Identity Magazine, March 2018: STRONG IS THE NEW BEAUTIFUL

MARCH 2018 - 20 L.E., VOLUME 13, ISSUE 4 WWW.IDENTITY-MAG.COM

Women, Know Your Rights see page 10

11

FEMALE TRAVEL Bloggers to Follow

plus

Make this Mother’s Day Special

It’s OK To NOT BE A SUPERWOMAN

STRONG IS THE NEW BEAUTIFUL

&

Myth Truth About Feminism Icons of STREET STYLE

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,

MARCH 2018, VOLUME 13 ISSUE 04

N

othing

more

enjoyable

and

liberating for stubborn hardworking

FOUNDER & MANAGING EDITOR Rola Kamel

women like myself than celebrating

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nawal Ismail

the achievements, recognising the

sacrifices and acknowledging the role of our fellow counterparts across all walks of life ! Unfortunately,

COPY-EDITOR Amina El Fayoumy SENIOR STAFF WRITER Amina Moustapha

most of our gender tends to be too tough on

STAFF WRITERS Salma Elfeqy, Salma Elaydy,

themselves. Women are their own harshest critics;

Mariem Eltagoury, Rana Ramez

raising the bar too darn high when it comes to

FREELANCE WRITERS Amina Elghandour

evaluating their performances in the many roles they need to play and the many hats they have to simultaneously wear. Multitasking is their middle

INTERNS Amira ElSayed, Neamat ElTouby RELATIONSHIP EXPERT Marwa Rakha

name, literally. They are so good at it that someone

FASHION EXPERT Nahed Kazziha

actually needs to pause here for a second and

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sandy Saied

give them a round of well deserved applause. We wouldn’t complain too much if men were ‘feminine’

MARKETING & ADVERTISING MANAGER Riham Yehia

enough to accept women’s equal rights at home

DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Youssef Ali

and in the workplace. No favours here.

SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVE Mostafa El Toukhy

Women Empowerment! All hail our March issue!

IDENTITY MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTOR Ashraf Fouad

Rola Kamel Identity Magazine was founded in 2005 by Rola Kamel to enhance every aspect of a woman’s life style, helping our female readers to discover and improve their own identities.

Published by Beezarre Publishing Ltd. Themistokli Dervi, 6 Papyros Building, 4th Floor, Flat/Office D5 – P.c 1066, Nicosia, Cyprus.

The subscription rate is 240 L.E./year (12 issues) through Al Ahram, Tel: 02-27703190 Distribution by AL AHRAM Website: QPIX SOLUTIONS Printing House: SAHARA PRINTING COMPANY Contact us at: 26A Montazah St., Zamalek, Cairo-Egypt. Tel: 02-27361187 Mobile: 0122-9401071 email: sendus@identity-mag.com www.identity-mag.com

6 IDENTITY

IDENTITYMAGEG

CONTENT

SURROUND HER WITH WARMTH AND LOVE MARCH 2018, VOLUME 13 ISSUE 04

14

GIRL POWER 8 10 12

Identity Picks A Powerful Woman Knows her Rights Why Women Make Great Bosses?

52

STYLE

26

14

28

16 18 20 24

Best French Pharmacy Beauty Picks Natural Remedies for Your Hair Hot Mama Top Ten Spring Trends 2018’s Fashion Forward

Best Dressed Street Style Celebrities Two Sisters One Dream, WeddingHubEG

HEARTFELT DISCUSSIONS 32

Is It Too Late to Change Your Path?

36 The Sahara Collection: When Fashion Stands For a Cause 38 Eleven Inspirational Female Travel Bloggers 40 Six Misconceptions About Feminism that Need to go Away 44 It’s Okay Not to Be a Superwoman 46 The Conflict Between Reason and Passion 48 The Busy Women’s Guide To a Great Body 50 C.J Tudor: Crime Fiction is no Longer a Man’s World 52 Around the World this Month 54 March Getaways

Gift your mum an iconic Mother's Day filled with love and appreciation. Our chefs are obsessed with creating the most gorgeous dining experiences for all of your family members. Express your gratitude and share precious times with your beloved mum.

CITRON: Featuring an international dinner buffet highlighting family favorites.

Mums are gifted a sweet treat.

CHINOIX: Mum's meal is complimentary when a family of 4 or more dine with us on Mother's Day. EN PASSANT: Baking delicious treats, perfect for Mother's Day gifts.

For more information or bookings visit renaissancecairo.com or call: +202 2406 3333

OUT & ABOUT

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28

56 Advertorial 58 Press Releases 64 Horoscopes

DISCOVER MORE AT RENAISSANCECAIRO.COM • PHONE +202 24 06 33 33 FAX +202 24 48 44 44 • Ring Road, Mirage City P.O. BOX 250, 11757, Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt facebook.com/RenaissanceCairoHotel

instagram.com/RenaissanceCairoHotel

PICKS

IDENTITY PICKS Tree Pose Like a tree, extend your roots down and blossom your arms up toward the sun.

Tree Pose stretches the thighs, groins, torso, and shoulders.

It builds strength in the ankles and calves, and tones the abdominal muscles.

Capture Youth Collection by Dior For the first time, Dior Science has developed an innovative serum to help fight against the appearance of signs of ageing even before they appear.

Luminous Blur Stick Primer

by Milk Makeup A colourless, matte, universal face filter.

Blur Stick minimizes the appearance of pores and fine lines to create a smooth, invisible matte finish on every skin tone.

Cushion Cover

by Ikea If you’re looking for a way to brighten any room in your house or office then why not try accessorising it with these beautiful yet simple cushion covers that speak for themselves.

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Choker

by Gucci If you’re going for a vintage look then this choker will definitely compliment your outfit with its Renaissance vibe; gold-tone brass pendant that’s adorned with crystals and faux pearls.

Backpack

by Ted Baker We all need something to put in all our essentials when going out, so why not do it in style with spring around the corner and floral being the new trend. This backpack is definitely a wardrobe must have!

Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3

by OLAPLEX An at-home hair treatment.

Suitable for all hair types, strengthens and smoothes.

Prolonging salon colour, the weekly use treatment repairs hair follicles permanently.

Decadence Eau So Decadent

by Marc Jacobs Perfect for day or night, a sheer sumptuous floral, that introduces juicy fruits and radiant florals to create an enticing feminine signature; indulgent fragrance for women with a light-hearted appeal.

G I R L P OW E R

A POWERFUL WOMAN KNOWS HER

Rights

by Salma Elfeqy

Like many of their counterparts across the globe, Egyptian women face lots of difficulties when it comes to exercising their basic rights as citizens, employees, mothers, wives or even sisters. People need to understand that women, just like men, have to be respected, appreciated and granted their rights. In hopes of raising awareness, we decided to list some of the basic rights that EVERY woman on this planet should be receiving and if not, then asking for them!

Sharing Household Responsibilities with Her Significant Other Lately, you would be reading articles, posts and comments about how great of a man he is, if he helps out in cleaning the house or raising the kids along with his wife. Of course such positive acts should be appreciated, but don’t make him feel like he is giving you the world, because frankly speaking this is how a marriage should be like. Sharing the household responsibilities with you is not a privilege.

To the contrary, it is your right as a wife to have a caring husband who helps you with every house chore there is.

Facing No Discrimination at the Work Place You would think that this goes without saying, but some business entities prefer hiring men over women. Other organizations offer higher salaries for the same positions for men than for women.

There are even organizations that would choose to promote men to senior managerial positions but not women, just because women can’t be ‘leaders’, even if the woman is performing the exact same job and delivering the exact same results.

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Being Given the Proper Maternity Leave According to the Egyptian law, women are entitled to have three months of paid maternity leave for each child; up to three children, given that they have been contributing to social insurance for the past 10 months. In addition, women who are part of an organization of a maximum of 50 employees are entitled to have up to two years unpaid maternity leave per child. Also, the mother is entitled to have two half an hour nursing breaks per day for 24 months starting from the birth of the child.

However, for those working in an organization of 100 employees or more, the organization should provide an in house nursery or at least take charge of placing the child in a nursery till the age of six years.

Wearing Whatever She Wants Regardless of her beliefs, every woman should have the right to wear whatever she wants, whenever she wants. People should learn to accept every woman’s choice, when it comes to how she wants the world to see her. Not a single person is supposed to force any type of clothing on women or prohibit them from wearing what they want.

These are just a few examples of some of the basic rights that every woman should have and ask for.

Multitasking is a Basic Thing Women learn to multitask when they are just little girls trying take care of their little siblings while doing their homework, so doing more than one thing at a time is super easy for them. A great boss needs to be able to multitask efficiently, which is another built in option in any woman you meet.

Details are Never a Problem Most women are detail oriented, so they’ll notice the slightest change in their departments. They’ll even notice every single detail in every document presented to them. Fooling them won’t be ever part of the deal, because they’ll catch you right away.

A Friendly Community at the Office

WHY WOMEN MAKE GREAT BOSSES?

by Salma Elfeqy

Women have this ability of being the best at what they do if they give it their all. Name anything that comes to your mind and you’ll see how there are great women in this field or area. You’ll find great women athletes, inventors, actresses, teachers, leaders and even bosses. So just like anything else, women manage to make really great bosses. Here are some of the ways of how women rock it as bosses.

Patience is Never an Issue When God created women, He installed this ability of having all the patience in the world. A woman as a boss will be as patient with you as much as possible.

She will give you all the excuses and chances in the world till you perfect your little assignment. Of course, she wouldn’t let this affect the business negatively.

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Every single boss’s dream is to have a community that is more of a team. Men tend to boss people around, but women do it in a subtle friendlier way, which works better for a community. When employees feel like the overall community is friendlier, they tend to perform better as they feel more appreciated and less stressed.

Women are Better at Communication If we assume that women are more social and smarter communicators, hence this definitely proves how women are the best bosses. Excessive communication is mostly needed in a managerial level because employees expect to be heard by their managers; whether it is a problem that they are facing or an opinion that they have. This builds strong relationships between team members, which also builds trust.

Better Motivators Most females have a strong emotional side, which comes in handy at certain situations. If you need to motivate your whole team to reach a certain target, believe me no one can do it better than a lady boss.

She’ll work around the clock and make sure every single member of the team is motivated. Because that is the spirit.

Never underestimate the power of a woman.

Remember that if women raise the best leaders who make the best bosses, then definitely they make better bosses.

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BEAUTY

Bioderma Hydrabio Serum

BEST FRENCH PHARMACY BEAUTY PICKS

by Mariem Eltagoury

In order to try to inject a bit of French fabulousness into our everyday lives, we reach for our favourite beauty products from the land of luxury. We went looking in our local high-street pharmacies for the best of the French products. Our markets are brimming full of effective skincare products, and we are quite thankful for their presence in our pharmacies. There’s just something unexplainable the French do with their beauty products and regimens. Seriously, has anyone mastered the “wokeuplikethis” hair better than the ladies on the streets of Paris?

They’ve got the market cornered when it comes to beautiful skin, red lipstick, and allaround gorgeousness.

Eau Thermale Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel The formula cleans so thoroughly you’ll want to reach for this after a workout or a humid summer day. This line was created to treat acne, but this supremely gentle cleanser doesn’t contain harsh salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Instead, it’s got a new ingredient, called monolaurin, that’s been proven to decrease oil production over time with regular use.

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La Roche-Posay Antethlios 60 Ultra-Light Sunscreen Fluid

During those days when you just can’t stand the feeling of foundation on your skin, it’s good to have something around that will give your face a plumping, moisturized natural effect without being too greasy, clumpy or heavy.

That’s where this serum comes in. It’s designed with patented technology that helps retain your skin’s moisture.

The fluid formula smoothes over skin and dries almost instantly, without a chalky or greasy residue. It is easily one of the most popular and top-rated sunscreens in France and the U.S.

Nuxe Crème Fraîche de Beauté Moisturising Fluid Crème It nourishes without feeling thick or heavy; the moisturizing fluid is particularly good as the buttery texture is lightweight.

If you have sensitive or dry skin, Nuxe’s latest range is definitely worth seeking out. It’s one of the most recognizable and celebrated French skincare brands.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Usage Dry Oil

Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray

Sophisticated hair oils are no longer a Parisian beauty secret.

This oil helps hydrate and protects hair and skin.

It’s the answer to all your dry hair, dry legs, dry anything woes. It also gives you an amazing golden shimmer.

When you think of French beauty, your mind may automatically go to the best drugstore — but then you’d be missing out on some true gems in the cosmetics department.

This spray is great for sensitive skin and the mineral-rich water is great for a little postworkout spritz or to set your makeup in the morning.

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Solution Micellaire It’s very effective, gentle, doesn’t ever aggravate the skin and takes make-up off quickly without drying out your skin.

It would be hard to find a make-up artist who doesn’t use this make-up removing, skin-brightening toning water.

La Roche-Posay, Effaclar line The much loved brand of French dermatologists for quick-fire solutions to skin that’s suddenly drying out, breaking out or stressing out. For a starter kit, it is excellent for balancing out oily sensitized skin, and deep cleaning stubborn blocked pores. Every skin wardrobe definitely needs some of La Roche-Posay on hand.

Avene Cicalfate Restorative Skin Cream Recovering from the blustery cold months?

Layer on this cream.

It’s so moisturizing, it’s like a hug for your face! Soothing nourishment without the greasiness.

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NATURAL REMEDIES FOR YOUR HAIR

by Mariem Eltagoury

Our hair is our most favoured accessory. We play with it, change its colour, cut it or let it grow, and change the way it looks more than we change our clothes! Taking care of it is a massive challenge that not all of us are able to surpass. Some of us may agree that using chemical products may harm it, just like our grandparents have been teaching us for years.

Sometimes, using natural remedies prove more effective in keeping our hair healthy, shiny, soft and silky.

Egg Whites to Make Your Own Shampoo

Clay and Charcoal for Increased Volume

Coffee/Hibiscus to Make Hair Dye

Make a fantastic homemade shampoo by whipping egg whites up to a meringue-like thickness, apply to your hair, and rinse off with cold water.

This sucks up the grease and dirt from your hair, just avoid hot water otherwise the eggs might start to cook!

Grind and mix both together to form a coherent powder then dust into the hair. The powder residue increases hair volume and texture like commercial dry shampoo.

Merely brew some ground coffee, filter it and let it cool, soak your hair in it and leave for 30 minutes, then rinse. Of course this limits your colour choices to brown and red, but it could save you a fortune at the hairdresser.

Avocados to Make Your Own Conditioner

Chamomile Tea to Cure Split Ends

Just mix a mashed avocado with some mayonnaise in a food processor to create a homemade conditioner.

Besides being amazing superfoods, avocados have nourishing benefits for your hair as well!

Boil a cup of chamomile tea, let it cool and soak your hair with it before washing and conditioning to smooth down split ends.

Coconut Oil & Honey for Dry Scalp Tea Tree Oil for Oil Build-up It has been proven to remove oil buildup. To eliminate excessive oily skin and gradually normalize the scalp, try massaging a few drops on your dry scalp before showering. Tea tree oil is also known for its anti-bacterial and anti-fungicidal properties.

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A highly effective intense natural conditioner for the hair and scalp.

Mix the ingredients together and as an extra step to help your hair follicles open up, slightly heat the mixture up on a stovetop in a small sauce pan. Cool and rub directly onto dry or wet scalp and hair, put a shower cap on and leave for a minimum of 45 minutes for a deep moisture mask. Rinse and voila, dry scalp and hair problem resolved!

Rosemary for Hair Loss Rosemary oil is recommended by top dermatologists as a natural way to promote hair growth. It is said that just adding a few drops to your usual hair routine has the same effects of minoxidil minus the itching!

Coconut Oil for Stronger Hair Most natural oils just sit on top of your hair, which adds shine but not strength.

Coconut goes deeper by penetrating your hair cuticles making your hair stronger inside out. Studies have even shown coconut oil decreases the protein loss that comes from brushing and blow-drying.

Honey for Dandruff Honey is an excellent hydrant; however, it is no argument it’s very sticky to be used raw.

Dilute it with water to create a homemade dandruff remedy.

Using it every other day clears up flakiness, and itchiness.

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STYLE

Boucheron

Hot Mama

Bulgari

Suzanne Kalan

Alexander McQueen

by Nahed Kazziha

Long gone are the days where matronly fashion was equated to drab and dull dressing. Enter an era of powerful superwomen, aka moms. Today’s mothers are anything but predictable.

Their garment gamut ranges from ultra-trendy to polished and sophisticated, breaking boundaries and shattering glass ceilings in style. If you are in need of some fresh “fashionspiration”, check out these hot mamas’ sartorial preferences.

Chanel

Goldie Hawn: Hollywood Hottie At 72, this legend has captivated audiences for decades and mothered the gorgeous Kate Hudson all at once. A testament to aging gracefully, Hawn is every bit as sexy as she has always been.

Elizabeth and James

The Row Gianvito Rossi

Jimmy Choo

Theory

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Narciso Rodriguez

Victoria Beckham: Fashion Empress Arguably the most successful Spice Girl in conventional terms, Beckham’s approach to fashion defies conventionality. Her style has matured from her days as Posh, always polished and impeccably tailored.

Queen Rania of Jordan: Fit for a Queen The Queen consort is admired far and wide for her tireless advocacy work on empowerment. Queen Rania is a true testament to walking the talk (in Choos!).

Not only is she a fashion icon, but she is also an avid supporter of local and regional up and coming talents.

Dana Hourani: Bold Blogging Fashion blogger, musician and mother, Dana Hourani’s Instagram is nothing short of art. Her power-dressing stems from androgynous pairings with a practical yet edgy touch.

Linda Farrow

Narlene Birger

Maria Tash Loewe

Victoria Beckham pumps

J Crew

Topshop

Adidas

Apiece Apart

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XXL EARRINGS Over-the-top accessories see a resurgence, but not in statement necklaces this time around. The baubles are not hanging from Christmas trees anymore, but from delicate ears (and hopefully yours, too).

Forget bibs and snap on a pair of extravagant earrings, extra-large.

Top 10

SPRING TRENDS

by Nahed Kazziha

Marni

The month of March finally ushers in the long awaited spring season! While we all rejoice and put the short cold days of winter behind us, our closets need to prepare to receive some brilliant sunshine. Not to mention, getting ahead on some of our favourite spring/summer trends. Keep an eye out for the freshest trends of the season- happy shopping, ladies.

Mango Wwake

Topshop

DRESSY SHORTS The mention of shorts usually conjures images of lazy cutoffs at the beach. This season, our favourite item of holiday wear gets a complete makeover and crosses over into the domain of sophistication. Did we hear you say city appropriate? Why, yes!

Valentino

Chloe

Pierre Balmain

Dior

Sacai

Versace

Cushnie et Ochs

Roland Mouret

Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini

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80’S SPARKLE The 1980s babes of powerdressing strutted down the Versace runway and practically broke the internet with their glitz and glamour. It is no surprise every other catwalk unapologetically showcased sequins and shine.

HEAVY CARGO If you need a new go to model off duty outfit, look no further than combat inspired trousers. The likes of Gigi Hadid have retired their jeans and tees for the moment and are all about military inspired cargo for comfort.

Monse

MICHAEL Michael Kors

3.1 Phillip Lim

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Alexander McQueen

LOLITA CATEYE All the innocence of the 1950s, minus the creepy storyline.

The cateye tells a story of a bygone era, where women were just as curvy as their eyewear. So if you are craving a dose of vintage, look no further than the bridge of your nose- there better be a slender cateye there.

Mango

BOLD FLORALS In the immortal words of Miranda Priestly “Florals for spring? Groundbreaking.”

Truth is, petal power is here to stay, with a brand new twist for the season.

Emblazoned and emboldened flowers are a clear spring favourite.

Linda Farrow

Le Specs

Saint Laurent

Zara

Prada

Prabal Gurung

Chanel

Marni

Balmain

FRINGED & FRAYED Couture cousins in a sense, frayed au nature fabrics and sultry strands were strewn across spring runways.

Whether you opt for raw silks with unruly hems or a roaring 20s inspired fringe dress, your spring style will surely be on point.

CHIC CHECKERS Traditionally checkers are reserved for cooler winter months, but this time around plaid print is being introduced in lighter and brighter form for spring.

Pair clashing patterns or don an all checkered look for the day.

Rosie Assoulin

Zara

Caravana

H&M

Vince

Prada

LUSCIOUS LAVENDER Millennial pink? Ultra violet pantone? Both dejavu. The good news is that this season’s “it” colour perfectly mixes these cult favourites into delicate shades of lavender. As fresh as a field of flowers, a pop of lavender or a full look will do.

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Nike

DAD SNEAKERS The ugly sneaker trend gains even more momentum this spring. Three cheers for footwear’s previously forgotten hero- comfy and now coveted.

Luxury fashion has borrowed from the boys once again and delivers the bulkiest of sneakers to perfection.

Balenciaga

Gul Hurgel

Vetements

Louis Vuitton

Victoria Beckham Balenciaga

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METAL ACCESSORIES

2018's FASHION FORWARD It seems that hardcore metallics, plastic, shiny leather and floral prints are the new black of 2018!

From high sparkly velvet boots to oversized furry sweatshirts, winter 2018 has brought so many unusual but unique fashion fads to embellish our lives.

Here are some of the styles going viral today.

Silver and gold accessories have become the essence to every outfit. The new trend is BLING BLING, and more BLING!

PICASSO BABY THE PLASTICS

Graphic, painting inspired, art infused prints influenced by classical Andy Warhol graphics are reincarnated in this season’s exclusive jackets, dresses and T-shirts.

A plastic rain-proof gear protects you from surprise showers – with style.

From fireman trenches to rubber boots, many world renowned brands have taken on the material.

Life’s fantastic wrapped in plastic Chanel, right?

FANCY PANTS Designers got the formal treatment at the spring shows as they paired jeans with evening attire and in some cases ‘bejewelled’ them enough to take you into a ballroom dance, looking just as fancy as wearing the perfect evening gown.

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CAGED SHOES The gladiator is back! And improved.

Ultra-high, extra tough bold caged heels and shoes, worn with a feminine flowy dress guarantee a feminine look with a hard-core twist.

MAD FOR PLAID “Emerging as the standout print of the season, there was plaid for everyone whether you gravitate towards classic tartan or tiny gingham-inspired checks.” -Balenciaga Whether in plaid, tartan, gingham; the check prints are undoubtedly spring 2018’s star-patterns. All Plaid, Everything Plaid is timeless, no matter what colour of shape it comes in. It’s no surprise, then, that head-to-toe tartan dominated the runways.

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BEST DRESSED STREET STYLE C EL E BRI T I ES

by Amira ElSayed

SARAH JESSICA PARKER Yes, we may all refer to her as Carry from her former TV series ‘Sex and the City’ because of her exquisite style, but here she’s spotted on a regular afternoon in NYC glamming up her outfit with her perfect, our all time favourite accessory..

SHOES! Outfit Key: Heels

Not only are they the best dressed celebrities of all time, but they inspire our street style with their simplicity. Here are a few ways to trend up your everyday look while going out.

VANESSA HUDGENS BLAKE LIVELY

Who said knee-high boots are over when winter is? If you pair them up with loose fitting shirts and shorts or maybe even summer dresses you can wear them all year round. Outfit Key: Knee-high boots

This just in; Blake Lively spotted on the Upper East Side showing us how to layer patterns perfectly. Whoever said that checkers and polka dots don’t match? Outfit Key: Checkered Coat and Polka Skirt

ROSIE HUNTINGTONWHITELEY Silk blouses are a must have in your closet this year. It goes both elegant and casual depends how you style it up. Try to go with pastels when it comes to silk though. Outfit Key: Silk Blouse

RIHANNA

GIGI HADID The up and coming model Gigi Hadid never goes wrong, whether it’s on the runway or in her everyday street style. She can basically rock anything she puts on. Outfit Key: Leather Pants

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We’ve probably seen those outfits on the runway and thought that we would never be spotted wearing something that hideous, but nothing is hideous when Riri glams it up in her own way! Who said all denim outfits are so 2000 and late? Outfit Key: Bomber Denim Jacket IDENTITY 29

P OW E R E D B Y WO M E N

Two Sisters One Dream WeddingHubEG Photographer: AMR EL GOHARY MUA: LOBNA FARID Location: TAMARA WATERWAY

Interview by Amina Moustapha

Alia and Dina Al-Abd are sisters and founders of WeddingHubEG; the first and largest destination for all matters related to weddings in Egypt.

The two sisters had one dream and together they worked hand in hand until they transformed this dream into reality. We met them over coffee to hear all about their exciting start-up and how they made it happen.

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HOW DOES WEDDINGHUBEG.COM WORK? Dina: WeddingHubEG.com is designed to provide brides and grooms with all the wedding planning details and tools there is, which will make their life easier and will help them be in control of their day.

The website is extremely easy to use and is divided into three parts; the first part is Browse Listing, where couples can browse wedding professionals from wedding planners, fashion designers, photographers, make-up artists...etc. The second part is Planning Tools, the budgeter and the checklists that have been developed based on the input of more than 100 bride and grooms to be. These tools, depending on the couple’s input, such as wedding date and planned budget, will provide them with a monthly guide that covers all the wedding tasks and details, and will break down their budget in order for them to know what to spend on each category.

Last but not least, the third part of our website is the blog; our newest addition that covers all the tips and tricks couples would need throughout their wedding journey, as well as new and exciting “insider” wedding information.

GIVE US AN EXAMPLE WHY USING WEDDINGHUBEG.COM CAN BE REALLY EFFECTIVE.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND WEDDINGHUBEG? Alia: The story goes back to 2015, when one of our closest friends was about to get married. We witnessed and had first-hand experience with the big hassle of trying to plan a wedding. Finding the RIGHT wedding professionals, setting appointments, arranging payments, and not to mention the actual

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execution of the wedding could all get extremely hectic. Without professional guidance, the bride and groom to be could get lost and overwhelmed. A light bulb came over our heads then; it was to create a website that guides couples throughout the process of planning and executing their wedding. We aimed for the website to be their one-stop guide to their big day.

Dina: The keywords for a successful wedding are comfort and confidence. Comfort that the wedding professional the couple picked knows what the couple wants, and confidence because they trust this vendor to deliver what the couple expects from them. So instead of couples spending hours and days looking for the right vendors for their wedding, and then spending some more contacting them, setting appointments and a host of other details, we did all the research for them, and took the weight off their shoulders. All they have to do is browse the website where they will find the top wedding professionals in Egypt, ranked, with pictures of their work, their contact information, and their social media platforms... all in one place.

Furthermore WeddingHubEG.com offers a highly interactive experience where couples will find unique reviews about vendors shared by their previous clients and they can share their experiences as well. And that’s how you choose your favourite vendors.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES YOU FACED TO LAUNCH WEDDINGHUBEG.COM? Alia: Launching a brand new and inventive idea was very challenging, no doubt about it. Breaking new ground always is. Some of the vendors we contacted before launching the website didn’t believe in our idea and never thought that it would succeed or

see the light of day. But we didn’t let this stop us; we believed in our purpose and ourselves and kept going. After a lot of hard work and dedication, the website came to life and the vendors were surprised and amazed by how we executed the idea. Now it’s been almost a year that we launched it, and it started raising awareness every since. In addition, another challenge we faced was getting support from people around us, and that’s the hard thing about doing something new, and going against the crowd, support will come in short supply. But we got through this challenge as well, and are so thankful to all the people who had faith in us, and believed in our success.

SOME QUICK TIPS FOR BRIDES AND GROOMS WHO ARE IN THE MIDST OF PLANNING THEIR WEDDING. Dina: Behind every fantastic wedding is a team of top-notch vendors. Bride and grooms to be should hone in on wedding professionals who will mirror and solidify their wedding vision, who are best for the couple’s budget, style, and personalities. So communicate with the vendors you prefer in order to know if they are what you’re looking for. You can attend an event hosted by the DJ you like, book trial appointments with the make-up artist and hair stylist, join a tasting session at the venue, ask the wedding planner for mood-boards, sketches, and samples. If you feel like you trust this vendor with your wedding, hire them immediately.

On the wedding day, surround yourself with people with positive vibes, capable of comforting you if stressed. Trust the wedding professionals you picked and let them do their jobs to avoid stressing yourself out. It’s your day; you shouldn’t be fussing over anything other than enjoying yourself. Hire an assistant on the wedding day or delegate close friends to make sure that everything is in place.

WEDDINGHUBEG WAS YOUR DREAM THAT CAME TRUE, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE TO GO AFTER THEIR DREAMS? Alia: First off, organize your thoughts. The thing about dreams is that they are so big and messy; you have to put them in order so that you can work on making them true, and turn them into projects.

Always follow you passion, it’s your fuel to keep going and never giving up. Be so generous with your dedication to your dream; put no limit to the amount of work you will devote to it. Surround yourself with positive people, who believe in you, in your project and who will supply you with good vibes when you’re feeling down, and when you get tired of the obstacles that will come your way.

IDENTITY 33

IS IT TOO LATE TO CHANGE YOUR PATH?

by Amina El Ghandour

NEVINE FATHY Most of us walk along paths in life that have been paved by others, and it takes time and growth for some to realize that they need to divert to where it feels right. Women are expected to be mothers, devote their lives to their children first and foremost; alternatively establish strong careers to make up for not building a family. Some walked down those lanes without much questioning - or regrets for that matter – but a burning flame within them enticed them to seek more. Learn the inspirational stories of women who defied all odds and unleashed their talents into successful enterprises at a later stage in life.

34 IDENTITY

FROM CONSTRUCTION TO COLOURS Nevine Fathy graduated from the American University in Cairo in 1997 with a major in Construction Engineering and a minor in Art Vision.

She had a successful career in the construction field, yet in the midst of a busy corporate job, she harboured a passion for art and continued to take

art classes after work. At the age of 35, she took the ultimate step and quit her job. She married, moved to the UK and had her son shortly afterwards.

While being a full-time mother, her passion for art was rekindled when she started attending life drawing groups. In 2013, Nevine decided to study art professionally. She graduated from the Art Academy in London in the summer of 2017 at the age of 42, and her career took off quickly thereafter. She participated in a number of group exhibitions in London. She was selected as a finalist to be part of the Holly Bush Emerging Women Painter exhibition at Burgh House & Hampstead Museum in May 2017.

And in July, her art piece, ‘Granddad’ was selected for the National Open Art Exhibition and voted one of the top ten finalists in the World Art Vote. Nevine currently teaches drawing and painting classes at the Art Academy in London. In spite of her budding career, she is now sought after for commissioned portraits in Egypt and the UK, and is preparing for her first solo exhibition in London in May 2018.

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REEM EL-NAGGAR

HEALING TO HEAL Reem’s story is similar to that of so many women in the Middle East. She was raised in a conservative family and conditioned from early on to marry and build a family, which she did very successfully for 24 years – raising three wonderful children along the way.

But once her children grew up, she had this strong feeling that there was more to life.

Then came the breakup of her long marriage which nudged her to delve within – and what she found was a woman very hungry for knowledge and growth, longing to make her own choices for the very first time in her life, at the age of 44. Her journey to heal, ignited a passion within her to extend this healing to others. Reem started courses in the human development field and earned her first life coaching certification in 2014.

Her dream was to establish a life coaching entity that can help individuals, couples, as well as groups. Reem took one day at a time and one qualification after the other.

Today Reem El-Naggar is a certified life coach with four qualifications and extensive training, and has established a company with five coach partners whose ages vary from 26 to 62. They coach individuals, companies and executives in different industries.

For Reem El-Naggar, the best profession is that which reflects one’s life purpose – that’s what she believes and that’s how she lives.

HEBA ABU OUF

MAZOURA, A BLEND LIKE NO OTHER Heba Abu Ouf is a squash champion and the vibrant and loving mother of four. The early years of her marriage were devoted solely to her children, but Heba silently harboured a dream.

As a mother and an ex-athlete Heba has always had her own style that was elegant and creative, yet seemingly effortless. Her dream became to create her own fashion line in her much admired style – a style that blends the latest in vogue with

36 IDENTITY

an Egyptian flavour. But only a good eye can bring this to life. The name ‘Mazoura’ came to mind, but it remained dormant within Heba for at least 4 more years before it finally launched in 2016. Mazoura brings the best of all; the latest fashions created by optimum Egyptian textiles and skilled local hands.

Today, Heba Abu Ouf shines as the face of Mazoura.

Her graceful looks are accentuated by her choice of fine lines and rich fabrics, and more than ever, she looks effortlessly exquisite.

As human beings we are bound to evolve and we evolve only by walking down lanes we paved ourselves, with our passions and aspirations – the parts of us that make us ‘individuals’. At the end what is ‘right’, is only what’s right for you. So if your path in life does not inspire you, find what does because it’s never too late to change it.

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THE SAHARA COLLECTION:

When Fashion Stands For a Cause

by Amina Moustapha

“Save a Paw”, an animal friendly collection, Sabry is trying to raise funds for animal shelters around Egypt. Identity spoke to the talented designer to know all about her charity campaign.

What first triggered your sense of fashion?

As I grew up, a love toward art and fashion grew within me. Since I could hold a pencil I started to sketch, and that was when it all began. I discovered my sartorial eye and I knew this was the path for me. Furthermore, I was brought up in a family that was tremendously involved in fashion and the textile industry in Egypt. I was meant to be a fashion designer. I studied Mass Communication and Art in college, and when I graduated I enrolled in fashion courses. Later, I joined my uncle and my mother at our family’s factory, The Sahara Clothing Company, and together we launched the Sahara Collection.

Tell us more about The Sahara Collection The Sahara Collection is a contemporary brand that presents a clothing line for men, women and kids with an ethnic twist using the rich and rooted heritage, crafts and prints of the many tribal cultures of Egypt and Africa. All our items are designed and produced locally, of course using only the finest Egyptian cotton. We collaborate with women from Nagada, Siwa and Sinai to convert their traditional crafts into modernized collections that intrigue and suit their target market. We now have three Sahara Collection stores in Cairo, Alexandria, and the North Coast, and we are hoping to expand.

What was the inspiration behind your collection “Save a Paw”, and tell us more about the campaign.

When Egyptian and bohemian designs get fused together, the outcomes are bound to be extraordinary, and that was just what The Sahara Collection did. The Sahara Clothing Company, established in 1990 and rebranded in 2011 to The Sahara Collection, known for the softest of cottons, has established a name for itself that narrate the story of hard work, dedication and designs cut to perfection.

Karmah Sabry, designer and partner of The Sahara Collection, doesn’t aspire to be just a designer. She wants to be a designer with an impact; she aims for her designs to stand for a cause. In her latest collection 38 IDENTITY

gym. It’s a very simple print, yet it states a very clear message. I hope people will like the design as I hope by selling these t-shirts we could raise enough funds to help as many animals as we can and also support the shelters to provide better living circumstances, medical treatment, and to put an end to having stray animals.

Is fund-raising for a cause something you intend to repeat?

Of course, “Save a Paw” is just a test to see how people will react to this type of campaign. If all goes well, we’re willing to launch a new collection, same theme, but different look, so that the people who bought the first collection get excited about joining the new campaign, and we can spread more and more awareness about the issue. We love to be able to help, so let’s hope for the best.

Some people don’t believe that fashion can actually stand for something bigger, what do you have to say to them?

Anything can stand for something bigger if you want it to; you just have to figure out the best way to use your specialization to do that. An influencer on social media can help any cause they believe in by just posting a picture, or simply showing support.

For instance, Sheirf Nour El Din, an up and coming media personality has joined my campaign, and he was so much help. It’s only a matter of knowing how to use your resources to spread your message. As for fashion, many brands and fashion designers around the world have done so much work in the market of conscious fashion by spreading awareness, making people feel like they are not alone, and inspiring people everywhere. I believe that fashion is not just about looking good; it is also about doing good.

I’ve always been a huge animal lover; I can’t bear to see what they have to endure on the streets on a daily basis. I kept wondering how I can help. How can I lend a hand? I wanted to come up with an idea that provides these poor creatures with an ongoing fund so that we can protect them from falling victim to the cruelty of street life. I decided to use the resources that I have, which is the factory, to help out. I designed an animal friendly collection called “Save a Paw”, where the profits of every product sold will go to the animal shelters of Egypt. Most of the charitable campaigns design standard clothes or T-shirts to fund the campaign. People do buy in order to support the campaign, but they won’t necessarily wear them on a daily life basis. So while designing the collection, I kept in mind that I wanted to produce something wearable and practical, because I believed that’s how the campaign could go viral. I wanted to design something that you can wear with a leather jacket, with jeans or at the

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Rachel Roams

196 Stamps

11

INSPIRATIONAL FEMALE TRAVEL BLOGGERS

by Rana Ramez

1. Mariam Gobba The Egyptian young solo traveller Mariam Gobba is a true inspiration to any Egyptian girl whose dream is to travel the world. Following her local and foreign journeys’ documentations on her Instagram account will give you the urge to start planning your next trip right away.

Instagram: @mariamgobba 2. Crazy In The Rain Anna Kate is a full-time solo adventurer. She started to follow her travelling passion in winter of 2010. The most interesting thing about Anna is that she travels on a small budget and offers her followers tips on how to do so.

Instagram: @crazyintherain 3. Arabian Gypsy Sarah, the Egyptian traveller, will leave you in awe of all the exquisite places in our universe. She will take you with her on her journeys with the amazing photos she captures and the charming captions she adds.

Instagram: @arabian_gypsy 4. Just One Way Ticket Sabrina Lovino has travelled to more than 50 countries around the globe. Her travel adventures show us that you can see the world on a budget while make it a better place through volunteering.

The girl from Berlin has been wandering since 2008.

Instagram: @justonewayticket

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Crazy In The Rain

“If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet” - Rachael Wolchin. To every girl who thinks she is too young to follow her passion, to every woman who dreams of travelling the world but is afraid to step out of her comfort zone, to every female adventurer who strives to explore the globe and was faced by our society traditions; this is for you. We are presenting you with a list of 11 amazing travellers who were brave enough to pursue their passion and were generous enough to share it with the world: 5. World of Wanderlust World of Wanderlust is home to the Australian Brooke Saward’s travel tales, knowledge, and reviews so that her followers can check her adventures, gain insight into places they might not have normally thought to visit or experiences they would not have otherwise known existed. She has also released a book with the same name as her blog.

Instagram: @worldwanderlust 6. She Explores Earth Lina El Menshawy is a passionate Egyptian adventurer who was courageous enough to turn her passion into a full-time business. In order to support her love for travelling, she has launched Cliff Top Adventures; an Egypt-based travel consultancy specialising in adventure travel and customized milestone adventures.

Instagram: @sheexploresearth 7. Be My Travel Muse Kristin Addis is an expert in solo-travelling. She ditched her stable investment banking career and followed her passion as an adventure seeker. The girl from Southern California has been adventuring non-stop since 2012 and she wants to help her fans to do the same.

Instagram: @bemytravelmuse 8. 196 Stamps Amira Ihab is a local explorer documenting the world with her spectacular photography work.

She plans to visit a total of 196 countries, to state

the obvious, and she’s already been to 21 countries so far. Her advice to future travellers is to limit their expectations, plan ahead and research everything and know how to spend money wisely.

Instagram: @196stamps 9. Rachel Roams Rachel Rudwal has visited nearly 70 countries until this moment. Her job as Emmy-Nominated OnCamera Host, producer, camera operator, speaker, writer and photographer gave her the extensive travel experience to be featured expert for Forber, Expedia, Travel + Leisure and many more.

Instagram: @rachelroams 10. Tranneta’s Travels Showing the most beautiful side of Egypt, Myriam’s photography will offer you summer vibes all year long. The half Egyptian half French girl has founded Tranneta’s Travels offering the followers both reviews and travel consultancy services. She defines herself as a lawyer by training and a traveller by passion.

Instagram: @trannetastravels

11. Dame Traveler Nastasia Yakoub is a former nurse that turned to be a full-time traveller, entrepreneur and photographer with an ambition to inspire and empower women.

Dame Traveller stands as the first and most wellknown female travel community on Instagram and has been featured in the Washington Post, Travel Channel, VOGUE, Forbes Travel and more.

Instagram: @dametraveler

May you find your source of motivation in this list, defy each and every challenge confronting you and pursue your urge of wanderlust. Nothing and no one can stop you!

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H E A R T F E LT D I S C U S S I O N S

One of the most successful and remarkable shows –probably on the whole planet- right now is Game of Thrones. The reasons why this series is a mustwatch are countless, but let’s just stick to one reason, the characters. And to be more precise, since there are a horde of tremendous characters featured on the show, let’s just talk about one character, Arya Stark.

For those who haven’t watched the show, and don’t know who Arya Stark is, here is a quick glimpse of her: Arya is the daughter of Eddard Stark, lives in a medieval world, and is at first glance clearly a tomboy, but she is so much more than that. She’s a girl who is not content to follow customs. In a scene with her father, we hear how he wants her to grow up to marry well and birth the future knights and lords of the realm and be a lady. She responds: “No, that’s not me.” She wants to be more than her world’s idea of what a lady is.

6

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT FEMINISM THAT NEED TO GO AWAY

More luckily, Arya’s great character is played by a great young actress; Maisie Williams. Since the show has become an unlikely tale of female empowerment lately, the cast had been asked numerous times about feminism and the fight for gender equality.

Williams had an interesting thing to say then. The 19-year-old actress explained that when she first learned the word feminist, she didn’t realize why it was used as a label. She said, “I remember thinking ‘Isn’t that just like everyone?’” “And then I realized everyone is not a feminist, unfortunately. But I also feel like we should stop calling feminists ‘feminists’ and just start calling people who aren’t feminist ‘sexist’ – and then everyone else is just a human.

You are either a normal person or a sexist.” That’s Williams putting a long story, packed with fights, victories, disappointments and misconceptions, short.

Falling victim to misconceptions is something the feminist movement deals with on a regular basis; whether it was in a fictional medieval world like Game of Thrones, or in the real modern world. The most famed misconceptions, which form the basis for the rest of this article, claim that feminism is this one lumped idea that carries a sole definition.

It is unfortunate that the definition involves women manipulating gender for their personal benefit, and promoting their superiority. Not only is that definition a misconception, but it also degraded the entire feminist movement for its true agenda, which is gender equality.

Feminism is simply the fact that everyone should have equal rights and opportunities regardless of gender. So in order to correct the widespread wrong ideas about feminists, here are 6 misconceptions that you will notice on an almost regular basis, and that need to go away: FEMINISTS DON’T HATE MEN The feminists are constantly portrayed in movies, especially our movies, as a group of men-haters, women who are probably single, divorced or marriage haters. Unfortunately this problem goes far beyond being a funny scene in a comedy movie; this is how a big share of our society perceives this movement. Most feminists believe that equality is for both sides; men and women, to be equal rather than women having more rights than men, so how can they hate men while defending this belief?

Hating men is also called misandry, and misandry is the polar opposite of feminism. Some proclaimed feminists who disrespect men are feminazi (Which means being an extremely radical sexist feminist) not feminist. The obstacles and problems feminists face go hand in hand with what men face, for example, the gender norms against men are extremely ruthless. It’s a disgrace that society tells men they cannot show emotions or else they’ll be labelled as weak or womanly. What’s equally unfortunate is that weakness is associated with being a woman in the process. See how the conflicts go hand-in-hand?

“True feminists do not hate men. If anything, they support the plights men face in the battle for true equality.” - Adrian Morgan FEMINISTS DON’T DISLIKE MARRIAGE AND CHILDREN

THE

IDEA

OF

The reason why misconceptions about something exist is because of the generalization of the personal preference of some people who are associated with this thing, and then these preferences get considered as general rules! For instance, if some feminists don’t believe in the concept of marriage,

by Amina Moustapha 42 IDENTITY

IDENTITY 43

“

FEMINISTS SUPPORT THE DECISION TO BE A STAY AT HOME MOM AND WIFE

FEMINISTS DO NOT STRIVE POWERFUL THAN MEN

TO

BE

MORE

Do you know what will happen if we lived in a world where women are more powerful than men? Where only women can occupy the highest positions?

Where men come second in everything? The answer is we will be faced with the very same situation we are undergoing now, the only difference will flipping around which gender faces the same unfortunate battle! Let’s write this one more time, feminists do not strive to be more powerful than men. The ones who might think this way are the feminazis we mentioned earlier, and who do not embody the true core of feminism and are not considered feminists.

Feminists want to be equal to men in a society that has told them they are not in multiple ways. They fight not to defeat men; they want to fight alongside them to break the chains society wants to imprison them with.

“

so we rush to the conclusion that all feminists are against marriage, and we start to perceive it as a movement that is killing the concept of ‘family’.

Feminists are people, and they desire a family as much as anyone else. They love the concept of marriage when each spouse pulls equal weight in their own ways. Just like anyone who knows the true meaning of marriage, feminists believe that marriage is partnership, where each partner must compromise to make the best out of this partnership. An equal and balanced marriage is a definite go. Also, supporting gender equality has nothing to do with liking or disliking the idea of children. Again, this is a personal choice. Feminists don’t destroy the idea of a family; in fact, they want to provide it with a solid foundation to protect it from collapsing when things get challenging.

Both men and women should feel free to be sensitive, both men and women should feel free to be strong.

You can tell a proclaimed FEMINISTS ARE FEMININE feminist from the one who AND HAPPY knows what true feminism is, when you hear their opinion Feminists are always about stay at home moms perceived as women who and wives. The ones who are continuously mad at shamed others for choosing the world and everyone not to work, who blindly around them, and also who consider the decision to embody masculine qualities! quit work when someone That the goal of feminism gets married a wrong is to empower women by decision no matter what the inspiring them to behave circumstances are, are the more like men! That’s another Emma Watson feigned feminists. Feminists big misconception. Feminists promote obtaining education are also feminine. Actually to and careers in the “man’s world” to show that be more accurate, there is no rational connection women are equally capable of handling the same between supporting the plights of women and not work as men, but they do support women to stay knowing how to be feminine. What feminism really at home when it’s a decision, not something to be stands against is the idea that for a woman to be expected from them, not an obligation they should beautiful, she must fit this certain dolled-up image the meet. Owning to the fact that what really matters society has imposed on us. They stand for the idea here is that the woman feels fulfilled in her decision that we are different from one another, unique in our to work in the field or create her own field at home. own way, so placing women in a box that says “you’re That’s the beautiful thing about achieving gender only a true woman when you put on make-up, when equality. Women now have options and the ability you wear heels, or when you put on a skirt…” is wrong to decide if they want to try to advance in the and condescending. Feminists believe that a woman workforce with a career or make a career in their should wear makeup, high heels or a skirt because own way beyond the office and assembly line. she wants to do so, not because that’s the society’s definition of a beautiful woman.

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BEING A FEMINIST IS NOT LIMITED TO ONE GENDER “Don’t let your gender define who you are. You can be who you want to be; whether you’re a man, a woman, a boy, a girl, whatever. No category ever really describes a person because every person is unique. That, to me, is what “feminism” means.

So yes, I’d absolutely call myself a feminist,” said Joseph Gordon-Levitt, an American actor, filmmaker, singer and entrepreneur. Feminism is indeed for men too. “Both men and women should feel free to be sensitive, both men and women should feel free to be strong. It’s time that we all perceive gender on a spectrum not as two opposing sets of ideals,” said Emma Watson, a British actress, model, activist and a goodwill ambassador in her speech in the UN Women Solidarity Movement. Anyone can support feminism. Men are definitely not excluded and many men embrace feminism. Yes, male feminists exist, and it is a powerful thing and nothing to be ashamed of. Men are also imprisoned by gender stereotype, it’s not only our battle and we would like for them to join, because it’s their battle too, and if they didn’t fight alongside women then both will keep on suffering.

The existence of misconceptions about feminism is due to lack of knowledge on what it truly stands for, and at the end we all need a reminder from time to time to question our beliefs, so if you’re a true feminist, your job is not to walk around

stating your rights, it’s more to help correcting these misconceptions. The world must know that we’re out to make the world a place for equal opportunity for men and women, to make it a safer place for women, because in Arya Stark’s words “Fear cuts deeper than swords.” So let’s fight alongside each other to make it a better and safer world for everyone.

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by Amina Moustapha

While receiving the best lead actress Emmy for her role in the drama series ‘Big Little Lies’, Nicole Kidman used the opportunity and addressed some words to her family: “I also am a mother and a wife. I have two little girls, Sunny and Faith and my darling Keith who I asked to help me pursue this artistic path and they had to sacrifice so much for it, so this is yours (pointing with her Emmy trophy).

I want my little girls to have this on their shelf and to look at it and go, ‘Every time my momma didn’t put me to bed, it’s because of this. I got something.’”

Here goes one of the greatest actresses of all time, admitting in one of her biggest victory moments, that you can’t have it all. She wouldn’t have wrapped her hands around this trophy, if she didn’t spend many hours and days maybe months away from home. She wouldn’t have mastered this role with all its complexity if she didn’t revolve her thoughts and energy on her character in the series.

So to be the best actress of the year, Kidman might have scored lower on her mother of the year test.

And that’s alright because she is human after all, because having it all does not exist, especially not at once. It is a myth. Here is why it’s okay not to be a Superwoman: YOU’RE ONLY HUMAN Who wouldn’t want to achieve their dreams and goals in life, to have a happy family, to maintain a successful career life, to work out and make their body strong and healthy, to live a romantic love story with their significant other, to have an exciting social life, to go on adventures… and the list goes on and on; who wouldn’t want to have all that?

But here is the problem; there is a finite amount of time, energy and dedication that one can provide to any given task. You cannot give 100% to everything.

To give to one thing, you must give something up

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somewhere else. To try to be Superwoman, juggle all that at once, and master them is only to needlessly exhaust yourself because you are going to fail somewhere. It’s not that you’re a failure; you’re just human.

SEEKING PERFECTION IS A LONG WAY LEADING NOWHERE Getting the most out of a busy life is far from refusing to accept any standard short of perfection.

Trying to stay all the time innovative, available and “on the ball” is simply impossible, and a long road of continuous disappointments. And this is not bad news; it is good news in fact. It’s our release from the perfectionist chains that we restrain ourselves with. It helps set our sights on striving for progress, not perfection. Work on getting better in all aspects of your life, but know deep down that it can’t all be perfect at once, because you’re imperfect yourself.

IT IS NOT ABOUT “HAVING IT ALL”, IT’S ABOUT “BALANCING IT ALL” To quit on trying to be a Superwoman, doesn’t mean to let a part of your life fall down. It is not your carte blanche to not work hard enough, or ignore your children, or lead an unhealthy life...etc. It’s about learning how to balance all that together, without driving yourself crazy. It’s to accept that sometimes you’re going to miss the mark, but it’s alright, all you have to do is stand back on your feet and try again.

You must take one game at a time, don’t bite off more than you can chew. And when it is needed and necessary, you must sacrifice, which leads us to the next point.

SORT OUT YOUR PRIORITIES Lots of women think that when it comes to priorities, it’s always family on one side, and work or talent or anything else on the other. That’s not true. Sorting out priorities is like listing the things that will make you happy and finding a way to make them coexist in your life. You don’t have to ace them all, but at

“

I want my little girls to have this trophy on their shelf and go, ‘Every time my momma didn’t put me to bed, it’s because of this. I got something.’

“

It’s Okay NOT To Be A SUPERWOMAN

Nicole Kidman

least they are there. If you choose to be only a mother, and let go of other things that make you happy, you’re taking a wrong decision. Being unhappy isn’t the right way to bring healthy happy kids to the world, even if you were the greatest mother in the world. It doesn’t matter how high you get if you aren’t living in line with your priorities. Being happy because of reasons that are exclusive for you is a priority.

THERE IS NO SHAME IN ASKING FOR HELP

Again, no one has the energy, time or know-how to do everything themselves. It is not a sign of weakness to ask for help, on the contrary, it shows that you’re smart and know how to delegate. In fact NOT getting assistance can be detrimental to your home life and your business. Yes, indeed, doing it all yourself may hinder the growth of your business.

You’re not doing yourself any favours by being Superwoman. So move away from that ‘do it all’ mentality and consider ways you can alleviate some of your stresses. Whether it is working it out with

your partner, asking your family or your in laws for help, or perhaps hiring a cleaner to sort the chaos of your home. Life is simple when we want it to be, and being kind to yourself is the greatest mind shift you can make.

At the end if Superwoman did exist, her tale wouldn’t be about a woman who leads a perfect life because that’s just boring. It would be about one who leads a happy life. So live happily, and the rest is all but details.

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However, I feel like a double agent leading two different lives. I have to lie to my parents every step of the way in order to maintain my relationship with my boyfriend. I don’t want to be doing things behind my parents’ back, but again I don’t want to breakup with my boyfriend.

I know that if I told my parents, they won’t allow it and will force me to break up with him but my heart still aches every time I lie to them. What do you advise me to do?

Dear Double Agent, Your dilemma is that of many generations of the past and, unfortunately, will haunt many generations in the future. The conflict between reason and passion, cultural traditions and the heart’s desires, religion and instincts, taboos and common sense, being true to oneself and being honest with your parents, etc. – such conflicts have been told, and retold, over the years in folktales, urban legends, novels, plays, movies, art, and music.

Parents will always worry about their children and children will always defy their parents, in an attempt to gain independence, and to simply “be”!

This journey will be filled with pain, tears, slammed doors, heartache, and scars. Children will vow to never grow into their parents, only to become an upgraded, yet glitched, version of them.

THE CONFLICT BETWEEN REASON & PASSION

by Marwa Rakha

Dear Marwa, I’m currently in a relationship with the guy of my dreams. We have been together for almost two years now. My problem is not with my boyfriend, on the contrary, it is with my parents.

more on my studies. Religious constraints and cultural taboos are some of the reasons why they also don’t approve of this relationship. I belong to the upper socioeconomic status, went to international schools and currently study at one of the reputable universities.

My parents are against me dating someone at this age (20 years old); they think that I should focus

I don’t believe that dating is wrong, but my parents do have a conservative opinion on the matter.

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Your parents managed to upgrade your living standards, education, and social circles. They probably paid attention to empowering you with languages, sports, and life skills. If one took a picture of your family, in your home, and sent it to another family in Western Europe, for example, they would think that you are all pretty modern and progressive.

Deep down, underneath the clothes, behind the furniture, away from the lifestyle, your parents still carry the heritage of their ancestors, and the baggage of literature and drama, that all warned against adopting Western traditions, and allowing dating! Girls should never date! Girls should never have relationships! Girls should never have experience! Experienced girls are BAD! Most parents know that their children have crushes, flirt, and fall in love. They are also aware that this is a natural part of growing up – just like using the toilet!

They also know that it is their role to prevent the worst from happening, to protect their treasured virginity, and to guide them away from the path of self-destruction.

This is exactly what your parents are doing! They know, but they cannot approve! They are aware, but they cannot give you their blessing! They have been through it themselves, but they will do their best to stop you. They will never forgive themselves if they approved, and you were used or abused. They do not want to be a reason, a faint reason, behind your pain or ruin.

Your parents, like many others, do not want to be labelled “loose”, “careless”, “moral-less”, or anything that makes “less” of them as good protective parents. Even if you wreck your ship, they want to look themselves in the mirror and say that they did their best to stop you. They do not want to be blamed for you losing your reputation.

The horror stories they hear and see every day, in real life, or on social media, intensify their sense of danger. You are not young to fall in love, or to date, or to think of sex, still, they know the dangers out there, and they have to shelter you for as long as possible. People your age are fully capable of starting families, but they know that this is not happening anytime soon. Like a can of tuna, you have to be “preserved” until the time comes.

I WOULD NOT ADVISE YOU TO LIE! I want you to feel empathy for them! Your parents are dead-scared! Next year, you will finish your studies, you will get a job, and they will lose the little control they can have over you. You will have more freedom than you have ever had and the maximum they can do is try to set a curfew for you. They will never know who you talk to, what you say, what is being said to you, who you flirt with, who is trying to win your heart, who is using you, who is hitting on you, where you go, how you behave, etc.

Put yourself in their shoes and think! Isn’t this scary!

Isn’t this every parent’s nightmare?

It will happen! No one can stop “nature” from taking its course.

Having said that, my advice would be: Don’t make them sorry!

GO AHEAD AND DATE. THEY KNOW! Don’t rub it in their faces because it is more than they can handle.

Take very good care of yourself and don’t do anything you wouldn’t want your own children to do.

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H E A LT H

THE BUSY WOMEN’S GUIDE TO A GREAT BODY

by Salma Elaydy

1. Dance

4. Get a hula hoop

It’s a great way to keep your body and mind healthy.

Dancing is everybody’s way out! You don’t really have to master dancing; just dance! It has no rules.

Whether it is Hip Hop, Belly Dancing or Ballet; just move around. Benefits? Studies show that dancing can help you lose weight, stay flexible, reduce stress, combat depression, boost your energy levels, and much more. Dancing releases endorphins – the hormones most closely involved with happiness – reducing stress and pain, and resulting in a feeling of ultimate well-being. What are you waiting for? Start reaping the many health benefits of dancing today.

A hula hoop is a toy hoop that is twirled around the waist, limbs or neck. It’s a full body workout and a pretty way to exercise; just ask gymnasts! You might want to try it for at least 8 minutes a day! Benefits? It improves your spine’s strength and flexibility, is good for your heart, and it will make you feel the calorie burn. Hooping has proven to burn up to 600 calories per hour. After hooping we often feel like younger, stronger, more toned, more confident versions of ourselves! Get that body shaking!

2. Go for a walk or a run in the early morning

Dumbbells are certainly the best way to beef up your home gym and yes, it’s possible to get a complete body workout with dumbbells alone!

Dumbbells are easy to carry around. You can take them with you to the office and exercise! Or you could just workout with them at home! Benefits?

Strength training is actually one of the best ways to improve your longevity! Using dumbbells is crucial to cardio health as it raises the heart rate and moves into the aerobic zone, resulting in improvement in blood cholesterol. Additionally, exercising with dumbbells helps increase bone density, decreasing the risk of fracture. It can also reduce symptoms of many chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, back pain and depression. You can now kiss diseases goodbye!

To improve and maintain your health is to simply focus on walking or running first thing in the morning. Walking or running in the morning on a regular basis will result in multiple health benefits and it is sure to enhance not only physical health, but also mental and emotional well-being. Take your pupper out and get a little exercise together.

Benefits? It boosts your energy for the rest of the day, creates a positive mindset, promotes weight loss, gives you time to plan out the day, and is good for your heart. Walking in the morning also saves the money that could be spent on a treadmill or the gym. Additionally, walking in the morning could either be a way to spend some time alone and reflect, or spend some time with a friend – who doesn’t share the love of being healthy? A 30-minute morning walk or run could never hurt nobody! Let’s get that day planned!

3. Do some set exercises at home with the family Think you don’t have time to exercise? Involve your family! You could do sets of push-ups, crunches, squats, or just go Sound of Music style and take your bikes out together. You could even download an app and get moving. Benefits? You finally made use of your time and not only that, you also brought your family together! Don’t we all look for that bond? Exercising with family will teach new habits to all members, as well as, improve communication within the unit, and of course create fun memories you could all reflect on later. Not to mention the immense health improvement that you will all experience. What better way to close out your family workout than with a celebratory high-five?

We all get carried away with work and other responsibilities that we often forget to make time for ourselves! We watch our stomach grow bigger, our thighs thicker, and our muscles flabbier, and just complain about it. Well, here are some ways to fix this seemingly inescapable issue.

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5. Use dumbbells

6. Use a stability ball Working out with exercise balls can be great for your body – and especially your abs. A stability ball is a soft, lightweight ball that ranges in diameter. Your height determines which size ball is suitable for you.

The stability ball is designed to stretch and tone the abs, which are part of the body’s core. It can also be useful throughout the rest of your workout, since you can use it to support your body while lifting dumbbells or performing squats. There are several exercises you can do with a stability ball: stretching, weight-lifting, squats, crunches and more! Benefits?

Using a stability ball will improve your balance and indirectly strengthen your abs. Stability balls strengthen the core, boost endurance, and improve spinal stabilization. The ball is mainly designed, however, to improve posture, body awareness and balance. Get your ball and start bouncing!

When you’re too busy to go to the gym, you could dance around a little bit, hula in a hula hoop, take a refreshing walk, exercise with your family, buy dumbbells, and bounce on your stability ball. When you’re feeling down and saggy, try those exercise tips, and mark the change in your life!

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REVIEW

by Amina Moustapha

Crime fiction has long been considered a man’s genre, dominated by writers like Raymond Chandler and Stephen King, but fortunately that’s not the case anymore. ‘Gone Girl’ and ‘Girl on the Train’ and many other crime fiction written by phenomenal female writers are some of today’s bestsellers.

The odds aren’t exactly in favour of debut novelists when it comes to their work getting published, especially if the writer is a woman writing in a genre like Crime Fiction, but luckily for the world of books and writing that wasn’t the case when it came to C.J Tudor.

Before becoming a full-time writer, C. J. Tudor held a variety of jobs that included trainee reporter, dog walker, radio scriptwriter, ad agency copywriter, voice-over artist, and a TV presenter. But none of that could quench her thirst for writing and storytelling. Like a lot of debut authors, it was 10 years of rejections and failed projects, or as Tudor likes to call it “close but no cigar.”

But as luck would have it, on her daughter’s second birthday, the idea for “The Chalk Man” came to Tudor from a tub of coloured chalks a friend bought for her daughter on that day. And that was how the writing story of a great storyteller began.

Below are 6 reasons why C.J Tudor delivered one of the best Crime Fiction books ever written: 1. The plot will swallow you into the book until the very last page Plot summary: In 1986, Eddie and his friends are just kids on the verge of adolescence. They spend their days biking around their sleepy little English village

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and looking for any taste of excitement they can get.

The chalk men are their secret code; little chalk stick figures they leave for one another as messages only they can understand. But then a mysterious chalk man leads them right to a dismembered body, and nothing is ever the same. In 2016, Eddie is fully grown, and thinks he’s put his past behind him. But then he gets a letter in the mail, containing a single chalk stick figure. When it turns out that his friends got the same message, they think it could be a prank…. until one of them turns up dead. That’s when Eddie realizes that saving himself means finally figuring out what really happened all those years ago.

2. Yes… It’s spooky If you have a soft heart, then probably this book isn’t for you, pal, you have been warned! But if you’re a horror lover, if you relish mystery and thriller, then you must grab this one off the shelf. From its horror-inspired premise to its chilling atmosphere and masterful plotting, “The Chalk Man” is poised to be an instant-favourite for fans of Stephen King, Stranger Things (Netflix series), and psychological thrillers with the rich character development of Liz Nugent and engaging plotting of Ruth Ware.

3. It expertly moves between two timelines If you’re a fan of “This Is Us” (NBC series) than you would love this reason, because no one masters the game of moving between timelines like the creators of “This Is Us”. Tudor introduces readers to her main character Eddie, when he is only twelve years old, and we get to meet his thirty-two years old version. Tudor masterfully blended the two timelines together, while we witness the transformation of Eddie and his friends, and we watch what scars they carried with them from their childhood to their adulthood.

4. A relatable capturing main character What’s the point of reading a book, if you didn’t like spending time with its main character? Eddie,

“

Tudor smashed through the glass ceiling with this suspenseful crime novel.

The Washington Post

“

C.J TUDOR: CRIME FICTION IS NO LONGER A MAN’S WORLD

Tudor’s main character is such a pleasant guy who anyone will want to get to know. True, he is a bit of an oddball but that’s due to the hardship he had been through. But he is someone you can relate to; he dealt with friend group dynamics, bullies, having a crush on someone, and witnessing a brutal accident (hopefully you can’t relate to this part). You’ll love each revelation Tudor provides about his character.

5. The Ending… talk about a twist Well, even “How To Get Away With Murder” fans (ABC Series), who are well used to sudden plot twists, will raise their hats for Tudor’s ending, admitting that you can’t see it coming. This story truly saves its best revelation for its final pages. Tudor has entwined a story that succeeded to come full circle so rigorously, and hits readers over the head with a disclosure that will fly under the radar of even the most seasoned suspense reader or viewers! You will probably end the book with a long Ohh, wondering how a piece of the story you didn’t know you should be looking for clues in it, perfectly tied with the rest of it. That’s how brilliant Tudor’s writing is.

6. The book is receiving strong reviews We have rounded up for you “The Chalk Man’s” major reviews: Sunday Times says: ‘A tense gripper with a leave-the-lights-on shock ending’. Daily Mail thinks that ‘There are shades of Stephen King when the reality bends into the sinister, and a deliciously

creepy finale.’“I haven’t had a sleepless night due to a book in a long time. The Chalk Man changed that,” declared Fiona Barton, bestselling author of The Widow and The Child. Good Housekeeping said, ‘Deliciously creepy with a side order of eighties nostalgia’, the Guardian wrote ‘Plenty of plot twists and an evocative portrait of small-town-life in the 1980s… a riveting read’, and to sum it all, Daily Express calls it ‘A must-read’.

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A RO U N D T H E WO R L D

HOLI FESTIVAL

Around the World this month

LAS FALLAS

When March 2 Where Mumbai, Dehli, India Holi, or the Festival of Love, is a celebration in India known for the display of vibrant colours and the beautiful meaning of unity. Holi celebrates the return of Indian god, Rama and his wife Sita to their hometown after battling evil. Every year, the Indian people come together, throwing colours, washing away their differences, and making them one for the day. The festival starts out quite mild in the morning and grows into a crazy and colourful, almost out of control, party by the afternoon. It is truly a spectacle celebrated in the streets, with loud music, amazing colour, and fantastic food.

ST PATRICK’S DAY

When March 15 - March 19 Where Valencia, Spain

When March 17 Where Dublin, Ireland & New York, USA

The strangest and most energetic spring cleaning around the world. Las Fallas originates from medieval times where the carpenters of Valencia would light torches – or fallas – to celebrate the end of winter. Las Fallas is celebrated by parading sculptures in the streets, dressed in traditional clothing, and dancing to live bands, while gunpowder explodes to accentuate the festivities. On the final night, the sculptures are burned, and the city erupts into a massive dance floor, Spanish style!

Celebrating the death of St. Patrick, the Irish Patron, on March 17th, Dublin and NYC light up in vibrant green. People paint their faces in green, the Empire State is lit up green, and the Irish pubs are packed with Irish people celebrating this festive holiday.

Not only that, but the Irish offer treats as well, making their traditional soda bread filled with raisins, and getting drunk.

BALISPIRIT FESTIVAL When March 29 - April 3 Where Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

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After the terrorist attacks of 2005, three friends sought to revive the wonderful Bali through an environmentally and economically friendly way, by starting BaliSpirit. BaliSpirit is a unique type of festival that emphasizes exploration, rebirth through yoga, nutrition, health workshops, musical activities, art activities, and visiting local spiritual sites. BaliSpirit’s first and foremost goal is rejuvenating, enlightening, and connecting the participants. Think it’s just a party? It’s a nourishing, eye opening experience like no other.

SKY LANTERN FESTIVAL When March 2 Where Pingxi, Taiwan The Sky Lantern Festival dates back to the Xing Dynasty, over 2000 years ago, when village raiders frequently attacked Pinxi and scared the villager into the mountains. To signal the locals back to their homes, village watchers flew fire balloons/lanterns. During this festival, fire lanterns are boosted into the sky to display the hopes and dreams of he who releases them, and to celebrate the end of the Chinese year.

According to the show “Fantastic Festivals of The World”, the Sky Lantern Festival is one of the best festivals in the world. Book yourself a spot!

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T R AV E L

CAPE TOWN 8 Days/7 Nights Departs: 01/4/2018 Starting form: 21,900EGP (excluding Visa fees and insurance)

March

Package Includes • Hotel accommodation in 3 &4* hotels on BB basis for 7 nights.

• International flight on Emirates Airways.

• Internal Transfer by bus Between Cape Town and Knysna and Vice Versa.

• Airport transfers • Visa Issuance Service • Airline taxes.

Getaways

For more information visit: Travistaegypt.com

SIWA OASIS

NEPAL: Gateway to the Himalayas

4 Days/ 3 Nights Departs: 8/3/2018 Starting from: 2,900 EGP

9 Days/ 8 Nights Departs: 6/4/2018 Starting from: $800

Package Includes • All accommodation • All transportation • All transfers

Package Includes • White Water Rafting in Trisuli River • Mountain Trekking in the Himalayas (Dhampus-Sarangkot Trek) • Paragliding from Sarangkot Hill • Boat Tour in Phewa Lake in Pokhara • Canyoning in Jalbire • The Last Resort by the Tibetan borders

For more information visit: Gazef facebook page

For more information visit: destination31.com

SHARM EL SHEIKH: Hilton Sharks Bay

ICELAND: The Land of Fire and Ice

4 Days/3 Nights Departs: Upon Request Starting from: 1500 EGP

8 Days/7 Nights Departs: 06/04/2018 Starting from: 1800 USD (excluding international flights & Visa)

Package Includes • Accommodation for 4 days/ 3 nights at Hilton Sharks Bay • Accommodation based on Soft All Inclusive at standard garden view room For more information visit: dealandpack.com 56 IDENTITY

Package Includes • Accommodation for 7 nights in standard hotels and guesthouses on BB basis • Airport pickups • All land transfers For more information visit: destination31.com IDENTITY 57

OUT & ABOUT

SAY IT WITH A SPARKLE AT THE NILE RITZ-CARLTON, CAIRO The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo celebrates each couple’s unique love story, creating world-class weddings and timeless memories. The hotel’s wedding experts promise to craft once in a lifetime experiences for couples and their guests, curating every aspect of the big day with personal care and perfection creating unforgettable memories.

The Nile Ritz-Carlton has partnered with exclusive luxury wedding partners to bring fairytale weddings to life. From bridal couture, floral arrangements,

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jewelry, professional makeup, bridal hair to indulgent experiences, the hotel promises every wedding to be special.

Couples choosing to tie the knot at The Nile RitzCarlton, are entitled to win exclusive prizes and experiences upon booking. Prizes range from bridal makeup with Zeina El Naggar, floral arrangements with Flower Power, Katatny’s, Dina Iskandar, Dina Zaki and The Lounge, bridal packages with Al Sagheer group, videography with Ramy Azmy,

music with Khaled Hussein, light package with Pro-Lite, first dance fireworks with Ahmed Essam, Zaffa celebration and much more. What’s more one lucky couple will get a chance to win the coveted grand prize - a diamond ring. Eulogized since time immemorial, a diamond ring is the eternal symbol of love and beauty. The Nile Ritz-Carlton and IRAM Jewelry together will add that special sparkle to your wedding day with this alluring 1 carat diamond ring, symbolizing everlasting love.

The hotel offers stunning indoor venues that can accommodate up to 1,000 guests, breathtaking outdoor venues, delectable menus that are sure

to delight and gracious service, delivered by a dedicated team of expert ladies and gentlemen who understand that planning is simply the first step to bringing a vision to life. The Nile RitzCarlton also offers royal suites on wedding day, a special honeymoon getaway, curated bachelor and bachelorette parties, pampering bridal spa treatments, a complimentary wedding cake, romantic dinners and so much more. From the big moments to the little details, the hotel will ensure your wedding memories last a lifetime.

For more information, please call +202 25778899 Ext: 2002, or email rc.cairz.reservations@ritzcarlton.com.

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Grand Nile Tower

MOTHER’S DAY TREATS

at Okashi, to international dining at El Sakya Souk with its enticing menu of a wide variety of authentic Indian, Italian and Tex Mex cuisine, fresh seafood and Mediterranean classics with stunning views of the Nile River.

Mother’s Day at Le Meridien Cairo Airport A Massage session, a memorable dining experience or a comfortable night’s stay?! Le Meridien Cairo Airport is giving you every opportunity to pamper Mum in her special day.

A Memorable Mother’s Day at JW Marriott Hotel Cairo

Beirut in an elegant setting and a generous hospitality.

JW Marriott Hotel Cairo showcases special offerings to celebrate cherished mothers on mother’s day.

Ultimately, add the cherry-on-top of her day and give her the gift of relaxation with a special Mother’s Day package at Mandara Spa valid throughout the month of March. Starting with a 60-minute aroma massage, followed by a 30 minute detoxifying green tea scrub, complemented with a 60 minute Cleopatra facial treatment; this 150-minute road to paradise will leave her glowing, both physically and mentally.

This Mother’s Day, celebrate with picture perfect views of the stunning landscape at Mirage Café and treat her to a special dinner buffet overlooking the golf course and lakes, savouring a various range of fresh and delicious international cuisines.

If you are looking for an oriental Middle Eastern ambiance, head over to Ahlein and enjoy the diverse flavours of Lebanon, gather with your mum & family for a special 4-course set menu and enjoy the true essence of

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Discover a dazzling selection of Mediterranean dishes in the bright contemporary atmosphere of Citron, and enjoy a complimentary tart for your mom when you are dining with a family of four, or more.

Mother’s Day at Renaissance Cairo Mirage City Hotel

If you are craving Chinese, treat your mom & family with a mouthwatering selection of authentic Chinese delicacies at Chinoix.

This signature restaurant offers desirable dishes such as Beijing duck, Dim Sum, and a range of other Chinese platters in a chic yet casual setting. Your mom will enjoy a complimentary dinner for every table of four guests.

It is time to celebrate you super mom, shower her with love at Renaissance Cairo Mirage City Hotel.

Make her feel extra special and devour one of our heavenly treats prepared specially for your mom at En Passant.

From the Cairo Skyline to the Nile River, Mother’s Day Surprises Abound at Grand Nile Tower Celebrate Mother’s Day at Grand Nile Tower by treating your mother to an exceptional dining experience at the Revolving Restaurant overlooking the Cairo skyline and Nile River.

Celebrating mom on this special occasion with a night to remember as musical melodies accompany the panoramic backdrop of the Nile and city of Cairo at the highest Revolving Restaurant in the Middle East. An elegant assortment of additional dining options are available, sure to meet her approval, ranging from traditional Japanese cuisine with teppanyaki seating

Spoil mum with a memorable stay including one hour Massage session for a more relaxed experience for only 975 EGP per person in a double room including breakfast for two.

You can also treat Mother with a heart-warming dining experience at EVOO! Bring the whole family and dine at EVOO where Mothers eat for free and get a complimentary cake + roses.

Mother’s Day Ramses Hilton

Activities

at

Mother’s Day Culinary Demonstration Session. Invite your Mother on her special day at our themed Mother’s day, where Chef Dimitrios and his kitchen brigade will spend their day sharing their vast culinary expertise and a specially designed Mother’s day menu to all the participants. Then a scrumptious 3

course lunch will be served at our restaurant overlooking the Nile.

Moms Eat Free! When dining with her family at “Maharaja” Indian Restaurant.

On Wednesday March 21st, 2018, Mother’s Day room offer: Spoil your MOM and let her get a bit of rest and relaxation in her special day!

Ask about Mother’s day special offer. This offer is available for Egyptians only.

Make mom feel special this Mother’s Day at Sonesta Hotel Tower and Casino, Cairo.

Say Thank you to the most passionate person in your life and show your mom how much you appreciate her hard work and love by treating her on that very special day.

Treat her to a day of luxurious spa treatments or give her a precious gift of relaxation and enroll her during the month of March to enjoy a 20% off Mom’s membership at Bien Vivre Health club.

Wine and dine her out at our exclusive Italian restaurant La Gondola and her meal will be complimentary on us. Indulge in the very best Lebanese cuisine at our famous Baalbak Restaurant while enjoying the live entertainment. Or try a Sushi Night out and her meal will be on us.

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In Presence of 10 Engineering Faculty Deans Huawei Celebrates ICT Skill Competition Students Qualification to Finals in China In the presence of a galaxy of professors and deans of the faculties of Engineering and Information Technology in Egypt, Huawei Technology, the world’s leading ICT company, celebrated - in the Engineering Faculty in the University of Cairo campus - that 6 Egyptian students were qualified to go to the world’s finales.

It’s Always a New York Italian Story The first New York Italian restaurant in Cairo “Giannini’s” held a special New York Italian Themed Party hosting lifestyle influencers and local media to have this unique experience and a night to remember.

Al Ahly For Real Estate Development - Sabbour Sabbour Partners with Award Winning global leaders Hill International, Gensler and JLL to develop the Sabbour next generation of Residential Compounds – The City of Odysia in Mostakbal City

The guests were all dressed up in the vintage 20s New York Italian theme wearing hats, head pieces and pears to capture the glam of this era.

Tatweer Misr Hosts a Gala Dinner to Celebrate Partnership with Liverpool FC In a night to remember where guests indulged in an exquisite festive atmosphere, Tatweer Misr, the Egyptian real estate developer, celebrated celebrate its 3-year partnership with the Premier League’s Liverpool FC at a lavish Gala Dinner at Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel.

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As part of Introducing Marriott International’s newly launched sustainability and social impact intiative designed to foster business growth while balancing the need of associates, customers, owners, the environment and communities under Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction, the Cairo Marriott Hotel partnered with Wataneya society, MBC Hope and Drosos Foundation launching the 2nd ceremony of “Beit El Helm” awards.

New Urban Communities Authority & Housing & Development Bank Partner to Launch City Edge Developments During an astounding gala dinner at the Nile Ritz-Carlton’s Al Qahera Ballroom, H.E. Dr. Moustafa Madbouly, Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Development, attended the launch of the newly established City Edge Developments.

Majid Al Futtaim Opens VOX Cinemas at City Centre Alexandria

Hilton (NYSE:HLT) continues its growth and development in Egypt, 60 years after first entering the country, with the opening of the Hilton Cairo Heliopolis.

Beit El Helm Awards Ceremony at the Cairo Marriott

To celebrate the brand’s rich history in Egypt, Pepsi® started the New Year on a high note by unveiling “Lovely,” an astonishing ad that showcases the different fashion styles and the evolution of Egyptian music throughout the last 70 years.

Telecom Egypt and Orange Data singed today an agreement for using TE’s access network to provide Fixed Broadband Services Orange Data and Telecom Egypt signed a three-year agreement to provide Orange with different options for using TE’s Access network to provide fixed broadband services.

Hilton Completes Landmark Dual-Brand Signing in Heliopolis Hilton Cairo Heliopolis Opens alongside Towers Luxury Hotel, the Soon-To-Be First Waldorf Astoria in Africa

VOX Cinemas opens seven screens, boasting 1,550 seats for a thrilling cinematic experience.

Opening marks another milestone in the company’s expansion plans for leisure and entertainment attractions in Egypt.

Pepsi® launches “Pepsi® Points” – the biggest loyalty program of its kind in the Egyptian market

Coca-Cola Is Bringing The Historic Fifa World Cup™ Trophy To Egypt To Ignite Unity And Pride Among Egyptians Celebrations to commence in honour of Egypt’s national football team qualifying for the FIFA World Cup™ since 1990 Coca-Cola is calling all Egyptians to get #ReadyFor the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy.

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affordable prices”. “Sky is the limit when it comes to our expansion plans”.

Hilton Cairo Zamalek Residences Celebrated the Valentine’s Day with the Community Differently Hilton Cairo Zamalek Residences decided to celebrate the Valentine’s Day with the community in a different way, as Hilton Zamalek loved to extend the LOVE message & spread happiness to our community and assist brides preparing for their marriage through donating of linen stuff such as bed sheets, pillows, pillowcases, duvets etc.. & presenting them to the brides and other needy people through the Egyptian Clothing Bank noble organization.

Doctors Say Fine Baby® is the Best Choice for your Baby Fine Baby® Named “Pediatric Product of the Year” for 2018 Everyone wants the best for their babies. Whether it’s the healthiest food options or the most prestigious nursery, money is no object when it comes to offering our children the highest quality life.

Public & Private Sector, Civil Society, Development Organizations are discussing training and development plans under the title “Building Egypt...

Empowering Individuals”.

Set Against The Historic Backdrop of The Mighty Pyramids of Giza, Marriott Hotels Makes a Landmark Debut The Legendary Mena House Rebrands as Marriott Mena House, Cairo Making Travel More Rewarding at this Iconic Location.

Al Mansour Auto unveils new Insignia Grand Sport 2018 Al Mansour Automotive, Opel’s largest distributor in Africa and the Middle East, today unveiled the new Insignia Grand Sport 2018, the new flagship model with latest state-of-the-art German technology and highest quality standards, the sporty elegance and completely new architecture.

The new vehicle will soon be available in Egypt.

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Wadi Degla City for Urban Development, a subsidiary of Wadi Degla Clubs, one of the largest companies of Wadi Degla Group, celebrated the re-launch of The District project located in the Sheraton area over a total area of 200,000 sqm.

Wadi Degla City celebrates the relaunch of The District Sheraton Fadi Alfonse “We aim to provide an exclusive shopping and entertainment experience at

On sidelines of Aspire Training Solutions 10th Anniversary Celebration Aspire Training Solutions, a leading company in building leaders, through empowering individuals’ character and competencies to elevate teams, organizations, and communities to optimally perform and prosper, has organized a panel discussion entitled “Building Egypt. Empowering Individuals” on the sidelines of its 10th anniversary celebration.

Emirates NBD Egypt Strategically Launches Program to Help Attract Youth and Introduce them to the Financial World

SIGNS

Pisces

Feb 20 – March 19

Strengths Compassionate, artistic, intuitive and gentle Weaknesses Escaping reality, overly trusting, moody and oversensitive Most Compatible With Capricorn, Scorpio, Cancer and Virgo Love You will finally be treated with the same level of care and affection like you have been treating everyone else. You will be valued for who you are. A great adventure is waiting for you right around the corner, stay tuned! As you are drawn to someone who is not your type, many fantastic surprises that will sweep off your feet will be waiting for you.

LOVE COMPATIBILITY ARIES They’re different, yet they click together. They have trouble bonding so they need to work on communication skills to be heard by one another.

TAURUS The partners can get lost in each other and make their dreams come true. With a magical emotional connection, the relationship can be filled with wonder.

GEMINI They do not make a dream couple, except when they really do. It’s either they are made for each other or they cannot stand being in the same room.

Nothing in between.

CANCER They both belong to the element of water. Both are compassionate. But they need to be careful not to get too absorbed in the relationship and keep away from the boring routine.

LEO Though the two signs are very emotional and can actually be great lovers, they will rarely stay to discover this together. Their personalities are way too different to find a way to coexist in a romantic relationship.

VIRGO These two are opposing signs with a very strong attraction. Their understanding can be perfect. But, they need to balance between reality and dreams.

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LIBRA Living in a fantasy is what this couple can easily go through, thus, they need to be anchored to reality.

As long as they don’t try to change each other, their relationship can be inspiring.

SCORPIO In case of reaching enough emotional depth, this couple’s love can last forever. Both are spiritual beings; which makes them the closest thing to connected soulmates. The two of them want the same things; which makes them a perfect match.

SAGITTARIUS Unless they handle each other with extreme care, this can be a disaster waiting to happen. When they respect their differences, they can enjoy a relationship full of laughter, optimism and shared love.

CAPRICORN Though they might seem like a weird couple, they actually are a good match. Their ability to bring out the best in each other is the most wonderful side of their relationship.

AQUARIUS They can never completely figure each other out; which keeps their attraction strong. They could guarantee a safe emotional space for each other while having a solid bond.

PISCES These two are partners in paradox. Being direct as well as using open communication is the portal to a longlasting relationship, since their chemistry is undeniable.

Darling New Design by sieger design

Endearingly individual. As people today want to be able to make their own decisions, Darling New offers four different washing area variants, all of which are equally attractive. The furniture washbasin offers impressively generous shelf areas and a delicate design, even in the smallest size.

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