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August . 2012 1 Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority EGYPT THIS MONTH Issue 38 August 2012 www.egypt.travel Live Colors Egypt Ramadan in Egypt An exciting time to be here

Newsletter of Egypt Tourism August 2012

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Page 1: Newsletter of Egypt Tourism August 2012

August . 2012 1

Egyptian Tourism Promotion AuthorityEGYPT THIS MONTH

Issue 38August 2012 www.egypt.travel

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Ramadan marks the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the exact beginning and end of the month varies depending on astronomical calculations. There is a lot beyond the word fasting (abstaining from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset); it is also a break that one gives the body, as well as a means of feeling the state of hunger the poor and deprived people experience. Moreover, it’s a time for charity work, assisting needy people and learning how to be thankful for what God has provided us with and cement one’s relation with God.

Ramadan is not just special for its religious aspect, but also for its distinctive customs and traditions that are cherished in Egypt as Egyptians are particularly keen on preserving their numerous inherited social habits and traditions.

People from all over Egypt make it a point to pay visits to sacred and religious sites. One of the busiest places in Cairo during Ramadan is the El Hussein area. El Hussein Mosque dates back to 1153, covers an area of around 3,500 square meters, and lies on the site of an ancient Fatimid Caliph’s cemetery. Another important mosque that Egyptians visit is El Mursi Abul Abbas Mosque. It is dedicated to the 13th century Alexandrine Sufi saint El Mursi Abul Abbas, whose tomb is located in the mosque. The mosque is situated in the Anfoushi neighborhood of Alexandria; another delightful area to visit during Ramadan.

The Lantern or Fanoos is one of the significant features of Ramadan. The ‘fanoos’ is a must-have for every child and many homes are decorated with them. These are traditionally made lanterns of tin and colored glass, with a candle inside. More modern examples are battery-operated, though they lack the true spirit of the fanoos.

The invention of the lantern goes back to the Fatimid era, when the Fatimid caliph used to check for the new moon indicating the commencement of Ramadan. The children would accompany him on this mission each carrying a ‘fanoos’ with a candle to illuminate the way for their caliph.

The making of the ‘fanoos’ is quite an important industry that is brought to light only in Ramadan. ‘Fanoos’ makers can be found in particular areas such as Khan El Khalili bazaar; considered one of the most remarkable markets in Egypt, this bazaar was inspired by the Mamluk Prince Jaharkas El Khalili, back in 1382 AD. The Khan El Khalili area is also where the El Hussein Mosque can be found.

Another special feature of Ramadan is the canon, which is the signal of breaking the fast. The story goes that in the mid-nineteenth century a worker was cleaning a canon at the site of the citadel and fired it by accident, coinciding with sunset and the moment of Iftar. This consequently turned into a ritual during sunset. Though today, this habit has been substituted by television and radio announcements, the canon is still fired from the Citadel every day during Ramadan.

The Mesaharaty or the caller for Sohour time, the second meal right before sunrise, strolls down different streets and

alleys in his neighborhood with a drum, calling for the last meal before sunrise. In the old days when the population was not so large, he would call people by their names. He is not paid a fixed salary, and relies on individual support and contributions. The Mesaharaty still exists until today, especially in lower income areas, where houses are closer to each other, and people can still hear him.

Family gatherings during Ramadan offer the perfect chance to strengthen ties through exchanging visits or inviting one another over the main meal, Iftar, or the pre-fasting meal, Sohour. Guests usually come laden with their favorite dish or desserts, either homemade or store-bought.

Certain types of desserts and drinks are only consumed during Ramadan. The most popular are ‘Konafa’, a shredded wheat-based pastry baked with sugar, honey syrup, nuts and raisins. ‘Qatayef’, an oval shaped pastry stuffed with different types of nuts and raisins or ricotta cheese, is also a popular choice. ‘Om Ali’, a bread and milk pudding dish and lokomades (honey balls). On the table there is usually a Hibiscus (Karkade) drink, served cold, ‘Kamar El Din’ a dried apricot juice, and a liquorice drink ‘Erk Sous’, which are all the most popular during the month.

The Charm of El Azhar and El Hussein areas: There is a special charm in the atmosphere during Ramadan, especially in local cafes in Khan El Khalili, like the popular and traditional Fishawy. The 200-year-old café is one of the most popular oriental cafes

within the market area. Open 24 hours and frequented by tourists and locals, it is considered to be an inspiring place for intellectuals and writers. The Noble Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz used to sit at the café and write his novels. The nearby Naguib Mahfouz café and restaurant named after the famous Egyptian laureate is also found in the bazaar area. Do not miss reading samples from his writings on display while you are drinking mint tea.

Other places to visit in the area are the famous Kebab and Kofta house, as well as El Fatatery or the Egyptian pancake, which are served with cheese and other accompaniments, or as a dessert with powdered sugar, jam or cream. You can also have a delicious filling meal of Koshary (lentils, elbow macaroni and sautéed onions and a special sauce).

There are also a huge number of shops in the area that sell all kinds of gifts and souvenirs, so visitors can buy anything from silver to jewelry, to copper and other Egyptian handicrafts.

Cultural activities in Ramadan: Furthermore, people like to attend different cultural and folkloric events that take place in historical houses, especially after Iftar. Beit El Harrawi and Beit Zeinab Khatoun are two popular choices. Beit El Harrawi is considered to be one of the outstanding examples of Ottoman Islamic houses, and dates back to 1731. Its construction is attributed to Ahmed Ben Youssef El-Serafi. However, it is named after its last owner, Abd El-Rahman El Harrawi, who was the Hakim (Doctor) of Qasr El-Aini Medical School. The house is located behind El Azhar Mosque next to Beit Zeinab Khatoun. The latter most probably dates back to the end of the 14th century and early 15th century – approximately the era of Sultan Qaitbay, as noted in the

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MusEuMs in MATRouH And siwA oAsis To bE EsTAbLisHEd

The Ministry of Antiquities is planning to establish two museums in the governorate of Marsa Matrouh to display antiquities depicting part of the history of the area. One museum will contain two thousands pieces discovered in the past few years from the Pharaonic, Greek, Roman and Grecian eras. The other will display Siwa Oasis’s heritage and digs discovered in the area.

On the other hand, discussions are ongoing on the development of Rommel’s Cave, where Rommel used to plan the eastward offensive against the Allied forces that ultimately ground to a halt at Al Alamein. Cleopatra’s spring-fed pool in the Springs of Juba, where it is assumed that Cleopatra actually bathed there is also in the plan to develop the area for visitors and tourists.

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architectural style of the house. The home is named after Zeinab Khatoun, the last to reside in the house.

Other places of interest are ‘Beit El Shaer’ (The Poet’s House), located in the heart of Moez Eddin Allah Street. It is surrounded by a wealth of cultural and historical landmarks, including the Sultan Qalawun mosque. Beit El Oud is also another location, established by the famous Oud player Naseer Shamma. Here people can enjoy wonderful concerts, especially when Shamma himself is featured, alongside other oud players.

Wekalet El Ghouri, right behind the Azhar Mosque in Gamaliya, hosts orchestras, singers and dancers from all over the Islamic world, offering some of the best performances during the month. last but not least, the Citadel is all lit up during Ramadan, and in various parts of the grounds around the Citadel, there are many cultural activities, ranging from folkloric dances, to dervishes and famous Egyptian and Arabic singers performing.

Most hotels and coffee shops have special activities, usually in a tent erected on the grounds, where music, folkloric dances, live singers and traditional Ramadan foods are offered. Finally, riding in a felucca boat and enjoying the enchanting lights of Cairo by night is a popular Ramadan pastime. Taking a Nile cruise on one of the many boats that offer Iftar or Sohour is also enjoyable.

Ramadan tends to make Egyptian nightlife more entertaining, certainly more festive, and nowhere else is this more evident than in Egypt.

Here are a few suggestions that you should not miss out on.

El Geneina Theater’s Performances

The theater first opened its doors to the public in 2005. It is an amphitheater situated in one of Cairo’s biggest parks, Al Azhar Park. The theater can accommodate up to 500 people and is located next to the Ayyoubi Wall on the west side of the spacious park.

With such an amazing backdrop, the theater has hosted many cultural and artistic events and this Ramadan is no different. The theater is hosting this month several musicians from the MENA region:

The Garage Theater at the Jesuit Cultural Center is one of the most active culture centers in Egypt’s second capital, the coastal city of Alexandria. The theater started operating in 1999 and has been hosting cultural events and providing performance space for many of Alexandria and other cities’ underground artists.

Their Ramadan schedule includes several ‘must-go to’ events including religious recitals by some of the country’s favorite groups.

The nile Group for Folkloric instruments is a band formed by Zakaria Al Heggawi. They first started performing in 1955. Al Heggawi toured the Egyptian countryside looking for fresh and new talent to join his band and despite the many faces and names who have led and performed with the band, they have managed to save their place as one of the country’s most popular bands in the Sufi chanting and religious songs genre. They will be performing on Friday August 3rd at 9 pm

While El sheikh Zein and his band, one of Egypt’s leading religious groups, with music made up of Sufi chants and songs, will be performing on August 10th. One of El Sheikh Zein’s most popular performances to date was with singer Janine Zaki where their musical performance fused Sufi chants with Christian hymns.

Another religious singing group that is deemed successful is The nile Group for Religious Recitals. The group’s performance includes Sufi chants and dances with the Tannoura. They will be performing on August 17th at 9 pm.

sama’a for Religious and spiritual Music FestivalThis festival is the brainchild of artist Intessar Abdel Fattah,

which first saw light in 2007 at Wekalet El Ghoury, when he combined forces with the Culture Development Fund to organize and inaugurate the festival. Following the success

of its first performance, the festival has been recurring every year for the last four years. This year, the festival will be taking place at Salah El Din Citadel. It will include several engaging performances by 24 different groups from 19 countries including Zambia, Bosnia, India, Pakistan, France, Spain, USA, Malaysia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco, Armenia and Egypt.

In this year’s festival, several religious and literary figures will also be honored including Sheikh Al Azhar Dr. Ahmad El Tayeb, the late Pope Shenouda III, the late author Khairy Shalaby and the late religious singer Sheikh Taha Al Fashny. Another performance to look out for is the “Mawlawya” group for Sufi chants and religious songs.

The festival will be running from July 29 to August 8.

PERMAnEnT EXHibiTion FoR PoPE sHEnoudA’s PossEssions

Opened last month, an exhibition of His Holiness Pope Shenouda’s personal possessions is taking place at the Cathedral in Abbassia.

The exhibits include personal tools used while in isola-tion during the monastic period, his priesthood attires and some of his personal writings to public figures.

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CRoss EGYPT CHALLEnGE in oCTobER

A scooter rally conducted throughout the most chal-lenging roads and tracks of Egypt will take place in October. It is a breathtaking challenge that is equally fascinating for spectators and riders alike.

Each season The Cross Egypt Challenge introduces a new route throughout the most famous spots of Egypt. The series started in 2011 and the first challenge was a 9-day ride from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in the North of Egypt to the Temple of Abu Simbel, on the southern borders of Egypt, with a total distance of over 1,700 km.

This year’s challenge will witness a 2,400 km route starting from Egypt’s capital and passing through the most exotic oases in the Egyptian western desert before ending the season in front of the world’s largest open-air museum, luxor.

The route is as following: Cairo/Alexandria/Marsa Matrouh, Siwa Oasis, Bahareya Oasis, Farafra Oasis, Dakhla Oasis, Kharga Oasis and finally luxor.

The Nile Group for Religious Recitals

Sama’a Festival

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6 AugustSama’a FestivalTunisia, Bosnia and the UAE perfor-mancesSalah El Din Citadel, Jospeh’s Well Theater at 9.30 pm

6 AugustSama’a FestivalEl Ghouri Dome, Azhar at 9.30 pm

7 AugustSama’a FestivalYemen, Spain and Ukraine performancesSalah El Din Citadel, Jospeh’s Well Theater at 9.30 pm

7 AugustSama’a FestivalTunisia, Azerbaijan and Bosnia perfor-mancesEl Ghouri Dome, Azhar at 9.30 pm

9 & 10 AugustYasmine Hamdan (Lebanon) Lebanese songwriter, composer and singer. She first appeared on the Lebanese music scene in 1998, when she teamed up with Zeid Hamdan to form the indie electro duo “Soapkills.” Between 1998 and 2005, the duo released four albums, including a live

recording. Ever since, she collaborated with numerous Arab and international composers and producers, her most recent was in 2011, when she started working with Marc Collins, the leader of “Nouvelle Vague” (New Wave), a French musical collective known for rearranging post-punk and new wave hits in bossa nova (Brazilian fusion samba and jazz) Geneina Theater, Azhar Park at 9.30 pm

10 AugustEl Sheikh Zein and his bandSufi chants and songs. One of Egypt’s leading religious groups and their most popular performance to date was with singer Janine Zaki where their musical performance fused Sufi chants with

Christian hymnsThe Garage Theater, Jesuits Cultural Centre, Alexandria at 9.30 pm

16 AugustUpper Egyptian Folk PerforamnceEl Sawi Cultural Center, Zamalek, at 10 pm

17 AugustThe Nile Group for Religious RecitalsAnother religious singing group that is deemed successful. Their performances include Sufi chants and dances with the TannouraThe Garage Theater, Jesuits Cultural Centre, Alexandria at 9.30 pm

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Art

1 August - end September“Summer Exhibition 2012“ Works by: Hisham El Zeiny, Dina Fadel, Reem Hassan, Hany Rashed, Amr Fekry, Amr Khedr. The works will be on display on two floors and can be seen by appointment. 4 D, El Gezira Street, 11211 Zamalek, Cairo

Tel.: +202 273 99 503/ 0122 6539 396

1 August - 16 September “The Collective Exhibition 2012”Sixty artists exhibiting their most recent paintings using different media, styles and techniques. Guest of honor is late artist Nerman Sadek, who is famous for her beautiful flowers and landscapes.

Duroub Art Gallery, 4 Latin America Street,

Garden City.

Film Screening

6 AugustMission Impossible - Ghost ProtocolJesuit Cultural Center, Alexandria at 9 pm

13 AugustSherlock Holmes: A Game of ShadowsJesuit Cultural Center, Alexandria at 9 pm

Special Ramadan Events

1 August - 13 AugustSama’a for Religious and Spiritual Music Festival This year’s edition will be joined by many countries, including Zambia, Bosnia, India, Pakistan, France, Spain, US, Malaysia, Armenia and others. Also several religious and literary figures will be honored. Artistic exhibitions and traditional crafts will be exhibited at both Salah El Din Citadel and Ghouri Dome.

1 AugustSama’a FestivalYemen, Egypt and Iraq troupes

El Ghouri Dome, Azhar at 9.30 pm

2 AugustSama’a FestivalUS, India, Yemen troupesSalah El Din Citadel, Joseph’s Well Theater at 9.30 pm

2 AugustSama’a FestivalIraq and Azerbaijan performancesEl Ghouri Dome, Azhar at 9.30 pm

2 - 9 AugustMawaweel Festival Held during the month of Ramadan, it will present a mix of concerts, plays and handcraft exhibitions.Darb 1718, Al Fostat, Old Cairo

2 AugustBasheer Troupe and Mawlawiya for Religious Singing Group - Opening the Mawaweel festival with The Mawlawiya presenting old Sufi music, as well as lyrics from poems that have long been neglected.Darb 1718, Al Fostat, Old Cairo

2 AugustRim Banna (Palestine) Composer and singer, who has performed in several music festivals all over the world. She studied music at the High Institute for Music in Moscow under one of the great Russian compos-ers Vladimeer KarobkaGeneina Theater, Azhar Park at 9.30 pm

3 AugustDina El Wadidi (Egypt)Singer and Arghoul player. She first embarked on her musical journey at the age of 19, when she joined “El Warsha Theater Troupe.” She joined the band “Habayebna” (Our Loved Ones), famous for playing folkloric music and songs especially El Sheikh Imam’s songs.Geneina Theater, Azhar Park at 9.30 pm

3 AugustSama’a Festival

China, France, Ecuador and the UAE performancesSalah El Din Citadel, Jospeh’s Well Theater at 9.30 pm

3 AugustNile Group for Folkloric Instruments One of the country’s most popular bands in the Sufi chanting and religious songs genre. It was formed by Zakaria Al Heggawi. They first started performing in 1955. Al Heggawi toured the Egyptian countryside looking for fresh and new talent to join his band and despite the many faces and names who have led and performed with the band, they have managed to save their place as one of the country’s most popular bands in the Sufi chanting and religious songs genre.The Garage Theater, Jesuits Cultural Centre, Alexandria at 9.30 pm

4 AugustSama’a FestivalIndonesia, Egypt and Turkey perfor-mancesSalah El Din Citadel, Jospeh’s Well Theater at 9.30 pm

4 AugustSama’a FestivalChina, the UAE and Morocco perfor-mancesEl Ghouri Dome, Azhar at 9.30 pm

5 AugustSama’a FestivalEgypt, Zambia, Yemen, France and Germany performancesSalah El Din Citadel, Joseph’s Well Theater at 9.30 pm

5 AugustSama’a FestivalIraq, India and Azerbaijan performancesEl Ghouri Dome, Azhar at 9.30 pm

5 AugustTannoura ShowEl Sawi Cultural Center, Zamalek at 10 pm

CAlENDARAugust 2012

Nile Group for Folkloric Instruments