Its 1.3-liter engine reaches 131 horsepower with an rpm of 5500 and a torque of 185/2000-4500 N.m per meter.

This is in addition to the advanced MacPherson suspension system in the front and a multi-link rear. The Emgrand X7 is one of the most fuel-efficient cars in its class, consuming 6.7 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers.

The car is equipped with safety measures including ABS, EBD, electronic stability system (ESP), traction control system, braking system, anti-coup, driver and front passenger airbags, front and rear fog lights, engine immobilizer, front and rear parking sensors and a 360 degree camera.

Hyundai Showcases “Best Value” Electric Vehicle “Ioniq” at Automech In spite of the challenges faced by the automotive industry in Egypt, Ghabbour Auto announced its participation in Automech 2017 and displayed a large variety of Hyundai vehicles, as well as their electric vehicle, that are known for their modern designs, cutting-edge technology and practicality that have attracted the attention of visitors who are looking for unique designs, more efficient safety features, sophisticated technology and high quality.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Car Sales, Mr. Ibrahim Naguib, said “We offered our customers within the Hyundai stand a special deal with the longest installment period of up to seven years, with the possibility of paying the first installment after six months, and an installment insurance for 12 months.” p

GB Auto provides its customers with customer services at a professional level that offers the original car parts at fair prices. p Oct 2017 | Ct

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DESTINATIONS Scenes

Iconic Sheraton Cairo Reopens After Extensive Renovation

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heraton Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International, Inc., has reopened the iconic Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino, a city landmark for more than four decades.

Giannini’s, the first New York Italian style restaurant in Egypt, explores the joy of communal dining as the acclaimed chef prepares special dishes that will electrify the most refined taste buds.

The hotel emerges after extensive renovation to reveal a distinct and vibrant aesthetic with modern interiors, refreshed public spaces and innovative and revitalized dining concepts. With signature brand experiences and the warmth of the familiar hallmark Sheraton service that goes above and beyond to make every guest experience meaningful, the hotel is poised to quickly regain its glory of yesteryears.

Inspired by mystical voyages and the many magical lands and travels that have found their place in Egyptian heritage, Rawi features the pairing of local ingredients and regional Arabic cuisine that lend their flavor and distinct identity to the menu at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“Sheraton Cairo was our first Sheraton hotel in Africa and has been a local icon since it’s opening in 1971,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International.

The hotel’s 326 fully renovated rooms and suites feature a harmonious blend of modern design with a warm palette offering unmatched comfort and the Sheraton Signature Sleep Experience.

Sheraton Club rooms offer exclusive access to the Sheraton Club Lounge, a private space located on the 26th floor providing spectacular views of the city, where guests can enjoy complimentary breakfast, drinks and snacks during the day. Leisure facilities include an extensive fitness center with cutting edge equipment available 24 hours a day for in-house guests, a luxurious pool and a fully equipped wellness center.

Six restaurants and bars create an enriching culinary voyage and offer authentic and unique experiences.

El Mawardia Depuis 1985, a social institution on the west side of the Nile for over 30 years, a place to see and be seen is back in a new avatar showcasing local cuisine paired with international favorites as well as unique shisha flavors.

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Guests can look forward to starting the day with fresh coffee, pastries and savories served at the Bridge Café located in the hotel’s upper lobby, before moving to the Pool Bar to enjoy the fun atmosphere and eclectic mix-and-match menu, followed by an evening of music and classic cocktails at Studio70.

With more than 1400 square meters of dedicated and unparalleled meeting space, Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino features a lavishly appointed ballroom, 13 meeting rooms and a fully equipped business center, all with state-of-the-art facilities and seamless connectivity through high-speed Wi-Fi. The hotel provides both choice and flexibility with thoughtful and personalized services making it an exclusive option for large-scale business meetings, social events, weddings or smaller intimate gatherings.

“For over 45 years, generations upon generations of visitors have marveled at the breathtaking sights surrounding the iconic Sheraton Cairo Hotel and experienced its warm and welcoming service,” said Hans Joerg Kreitner, General Manager, Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino. “We are committed to going above and beyond to relive that promise as we begin a new journey that stems from this rich and cherished legacy.” p

Sheraton Soma Splash Aqua Park Now Open in Soma Bay Sheraton Soma Bay Resort has opened its new theme water park last month in Soma Bay, Hurghada.

Boris Bornman, Complex General Manager for Sheraton & Westin Hotels in Soma Bay has revealed the story behind the latest addition to the mega resort — as well as what holidaymakers can expect from the immersive park which is a welcome addition ever since the flagship of the first Westin Hotel in Egypt “Westin Soma Bay Golf Resort & Spa” in November 2016.

The new water park, named “Soma Splash Aqua Park” was designed by the renowned White Water, a Canadian company specialized in water parks around the Globe. Soma Bay’s first theme water park features a variety of experiences ranging from daring to serene — including an outdoor pool, twisting multi-rider raft rides, speeding body slides, massive tubes for water slides, Rain Fortress, Boomerango, cannons, water sprays and lots of sports activities. p

Snorkel, Dive and Relax at the Unspoilt Paradise on Land and Beneath the Waves in Soma Bay Explore the real divers’ treasure trove, marine wildlife and captivating wonders of the Red Sea. Observe the Red Sea’s breathtaking coral reefs and marine wildlife while staying at Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay. The destination is considered a great location for both learners and experienced divers with its aquatic life, which offers myriad varieties of colourful corals and all sea life.

For water sports enthusiasts, there is wakeboarding, parasailing or kite surfing. Surrounded by the sea, there is an endless supply of water-based activities. For those who want to observe the beauty of the sea, a selection of boat trips - including voyages on catamarans and glass boats - are available to take in the area. If you want something a little more fun, why not go for a banana boat ride? Ideal for families and groups, it is a great way to cool down in the heat. p

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Travel

Exploring thE luxurious ViEnna Vienna, the charming city in Austria, is known for its old and historical churches and palaces, which complements and contrasts the modern city they are found in. It offers the perfect mix of vintage and modernity, and that is reflected in the architecture and the interior designs of many hotels and restaurants.

By Rana Kamaly

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his destination should be in your top five places to visit in Europe as it is home to many historical monuments, as well as being a great place for shopping, nightlife and enjoying different activities.

If you are planning on only visiting Vienna, then I would recommend a four-day stay, but of course if you stay longer, you can use that extra time to visit surrounding cities.

Accommodation Hotel rooms there are quite expensive, but if you check with Airbnb, you will be able to find a place to stay that is close to the center of the city, yet is affordable. Also, Ibis has a number of hotels in the area that are clean and of good quality, but make sure that there is a metro, tram or bus station close by.

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View of the city from Stephansdom

Places to Visit Wakeboard Lift If you are into water sports, then make sure to spend some time at the Wakeboard Lift, which is Vienna’s only cable park. This destination is easily accessible via public transportation and has some of the best equipment for wakeboarding. It also offers packages for those looking to spend a few hours there, with lunch included.

donaupark This is one of the largest parks in the city standing over 800,000 square meters in size, and is also very close to the river so you can enjoy a nice summer day on the beach after you spend some time walking around the beautiful landscape and even setting up a picnic.

The park is home to impressive bike paths, a huge chessboard, a skater park and a zoo, and so a funfilled, relaxing day there is guaranteed.

Mariahilfer Street

Donaupark

HundertWasserHaus This museum is also an exhibition for modern photography.

The building itself is a piece of art designed and founded by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, one of the most influential Austrian artists of the twentieth century. The museum hosts a large collection of his paintings, graphics and architectural designs, where his choice of formats, colors and shapes are magical and are reflected in his timeless pieces.

st. stepHan CatHedraL A mix of Romanesque and Gothic style, this cathedral is the mother church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna. Being one of the most famous religious attractions in the city, its colored tile roof is one of the city’s symbols, and its intricate details provide visitors with a spiritual connection, especially with the accompaniment of the old piano playing at the entrance.

Hofburg paLaCe

Hundertwasserhaus

This palace will give you a closer look into the life of the once ruling family of the Hasburg dynasty. The palace today is also a museum that represents the traditions and history of that era, where specific areas still hold the royal furnishing and decorations. There is also a section dedicated to the tableware of the royal family.

Today, this palace is also the official home of Austria’s president, but certain areas are open for visitation.

sCHoenbrunn paLaCe It is 30 minutes away from the city center if you are taking public transportation, but it is worth the commute. The palace is over 300 years old and used to be an imperial summer residence. The 1,441-room Baroque style palace is inspired by Italian decor, which was famous during the 16th century.

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St. Stephan Cathedral

Travel It is also one of the most important architectural, cultural and historical palaces in Austria and one of the main touristic attractions until this day.

Allow yourself at least 40 minutes there to explore the place and its vast gardens.

Shopping and Entertainment If you are up for some outdoors shopping, then make sure you visit Mariahilfer street, where you can find all the brands as well enjoy the nice walk, so free yourself for around four hours.

Also, Stephan platz, the area surrounding Stephan’s Cathedral, is a great place to shop for souvenirs and luxury brands.

If there are any events taking place at the opera, then I would highly recommend you attend, as you will not only get to enjoy the show, but also admire one of the oldest operas in the world, the Vienna State Opera, that’s architecture is absolutely breathtaking and unique.

Schoenbrunn Palace

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Hofburg Palace

Cuisine and Dining Vienna is rich in cuisine, as you can find all the international dining areas available everywhere. One place you must try is Le Burger, which is located at Mariahilfer Str. 114 and offers all types of burger including delicious veggie options.

Not only is it very well decorated with a welcoming atmosphere, it is also very affordable in comparison to other stores and in comparison to the quality offered as well.

If you are interested in jazz music and looking to dance and have some drinks, then make sure you visit the roof bar at the 25 Hours Hotel in downtown that offers a great view of Vienna while you enjoy the music.

Transportation

Schoenbrunn Palace Vienna State Opera

Public transportation is the most affordable way to get around and they have 24, 48 and 72 hours passes that allow you infinite number of rides across all the systems. Every place around the city is accessible by public transportation. If you are traveling with bags, kids or just need a quick ride, Uber is also widely available and within a few minutes most of the time, but the cash option is not available there.

Budget and General Tips If you are on a budget, then you can aim to spend 50 euros a day, which will include a simple breakfast, a light lunch like a sandwich or pasta, a mini snack and juice for dinner, transportation, one touristic place and a souvenir.

The best thing you can do is head out in the morning and just walk around the city.

Exploring Vienna on foot is always a good idea as you get to discover incredible places at every corner. p oct 2017 | Ct

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MIND, BODY & SOUL

Food and Drink that Help Prevent

Breast Cancer A s October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we have put together a few remedies that can help towards reducing a person’s risk of getting the sickness. Even though no specific food or drink can be said to heal or prevent it for good, keeping a healthy diet and consuming the right vitamins can lower the risks.

Always aim to consume nutrition in moderate amounts, as too much of something can ruin its positive effects.

Green Tea Proven by many studies, consuming green tea releases antioxidants called polyphenol and catechins that protect the body from radicals, which are the molecules that speed up the damaging of the cells, thus leading to cancer.

Adding a cup to your daily routine will not only help in the prevention of the disease, but is also a healthy option for weight control and blood pressure management.

Whole Grains Also high in polyphenols as well as the immune boosting magnesium, fiber and protein, whole grains have many anticancerous elements that help fight off the disease.

These grains include oatmeal, corn, brown rice and barley.

Berries Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries are all loaded with the antioxidant polyphenol as well as the antioxidant vitamin C. Blueberries especially are said to fight cancer cells as they contain the drug tamoxifen, which is often prescribed to many patients.

Garlic This commonly used ingredient contains allyl sulfide, which can be found in the entire onion family, that is said to prevent the process of cell cycling (when a cell changes from normal to cancerous).

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Pomegranate Juice Whether eaten as a fruit or juiced into a drinkable liquid, pomegranates also contain polyphenol, which helps fight DNA cell damage.

However, before adding this fruit to your diet, it is highly recommended that you check with your doctor if you have diabetes, as it is high in sugar.

Turmeric This spice that can also be found in curry contains curcumin, a chemical that fights cancer tumors and contains anti-inflammatory properties.

Even though a large quantity of this is needed in order to provide people with the direct effect, adding it into your regular diet along with many of the other recommended nutrition will only further help prevention.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Very beneficial to your immune system, Omega-3 fatty acids, or “good fats”, can be found in cold fish such as salmon and herring, as well as nuts, olive oil and avocados.

The recommended amount for the consumption of these fats is between 20 to 30 percent of your daily calorie intake.

Peaches and Plums The polyphenols that are found in these two fruits helps fight cancerous cells as well as preventing further formation and multiplication.

Leafy Vegetables and Apigenins Dark green vegetables are known to be very high in nutrition, antioxidants and fibers, which help raise immunity and fight off damage. These greens include spinach and kale.

Also available in many leafy greens are apigenins, which are also antioxidants with anti-inflammatory elements that limit the growth of cancer cells, and are found in parsley, celery, rosemary, thyme and chamomile, among others.

Apples This fruit is known to be a healthy daily snack, with the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

However, many people tend to peel the apple, which is where most of the vitamins, antioxidants and fibers are found.

This applies to every type of apple. p

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MIND, BODY & SOUL

Understanding sUgar addiction and How to Break tHe cycle

By Basma Mostafa

You must have done it before: guiltlessly devouring an entire chocolate bar even though you have vowed to only eat a single cube, or you have indulged in that chocolate glazed donut after deciding that you were having fruit for dessert. Aside from its obvious side effects of adding layers of fat to your waistline, sugar is harming your body in ways you may have never imagined.

N

utritionist Rana Abdelnaby tells us that when your blood’s sugar level spikes, you will feel a sudden burst of energy. However, when it drops, so does your mood and your ability to concentrate. “This is your body’s way of communicating that it is craving the ‘sugar rush’ and consequently the short-term energy boost it previously experienced,” says Abdelnaby.

Yasmine Nazmy, certified vegetarian nutrition consultant and author of vegan recipes cookbook “Happy Belly”, explains that sugar induces a reward reaction in the brain. “You end up stuck in this loop and you keep craving more and more sugar,” she explains, adding that sugar does a lot of damage by feeding the harmful bacteria that live in the intestines and lead to their overpopulation.

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tHe sUgar addiction Research has confirmed that sugar is as addictive as other drugs, such as cocaine, because it induces the same reaction in the brain, and it may even be just as difficult to quit sugar as it is to quit a drug.

“People who are on high-sugar diets and suddenly decide to go cold turkey are definitely going to experience withdrawal symptoms where they will feel cranky and anxious and will probably have powerful sugar cravings. The best thing to do would be to gradually reduce your sugar intake bit by bit to limit the negative symptoms,” Abdelnaby adds.

How Sugar affectS Your SenSe of taSte Abdelnaby illustrates that the reason behind why some people love sweets while others do not is how much sugar they are accustomed to consuming. “Someone who eats a lot of candy will feel that in order for something to taste good, it has to be sweet. They can’t, for example, enjoy the taste of coffee without adding sugar,” she says.

So if you are trying to cut down on your sugar consumption, the key is to get your taste buds accustomed to consuming less sugar. “This is how you will build your preference for food that is not too sweet. Your taste buds will eventually regain their clarity and other healthy foods will suddenly taste better.”

Nazmy adds that getting used to the taste of sugar in everything we eat is particularly unhealthy for children, who often can’t make themselves eat something that may not be very appealing to their sense of taste but that is good for their health. “If a child is always used to eating candy, chances are they will never voluntarily choose to eat an apple, because it would not provide the same buzz,” she notes.

wHite Sugar vS. natural Sugar Furthermore, Nazmy explains that the human body gets its energy mainly from carbs, which the body then transforms into sugar. “While we also get energy from proteins, sugar gets processed faster in the body, which is why athletes tend to eat more carbs because it is the faster way to re-energize after a workout.”

However, that is exactly the problem with sugar: it has absolutely no nutritional value and serves as nothing more than fuel. “Table sugar is not a whole food; it is processed. Whole grains and fruits, on the other hand, are also forms of sugar, but they are packed with nutrients, multivitamins, fibers and proteins. They do not just keep the body going; they actually nurture it. Honey is a natural sweetener that does more than improve the taste of food; it is actually very good for the immune system,” she mentions.

“Dates are also one of the best sweeteners, because they are packed with fibers that help control the blood’s sugar level. When you eat something that contains both sugar and fiber, such as a banana or mango, the fiber helps with the slow release of sugar into the bloodstream, so you do not experience a sudden sugar rush. The same applies to complex carbs, such as whole wheat flour and brown rice flour,” adds Nazmy.

Abdelnaby explains that processed sugar comes in different forms that may not always be recognized by the average consumer. “Product labels have all these names for added sugar such as high-fructose corn syrup and sucrose, names that often seem quite harmless to consumers that are not very conscious about their nutrition,” she notes.

“Many products are advertised as being healthy and all natural to appeal to the health-conscious consumer when, in fact, they are packed with sugar in its many forms, such as oat bars, protein bars and several brands of cereal. Packaged fruit juices that have the label ‘No Added Sugar’ usually do not contain white sugar, but there are definitely other types of unhealthy ones involved,” Abdelnaby adds.

Sugar and nutrition The key to overcoming the body’s unhealthy reliance on sugar is following a balanced diet, according to Abdelnaby. “A body that receives the nutrition it needs, in addition to the energy it requires to function, is less likely to crave sugar.

A craving is usually the body’s way of telling you that it needs something, and sugar is usually the quickest way to get it. Of course others would still react at the tantalizing scent of a freshly baked cinnamon roll, but they would not suffer from a constant craving, as is often the case with people on sugar-heavy diets,” she adds.

Many people who follow a diet in order to lose weight believe that it is just a game of numbers.

“As long as they consume calories less than what they are burning, then they are good to go, right?

The answer is no. You should not just read the label on a food product to check how many calories it has; you should take a look at the sugar it contains and whether or not it has any of the other nutrients that your body needs,” she concludes. p

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Cuisine

P U M P K I N Recipes for Every Course Pumpkin Hot Chocolate Ingredients: • • • • • • • • •

2 cups milk ½ teaspoon vanilla ¾ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 2 tablespoons brown sugar ½ cup pumpkin puree Pinch of ginger powder ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Whipped cream (optional)

Directions: • Heat milk over low heat in a saucepan, and then stir in the pumpkin puree, sugar and dry ingredients and beat until smooth.

• Add chocolate chips and continue to simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring continuously.

• Garnish with whipped cream and nutmeg if desired.

Caramel Pumpkin Milkshake Ingredients: • • • • • • •

5 scoops of vanilla ice cream ¾ cup pumpkin pieces, peeled and deseeded ½ cup milk ½ cup caramel sauce ¼ teaspoon cinnamon Pinch of nutmeg Whipped cream (optional)

Directions: • Add all the ingredients, except for the whipped cream, into a blender, and blend until smooth.

• If you feel it is too thick, add a bit more milk.

• Pour into glasses and top with whipped cream.

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Roasted Pumpkin and Carrot Soup Ingredients: • 1 kilogram pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1 centimeter pieces • 800 grams carrots, peeled and cut into 1 centimeter pieces • ¼ cup olive oil • 2 onions, halved, thinly sliced • 2 garlic cloves, crushed • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds • 2 teaspoons ground coriander • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric • ¼ teaspoon chili powder (optional) • 4 cups chicken stock • 2 cups water

Directions: • Preheat the oven to 210C. • Line a large roasting pan with non-stick baking paper.

• Place pumpkin and carrot pieces in the pan and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil and toss to coat. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and tender.

• Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, and then season with salt.

• Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, for 20 minutes or until soft.

• Add garlic, mustard seeds, coriander, cumin, turmeric and chili powder, if desired.

• Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until aromatic and the mustard seeds start to pop.

• Add the pumpkin, carrot, stock and water. Increase heat to medium before covering it and bring it to a boil.

• Reduce heat to low, then cook, covered, for 15 minutes.

• Set aside uncovered for 15 minutes to cool slightly.

• Transfer half the pumpkin mixture to the blender and blend until smooth.

• Transfer the soup to a clean saucepan, and repeat with remaining pumpkin mixture.

• Place over low heat and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until heated through.

Cumin and Pumpkin Dip Ingredients: • • • • • •

500 grams pumpkin, seeded, peeled and chopped 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 tablespoons yoghurt 1 tablespoon chopped coriander

Directions: • Place pumpkin in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water, and then place over a high heat and bring to a boil.

• Cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well.

• Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add cumin and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic.

• Add the pumpkin and cook, stirring, until the pumpkin is coated with the spice mixture. Remove from the heat.

• Place the mixture with the yoghurt in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.

• Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 1 hour to cool before serving.

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Cuisine

Pumpkin and Tomato Gratin IngredIents: • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 kilogram pumpkin, peeled 6 tablespoons oil 2 onions, finely sliced 1 teaspoon sugar 500 grams tomatoes, skinned and sliced 2 garlic cloves, smashed 2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped Salt and pepper 1 tablespoon water ¾ cup breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons butter

dIrectIons: • Preheat oven to 200C. • Remove any seeds from the pumpkin and cut into 2 centimeter strips and then cook in boiling salted water for 2 to 3 minutes.

• Drain and dry thoroughly on paper towels before dicing the strips into about 1 centimeter cubes.

• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan.

• Brown the onions slowly, and then stir in the sugar.

• Add the pumpkin, fry it gently until it starts to turn transparent, and then place them evenly into the bottom of a shallow baking dish.

• Heat the remaining oil before adding in the tomatoes, garlic, basil and half of the parsley to the pan.

• Season well with salt and pepper.

• Cook gently, just until the tomatoes start to collapse, turn once being careful to keep the tomato slices unbroken.

• When the moisture has reduced slightly, spread the tomatoes, in neat rows, over the pumpkin pieces.

• Add a tablespoon of water to the pan, whisk up the pieces and pour carefully over the tomatoes and pumpkin.

• Mix the remaining parsley with the breadcrumbs and sprinkle evenly over the tomatoes and pumpkin.

• Dot with butter and bake for 20 minutes or until nicely browned.

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta IngredIents: • • • • • • • • •

2 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon butter 1 cup pumpkin puree 1 cup chicken broth Pinch of nutmeg ¼ teaspoon chili powder powder Black pepper 2 tablespoons heavy cream cream 250 grams pasta

dIrectIons: • Cook pasta according to bag directions. Drain. to bag directions. Drain.

• Mince the garlic and then add to a large skillet with one tablespoon of butter. Sauté then add to a large skillet with one tablespoon of butter. Sauté over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or just until the garlic is soft and fragrant.

• Add the pumpkin puree and chicken broth to the skillet and stir to combine.

• Add the nutmeg, chili powder and black pepper into the skillet and stir, letting the sauce simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.

• Add the cream to the skillet and add salt if needed.

• Stir the drained pasta into the sauce and serve.

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Pumpkin Bread IngredIents: • • • • • • • • • • •

2 sticks unsalted butter 2½ cups flour 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 cups grated pumpkin 3 eggs ½ cup buttermilk 1½ teaspoons vanilla

dIrectIons: • Preheat oven to 175C. • Butter and flour two loaf pans and set aside.

• Combine flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda and spices in a large bowl. Add grated pumpkin and toss.

• Whisk eggs, buttermilk, butter and vanilla in a medium bowl and stir into the dry ingredients.

• Transfer to prepared pans and bake on the middle shelf of the oven until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 35 minutes.

• Cool in the pans on a wire rack.

Ginger Pumpkin Tart IngredIents: • • • • • •

2½ cups crushed ginger cookies 6 tablespoons butter, melted 500 grams pumpkin puree ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk 2 egg yolks Pinch of salt

dIrectIons: • Preheat oven to 180C. • Put a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan on a baking sheet.

• Make the crust by combining the ginger cookie crumbs and melted butter in a large bowl, until well blended.

• Add the crumbs to the tart pan and evenly press the bottom and up the sides with the bottom of a measuring cup.

• Bake until a bit darker in color, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

• In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, condensed milk, egg yolks and salt until well blended.

• Pour the filling into the cooled crust, return to the oven, and bake until set and beginning to brown on the top, about 30 minutes.

• Remove tart from the oven, cool to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator, at least 1 hour or until ready to serve.

• To serve, carefully remove outer tart shell ring and slice.

• Top with nuts or whipped cream if desired. p

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Cuisine

BRAZILIAN BBQ “Churrasco” at Aqua e Luce, Fairmont Heliopolis & Towers

A

qua e Luce Restaurant at Fairmont Heliopolis & Towers is now delivering the Brazilian experience every Thursday from 7:00 pm to 11:30 pm.

The moment you set foot in Aqua e Luce, the lavish ambience of the interior immediately hints at the delightful experience to follow. The interior gives the restaurant a charm through its contemporary look that will leave you really satisfied with your visit.

The special meat roasting method is based on the centuries-old Gaucho tradition, known as churrasco. Churrasco was originated in Southern Brazil, where Gauchos (Brazilian cowboys) pierced different types of meat and grilled them over open flamed pits. The concept is to serve a wide variety of different cuts to each diner individually right at their table.

A meal typically begins with Brazil’s traditional exotic drink, A Caipirinha, which reminds you of the gentle tropical breezes. Shortly afterwards, you take a trip to the amazing flavorsome salad

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bar, featuring a wide variety of salad dishes and cheese made with local fresh seasonal produce.

The Gourmet salad bar is not the only intriguing part of the experience; you are offered a unique experience where Chef Ed Bronte circles the tables with a variety of rotisserie cooked meats for your choosing on skewers from the house special filet mignon, top sirloin to chicken, lamb and Brazilian sausages.

As for the food quantity, there are two choices: first, the regular, where you get served with eight different meat cuts, or the premium, where you could eat 11 cuts of juicy meat. If you opt for the premium, there is no way you could finish the plate with all the delicious appetizers you had already devoured.

Finally, if you are looking for a place to experience something different, while being served delicious meat on skewers that are carved directly at your table, then Aqua e Luce is definitely the place for you! p

Society IKEA Launches 2018 Catalogue with an Invitation to “Make Room for Life” IKEA Egypt launched its new catalogue for 2017/2018 with an inspirational slogan “Make Room for Life”. The new catalogue focuses on the living room as the place for most of what matters in life, be it connecting with family, friends, celebrating special occasions or simply making memories.

The living room takes centre stage in the new catalogue being the throbbing heart of everyday life at home; a space for personal expression.

Speaking at the press conference, Egypt Country Manager Adosh Sharma said: “The living room not only hosts most of our daily activities, but it is where we create memories with those we care about.”

IKEA’s new catalogue features more than 1000 new products and home solutions. The new digital IKEA catalogue is more intuitive and user-friendly; and the IKEA Catalogue App complements the printed version and keeps it fresh and alive throughout the year. p

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The Community Times magazine is published

by Live Colors Egypt and has been on the market since 1987. The publication is popular among both the Egyptian and the foreign community, as it covers a large variety of topics that are both informative and entertaining.

Why aDvERTISE WITh COmmUNITy TImES? FIvE SPOT OFFER

1. Target viewers: CT is a highly targeted channel of advertising that creates awareness for your brand. Your Ad will be viewed by top-notch CT members and readers.

2. Partnership: Associates your company’s name with CT, while building awareness to your products / services.

3. Cost effective: CT offers competitive prices in comparison to other advertising channels. Various advertising options are available to suit different marketing budget and needs.

4. Exposure to the CT community: Your ad will be distributed in several locations and will be placed on the CT website and Print.

Additionally, the Ad will be featured in various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

DISTRIBUTION POINTS Al Ahram Distribution Points (Cairo/Sharm/Gouna/Alexandria) – Major Coffee shops in Maadi, Heliopolis, Mohandessin, Zamalek, City Stars Mall, Arkan Mall, Americana Mall, Galleria Mall, Mall of Arabia.

Major hairdressers (Kriss, Mohamed Sagheer, Ahmed & Abdo, La Coup, Pace Luna and others), Clinics, Gymnasiums (Gold’s Gym, En Vogue, Samia Allouba, and others). Hotels: Four Seasons Nile City, Four Seasons First Residence, JW Marriott, Marriott Zamalek, Kempinski, Villa Belle Epoque, Fairmont Nile City, Fairmont Heliopolis, Dusit Thani, Westin Hotel, Semiramis Intercontinental, Intercontinental City Stars.

Please note that the five spots offer is an option that enables you to expose a new product/service that you have launched for a shorter period but in an extensive way. Usually, your ad banner rotates against four other ads in one minute. This means that it will appear 12 seconds per minute; unless you buy more than one spot.

You can guarantee maximum exposure by buying the whole five spots at a discounted price; ensuring that your banner will be the only one appearing with no other ads rotating against it.

All bookshops with Al Ahram.

Terms & Conditions • Prices are based on submitting a ready-designed ad in GIF, JPG or PNG format. Design by CT is also available at special prices.

• The banner links to the website the advertiser specifies.

• CT provides you the option to update the banner design on a monthly basis.

• The designed banner should be received one week before the publishing date requested. Any delay will be the responsibility of the Advertiser.

• CT provides monthly statistical reports on the number of page views and ad clicks.

• CT receives full payment upon filling out the Advertising Contract.

• Cancellation Policy: A 100% refund for cancellation notices received in writing three weeks before the publishing date, a 50% refund if received two weeks before the publishing date and no refund if received one week before the publishing

48, Abdel Moneim Hafez Street, off Nozha St., Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt Tel/Fax: (202) 2290 8127 - 2415 8762 Mobile: 0100 005 2322 - 010 0005 2323 Email: rania.halim@live-colors.com Website: www.communitytimes.me

Society

A Mexican Bonne Cuisine Tasting at Fairmont Heliopolis & Towers On the occasion of the 207th anniversary of Mexico’s Independence, Fairmont Heliopolis & Towers recently hosted H.E Ambassador Jose Octavio Tripp and his spouse to a “Mexican Bonne cuisine tasting” along with a selective number of key media figures who were invited to sample the authentic Mexican dishes. “Mexican Bonne cuisine tasting” offers regional specialties and contemporary fusions that trace the lineages of a cuisine that boasts continental flavor and international flare.

The Ambassador and his wife as well as the rest of the invitees expressed their admiration for the hotel, its fusion architecture as well as the standards and quality of service. The invitees were pampered by chef Diego Ayala, Maria’s authentic Mexican chef who delighted their palate with his sophisticated delicacies and brought his flavorful cuisine to the eager diners of Cairo. p

A Chillout Break at Fairmont Heliopolis & Towers Fairmont Heliopolis & Towers decided to celebrate summer’s spirit with a splash! The hotel invited top media key figures to a spectacular hasslefree break by the pool! Titled “The Chill Out”, the day was packed with lots of games, music, dance and sumptuous eats and cool drinks.

Then it was time to fire up the barbeque, where guests enjoyed delectable Mediterranean signature dishes fresh from the grill in addition to a delightful selection of salads, appetizers, fasting items and desserts.

In the evening, the crowd gathered at Egyptian Nights restaurant where they had an unforgettable experience with authentic Egyptian homemade dishes along with an exquisite belly dance show.

Guests enjoyed the day and were highly impressed with the atmosphere, attentive service and the chef’s delectable culinary delights. p

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Society Semiramis Intercontinental Hosts Exclusive Event Introducing Sushiramis, The Latest Addition to their Award-Winning Restaurants Semiramis Intercontinental Cairo hosted an exclusive media food-sampling event to introduce Sushiramis, the latest addition to their award-winning restaurants, as well as Chef Raoul Castro, the newest sushi chef to join the team.

The event was attended by numerous media platforms as well as several bloggers and influencers who enjoyed tasting various sushi creations, as well as rolling their own roll of choice, with a little help from Chef Raoul. p

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WE BRING YOUR BUSINESS TO LIFE

48, Abdel Moneim Hafez Street, off Nozha St., Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt Tel/Fax: (202) 2290 8127 - 2415 8762 Mobile: 010 005 2322 - 010 005 2323 Email: editor@live-colors.com - rania.halim@live-colors.com