Naguib Mahfouz Signs an Anti-War Document

Naguib Mahfouz received an invitation from the Greek Foreign Ministry to join international personalities who have signed a document that calls for preventing war during the coming Olympics in Greece. After signing the document Mahfouz said that he hoped war would end forever in the whole world. The anti-war document was signed by international personalities: such as Kofi Anan Secretary General of the United Nations; Jose Saramagu the Portugese man of letters who won the Nobel Prize of literature, Amr Moussa ,Secretary General of the Arab League and Dr. Botros Botros Ghali.

The Washington Post Hails Egyptian Civilization

(Eternal Egypt) exhibition which makes a 40-month tour in different American States is of great interest to the American community. The American Press has widely featured the exhibited pieces that bear witness to the time-honoured Egyptian civilization.

In a recent article published in the Washington Post the writer Paul Richard who once visited Egypt depicted the pictures exhibited on papyri, most significant of which was Anni papyrus 1295-1186 BC and the Book of the Dead which featured, through vivid pictures and writings, a long narrative.

Such and similar articles affirm global press interest in ancient Egyptian civilization and touristic sites.

Dr. Abul Eish Nominated for New Nobel Prize

The Egyptian Scientist Dr. Ibrahim Abul Eish won the new Nobel Prize for Sustainable Development in 2003 thanks to his brilliance in realizing economic success and social cultural progress simultaneously. The award crowns Abul Eish's 26-year -old journey in the Egyptian desert, 90 km northeast of Cairo aiming to develop the individual and the society.

The Egyptian Company 'Sikeme' which was founded by Dr. Abul Eish was selected by the jury in Stockholm to win the new Nobel Prize for Sustainable Development 2003, thanks to the Company's activities in the field of protecting the environment.

It is noteworthy that the new Noble Prize for Sustainable Development was founded in Sweden in 1980 to honour and support those who present practical and exemplary solutions for persisting challenges of the time. It is granted to individuals and associations for achieving integration between economic development, sustainable development and protecting society and natural resources in the whole world.

The new Noble Prize was also awarded to former Prime Minister of New Zealand David Lang for his relentless efforts to reach a world free of nuclear weapons.

The Egyptian Architect Hassan Fathi had also won the Prize for his contribution in developing architecture.

Coptic Feasts

Coptic Feasts appeared in Egypt during the Coptic age, i.e. since the middle of the first century until the middle of the seventh century. Coptic feasts are closely related to Jesus Christ and the different stages of his life.

The dates of these feasts have been identified by the ecclesiastical system in the Coptic year which was the ancient Egyptian agricultural calendar since the pharaonic age. It is noteworthy that today, the dates of agriculture, irrigation and harvest are still determined according to the coptic year and until the late nineteenth century it was the calendar used by the Egyptian government.

Coptic feasts can be divided into three groups:


Feasts of Jesus Christ

These are seven feasts that commemorate both major events in his life and other occasions which are less significant such as: Annunciation Day, Christrmas, Epiphany, Palm Sunday, Easter, Maundy Thursday and the Arrival of the Holy Family to Egypt

Feasts of Virgin Mary

These are seven; The tidings to her mother of her pregnancy, her brith, joining the temple, her death, her body transcending to Heaven, naming the first church after her in Greece.

Feasts of Saints

The coptic church specified each day of the year as a commemoration of a saint, or a martyr, or one of the prophets of the Old Testament such as: Saint Marmina in Maryout, Saint Demiana in Belqas, Mari Girgis in Mit Damsis, Mother Rifqah and her five sons in Sinbat.

Retrieval of Two Pharaonoic-Portraits

In the framework of Egypt's efforts to restore stolen antiquities, the Egyptian Authority of Antiquities restored two portraits which were stolen from Bebheit Temple and a pharaonic tomb in the South Valley after reaching an agreement with Boston Museum and Christie Auction Hall.

Dr. Zahi Hawas, head of the Egyptian Authority of Antiquities, said that there were hundreds of invaluable pharaonic antiquities abroad that the Authority was trying to restore to their original place: Egyptian temples, tombs and museums.

Topping the list of these pieces are: the head of Nefertiti in Germany, Rashid Stone, and the statue of the designer of Cheops in Britain, and the statue of Ankhan, the designer of Chephren in Boston Museum in the United States .

France Hails Women's Activity in Egypt

Ilina Rol, head of "Welcome in France Association", an affiliation of the French Foreign Ministry, hailed women's activity in Egypt in recent years. This came before foreign diplomatic figures during the lunch banquet organised by Nahed Al Ashri the Egyptian consul in France. Dr. Fatma Khalil and Dr. Hanan Munib, the cultural attach in the Egyptian Embassy and Dr. Aza Heikal the Egyptian professor in the Surbonne also attended the banquet.

Visiting Egypt... A Dream for Everyone

Under the above title, the Chicago Tribune and the Baltimore Sun published a long report from Luxor in which their correspondent Tony Straud described his trip to Luxor and Aswan as 'legendary'. He said the view on the Nile bank can hardly be found anywhere else in the world. Straud asserted that visiting Egypt well deserves to be a dream for everyone as it grants entertainment and outstanding cheap toursim. New York Times, on the other hand, published a report about renovating Mahmoud Mukhtar Museum.

An Egyptian Environment Expert a Candidate for the Earth Hero

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia UNESCWA has chosen the Egyptian Environmentalist Dr. Emad ud-Din Adly, head of the Association of the Arab Desk for Youth and Environment to be the candidate for the Earth Hero Prize which is granted annually by the UN Environment Programme to significant personalities in the field of environment from six different parts of the world.

Dr. Merfat At-Telawi, head of UNESCWA in Beirut said that the commission's decision to nominate Dr. Adli for the award comes in appreciation of the pivotal role the Arab Desk Association plays in serving environment and development in Egypt and the Arab World and the role of the Arab network for environment and development that comprises several civil associations in the Arab world. Dr. Emad Adly was selected to head the International Forum of Civil Society Associations in the meeting of the Nile Basin countries NGOs held in Nairoubi.