Showing posts with label Egypt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Egypt. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Bassem Youssef, Egyptian satirist, to host International Emmy Awards

Egypt’s satirist Bassem Youssef will host the 2015 International Emmy Awards. The awards ceremony will be on the 23rd of Novembers.



For the first time in history, someone from the Middle East is going to host the awards ceremony.

Bassem Youssef gained his widespread popularity for his YouTube show, El-Bernameg. He gained more fame on his television show following Egypt’s January 25 revolution in 2011.

In April, Bassem Youssef received a silver medal from the New York Festival’s International Television and Film Awards. The medal was awarded for his work as a television host.


He is currently a resident fellow at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics and has been a guest star on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show more than once.

UNESCO Chief to visit Egypt

Irna Bokova - Director-General of UNESCO

Irna Bokova, the UNESCO Director-General is due to arrive in Cairo Egypt on Tuesday. The reason for her trip is top-level meetings to discuss possible cooperation between Egypt and the United Nations.

UNESCO said in a press statement that Bovoka would go over the topics of: Education, culture, science, and development.



During her two day visit, the Director-General will meet with Egypt’s President, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi along with several ministers.

Accompanying her will be the President of the UNESCO Executive Board, Mohamed Amr, and Egypt’s ambassador and permanent delegate to UNESCO.

She will launch the #Unite4Heritage campaign in Egypt with the cooperation of the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. The campaign’s aim is to mobilize international, regional, and local efforts to preserve threatened heritage. The campaign also looks to stand against biased propaganda campaigns seen on social media networks.

In a statement, it was quoted “The campaign will be launched in the afternoon of Wednesday 13 May 2015 at the Museum of Islamic Art”


The launching of the campaign is planned to have a display of solidarity against vandalism and terrorism. It is expected that many Egyptian Youth and representatives of official and international bodies will participate.

Happiness Forum in Alexandria at the Center of Innovation

A Happiness Forum was held over the last five days at the Center of Innovation in Alexandria, Egypt. Each night held a different production at center’s mini theatre. On Sunday, the opening night, was a play called “Maarouf the Shoemaker”, directed by Abdelrahman Khaled.

The play was originally a movie, which was shortened to a brief comedy production. The play follows the shoemaker, who is married to an obnoxious woman. He eventually sails off to a fair off island and becomes a trader. There he is able to start a new life.


At the end of the performance, the actors and the director thanked the business university for their help throughout the production. They also thanked the members of the backstage crew, and the Center of Innovation for their cooperation with hosting the forum.


The Shoemaker meets with the King and Queen of the island

Story Attempt

One of my all time goals is to become an established writer in one way or another. The thought of writing books has crossed my mind, but I never really get around to finishing what I start. I haven’t really gotten around to writing a meaningful story from start to end. There have been random snippets or short stories that I have attempted writing based on random prompts for pure entertainment. But I haven’t written something that I could say was “a start”. But then again, anything counts right? So one day, a friend of mine showed me a writing competition for a story. The general concept was to write a story that goes against the norms of society. I don’t really remember where I was going with this, but this is the closest I’ve gotten at investing myself in writing something real. It won’t get me anywhere to just keep my attempted writing to myself, by doing so I’ll just be at a stand still of some sort. So here goes nothing. Here is my attempt at writing a story. I didn’t get farther than an introduction.

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Every morning I wake up to a twisted reality that has become my atmosphere. Life wasn’t always like this, not mine anyway. Here I am standing in front of the mirror, cup of tea in hand contemplating my outfit. As my wide hazel brown eyes scanned over my loose auburn curls, my black turtleneck sweater on black jeans, accompanied with black flats, and accessorized with a simple red pendant, I sighed. I like the comfort of dark colors, especially in the winter. Everything seems normal so far, doesn’t it? But you see, where I’m from, that surface image of the way that people live is nothing more than a show to cover up the twisted, shallow, soul crushing truth.

Oh, how I miss the days where I would be defined by what I did. If only people took the time to see what I am capable of. Somewhere along the line the value of a person fell lesson actual values and lid more on the materialistic taste that has taken over.

As a woman, I am nothing without the labels. That is what the human race has succumb too, especially in this society. I want nothing more than to be able to move people through my words, but I don’t exist without the labels. How could I ever expect people to hear me if they can’t even see me?

Today is somewhat special. I’m applying for a public column position in a well-known local magazine – Extravagant – it is the go to source of what people accept in this community. Even though it is kind of a long shot, it’s worth trying. The opinion section of the magazine has articles that advise people on how to think of their surroundings; whether it is people, clothes, food, places, anything really. During the last issue there was a revolting article on how a woman’s grace comes from her ability to balance herself on Louboutins. I still remember this one exert:

“Grace is amongst one of the most prized characteristics of a woman. A woman without grace is an individual unworthy of admiration. Christian Louboutin’s new collection has set the bar high this season! Any woman able to strut the streets in these beauties is a woman with high grace and elegance! What do you think ladies? Do you think you have the grace it takes?”


I winced at the thought of how ungraceful I would be perceived in my plain black flats. It’s not that I have trouble in heels; I just don’t find it necessary to wear them if I’m planning on running some simple errands.