MBRF launches 2nd Dubai International Program for Writing workshop in Tunisia to support young talents - Middle East Business News and Information
Dubai, UAE, May 2025- The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) has launched the second workshop of the Dubai International Program for Writing (DIPW), one of its key knowledge initiatives, in Tunisia. Held under the theme 'Workshop on Creating Illustrations for Children's Stories,' the workshop is led by Dr. Wafa Thabet Mezghani, a coach in creative writing and an English and communication professor at the Higher Institute of Technological Studies of Sfax. It aligns with DIPW's constant efforts to nurture young individuals and is part of a series of workshops developed to cultivate a talented generation in the field of children's literature.
Running until July 2025, the workshop is attended by 10 creative writers. It will include twelve detailed, in-person practical sessions for young Tunisian and Arab individuals who are interested in children's literature and passionate about writing. The workshop focuses on boosting the literary skills of these individuals in alignment with modern language standards and the goal of preserving Arab authenticity.
His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of the MBRF, said, 'Through such initiatives, we seek to underscore our vision for Arab literary production and to foster innovation in the children's literature field. We strongly believe that investing in young talents and directing them towards specialized writing fields is the key to creating a strong Arab knowledge society, capable of navigating global transformations. Through the second edition of DIPW, we reaffirm our commitment to launching top-notch training workshops that reinforce the DIPW's substantial role in empowering youth and enriching the knowledge landscape both regionally and globally.'
Furthermore, the workshop seeks to contribute to enhancing Arabic children's literature with modern and creative content that aligns with the needs of 21st-century children while balancing renewal with the preservation of cultural identity. It also includes multiple pillars that cover creative writing methods, child-oriented storytelling techniques, and the advancement of narratives in line with modern cultural and knowledge trends.
DIPW continues its relentless efforts to support and promote the literary landscape across the Arab world by improving writing skills, developing the capabilities of young writers, and offering platforms for them to publish their literary works. These efforts will play a key role in building a new generation of creative authors and translators while providing opportunities for the interaction of Arabic intellectual and literary works with their global counterparts.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
See - Sada Elbalad
2 hours ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
Get to Know 2025 Citadel International Festival for Music and Singing Schedule
Rana Atef The 33rd Citadel International Festival for Music and Singing is set to light up the historic Salah El-Din Citadel in Cairo with a diverse lineup of performances blending Arab and global musical traditions. The 2025 edition will take place between August 15 and August 23, featuring daily concerts by renowned artists and ensembles. Here's the full schedule: Day 1 – Friday, August 15 Opening ceremony with awards and an Arab Music Night, followed by a performance from Massar Egbari. Day 2 – Saturday, August 16 First set by Said El Artist, followed by Khaled Selim. Day 3 – Sunday, August 17 Performance by Amr Selim and his band, followed by Sufi chanter Sheikh Yassin El-Tohamy. Day 4 – Monday, August 18 Concert by the State Ensemble of Kazakhstan, followed by Hesham Abbas and his band. Day 5 – Tuesday, August 19 Performance by Colombian band La Ozuna Gigante, followed by Egyptian singer Mostafa Hagag. Day 6 – Wednesday, August 20 First set by the Kanaan Palestinian Cultural & Arts Troupe with Ahmed Gamal, followed by Fathy Salama and Sufi chanter Sheikh Mahmoud El-Tohamy in a fusion of Sufism and modernity. Day 7 – Thursday, August 21 Performance by the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, followed by Ali El-Haggar. Day 8 – Friday, August 22 Marimba virtuoso Nesma Abdel Aziz and her band, followed by Medhat Saleh with Amr Selim and his ensemble. Day 9 – Saturday, August 23 Closing night with Cairo Café led by Ali Sharaf, followed by Ehab Tawfik. read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Business Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle Arts & Culture Lebanese Media: Fayrouz Collapses after Death of Ziad Rahbani Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results
CairoScene
11 hours ago
- CairoScene
Inside the Cairo Catering Studio Run by a Brother-Sister Team
Inside the Cairo Catering Studio Run by a Brother-Sister Team Founded by siblings Hosny and Habiba Makhlouf, The Cater reshapes events with fine technique, close authorship, and total control over how food is seen and served. It was the night of an important dinner at the French Embassy, and brother-sister catering team Habiba and Hosny Makhlouf were in the kitchen. Dressed in chef whites and moving with the practiced ease of people used to orchestrating behind the scenes, they prepared a menu designed to leave an impression. The brief was exacting: French pastries for a high-profile gathering of diplomats, chefs, and magazine editors. What arrived at the table was both meticulous and unexpected - delicate creations laced with rose water, cardamom, pistachios, and orange blossom. The technique was French. The soul was unmistakably Arab. Embassy chefs stepped out from the kitchen to taste what they had heard about. Recipes were requested. And when the night drew to a close, the pair were invited into the embassy's own pastry lab for a quiet conversation about method, flavour and vision. It may not have been their first event, but it clarified what their company, The Cater, had become. Hosny and Habiba Makhlouf had started the business as a family-run partnership built on two distinct instincts - his rooted in classical technique, hers drawn from global food experiences. From the beginning, their aim was to introduce a new rhythm to Cairo's catering scene, one that fused precision with curiosity and made visual storytelling as important as taste. 'That mix - Hosny's classical training and my global food inspiration - is what shapes The Cater's identity,' Habiba tells SceneEats. Hosny trained at École Bellouet Conseil in Paris and now leads the kitchen with structure and discipline. Habiba focuses on creative direction, drawing from her exposure to different cuisines and traditions. Both remain closely involved in everything from menu development and client communication to event setup and social media. 'We don't just delegate. We really enjoy being hands-on and present throughout the process,' she says. The Cater's very first event took place during Ramadan and was hosted for family. 'The beauty of starting with family is that it gave us complete creative freedom,' Habiba explains. With no outside expectations, they built the menu and the aesthetic exactly the way they wanted. 'Phones were out the entire night. Everyone was photographing the food and posting it, and our social media started gaining traction right then and there.' Their process today is structured but collaborative. A team of experienced chefs works alongside the founders to develop dishes that are refined but still original. 'We combine their technical knowledge with our creative vision and fresh energy,' Habiba says. A separate logistics and service team manages setup and coordination, making sure every detail transitions smoothly from kitchen to table. Every event begins with a client conversation. Some come with detailed ideas. Others describe a feeling. The team responds with custom menus that align with the theme while staying true to their visual and culinary language. 'We believe in collaborating closely with each client, having ongoing conversations to make sure every detail aligns with their expectations,' she says. The Cater specialises in globally inspired dishes built from fine dining techniques. Their menus often pair classic preparations with unexpected flavour profiles, layered textures and styled plating. 'Our goal has always been to bring a fine dining experience into the world of catering, something that feels elevated, refined, and beautifully curated from start to finish,' Habiba says. Visual presentation shapes every part of their work. Trays, garnishes, utensils and even the pace of service are considered part of the experience. 'We make sure nothing feels basic, repetitive or simple,' she says. This attention to detail is what defines their aesthetic. 'Clients constantly tell us that our aesthetic, combined with our flavour, is what makes The Cater stand out.' While their team can scale up for larger events, they often gravitate toward intimate celebrations. Engagements, birthdays, and weddings give them room to craft deeply personal menus and expressive presentation. Their structure allows them to handle both scale and nuance with clarity and control. The French Embassy event offered a clear example of their direction. 'Preparing French pastries for such a prestigious client was both exciting and a bit intimidating,' Habiba recalls. 'We knew our work would be scrutinised closely, which pushed us to be even more creative and precise.' The menu combined the logic of French pastry with the warmth of Middle Eastern ingredients. 'Chefs from the embassy came out to taste our creations and even asked for recipes, which was a huge honour.' That night led to an ongoing relationship. The embassy kitchen invited them inside for a private walkthrough, and they've stayed in touch since. Cairo itself has played a major role in shaping their rhythm. 'Cairo's fast-paced lifestyle also means our clients value efficiency and reliability, so we've built a team and a system that can deliver flawless events on time, every time,' Habiba says. The city's layered food scene has also encouraged them to keep experimenting and refining their style. Hosny and Habiba continue to grow The Cater with careful intent. They've hinted at expanding into delivery, retail, or a physical location. But for now, their focus remains on depth, not scale. 'The Cater will continue to expand its flavour profile and offerings. Our potential in delivery and catering is limitless,' she says. Their style is defined by quiet precision. What they've built feels personal, considered, and tightly composed. Each event is treated as a story told through food, where even the smallest decisions are part of the experience.
Egypt Independent
a day ago
- Egypt Independent
The Days of the Gatsby
My dear daughter invited me and my wife to the theater to watch The Great Gatsby at the London Coliseum. Theater to me has always been a very special event. In my days of youth, the audience arrived promptly, quietly -there was no queuing or security. Men wore suits with ties while women had elegant dresses. The chairs were comfortable and there was space and the ability to cross your legs. The audience did not have to do a jack-in-the-box every time someone wanted to pass. This performance was great in spite of members of the audience wearing shorts, flip-flops and jeans. Jamie Muscato as Jay Gatsby was very impressive and his voice thunderous. Daisy (Francesca McCann) too had a great voice, and portrayed the cold, unemotional side of humanity to perfection, while Corbin Bleu, representing humanity and rationality, got much less recognition than he deserved. But leaving the theater, I felt the play was not about Gatsby but about what the world is experiencing today. A present of materialism, moral decay and complete vaccination towards humanity. In spite of the belief of many that history does not repeat itself, today is a reflection of the 1920s over 100 years ago. A week after enjoying The Great Gatsby I was invited in Hampstead, in Bishops Avenue, for a seated dinner at my friend Steve Ellison. Ellison, at 77, looked 50. Athletic, full head of fair hair, a chiseled chin and a permanent smile. Steve was a semi-retired investor. Born in America in Tucson, but living in London with two German Shepherds, Rocky and Toshka. It was a small group of six guests in addition to Steve and I. We all arrived around 6:30 pm and by seven pm, after cocktails, we were seated at the dining table. Martin Clayton, a Londoner, was in his 50s sitting on Steve's left, a banker who covered the Middle East. Gabriella Cornelli, originally from Puglia, Italy, sat on Steve's right. She was the owner of a major pharmaceutical company. Gabriella was young, beautifully dressed, with a warm smile and a perfect English accent. At one head of the table was Eli Elpstein, an Israeli American, in his late 50s or early 60s, a surgeon living in New York. I was to his right and on my right, facing Steve, was Mai Kawar, in her 40s, attractive Jordanian with a sharp mind. Mai was the founder and Chairperson of a think tank with branches in Amman, Paris, London, and DC. On Mai's right was Sergey Mertchev, a Russian-Ukrainian, a former diplomat and present writer and author. At the other head of the table was Henry Goh from Singapore. Henry was in his late 60s, rod thin, white hair, an owner of hotels and manufacturing facilities across Asia. As the first course was being served, Steve shattered the small talk around the table and said, 'Now what,' in a clear strong but not high voice. His eyes went around the table looking at each guest as all of us sat silently. He repeated, 'Now what,' in a more definitive voice. I responded, 'What do you mean, Steve?' He smiled and said, 'Now I got a reaction', he continued by explaining, 'Now what,' given that the world's moral compass has gone into free fall and awry, while humanity has become desensitized to mass murder, war, killings, starvation, irrational leaders and policies that are erratic, crises prone, racism, genocide, and a level of inhumanity not seen in the 21st century…….. 'What next?' he asked. Gabriella interjected and said that as the 21st century unfolded, she had hope that the world would be more peaceful, more prosperous, more prone towards collaboration, focusing on solving homelessness, improved medication dealing with diseases and more food plus less military budgets. Martin said not with Trump and the leaders we have today. 'None are 21st-century leaders—at best, 20th century,' he added. 'Why are there no 21st-century leaders?' asked Henry. 'We in Singapore are doing very well.' I said we had a leader in the 20th century that truly was 21st—Anwar Sadat. Eli responded, 'So was Rabin.' Steve added, 'Let's not forget Reagan or Clinton to be balanced.' However, Steve added, it's not just the leadership – the question is how is humanity continuing as if nothing is happening with the daily deaths, destruction and complete lack of serious action against planned starvation, ethnic cleansing, displaced populations, demolishing of homes, hospitals, infrastructure and crimes such as stripping men naked, tying their hands and legs and peeing on them. The deafening silence was followed by Mai speaking in a quiet voice: 'It's people like Netanyahu and Putin that have thrown out any rules and promoted horror, barbarism, amoral activity and the total erosion of empathy.' As Mai spoke and the servers removed our first plate and placed our main, my mind swung to The Great Gatsby play and how the actors acted in a total disregard to ethics, double treason, unwarranted violence and not only lack of empathy but a simple act of total ignorance. It's like pins falling in a bowling game rather than lives extinguished, born of sick minds. Eli, whilst rolling his pasta by the fork in his right hand into a spoon in his left, said, 'I am a proud American Israeli, but I see Netanyahu bringing hatred upon Israel and Trump dividing the American population.' Mai interjected, 'What about the tens of thousands killed and maimed in Gaza and thousands having their homes destroyed in the West Bank?' Eli did not raise his eyes from his plate as he swallowed a big swarm of pasta. Sergey, with a glass of wine in his right hand, said what is happening with the Ukraine and Russia war is ludicrous and could have been avoided before it began. He added this war is beneficial to the West as it's destructive to Russia and Ukrainians pay the price, whilst a big chunk of money is being made daily. Many are benefiting from this war. A lot of profit in too many pockets—that is why it continues. Not to mention, whilst my heart is with Ukraine—Zelensky is enjoying his role on the global stage and the money that comes with it. Sergey placed his glass on the table and proceeded to tear into his fillet. Gabriella stopped eating and said, 'Do you realize the huge mental strain resulting from the wars and conflicts, not to mention the geo-economic disruptions from sanctions, tariffs, supply chain problems, and geopolitical tensions?' Steve placed his fork and knife across his plate, waved to the server for more wine, and said, 'Trump has multiple times talked about a ceasefire and nothing occurred. Now he reflects upon starvation in Gaza as Netanyahu blocks all humanitarian aid and the world watches.' As Henry fidgeted in his seat, he said, 'The lack of an Arab and Islamic front in facing Israel's atrocities has allowed this to happen.' Mai was nodding as Gabriella said, 'I admire Ms. Meloni as she is a good Prime Minister for Italy, but I disagree with her statement recognizing a Palestinian State before its establishment may be counterproductive… a very wrong statement. Israel was recognized way before it was established.' Eli, who was quiet, interrupted and said, 'Please all remember that Israel was attacked with no provocation and is acting in self-defense in Gaza.' Mai responded, 'Unprovoked! 70 years of occupation and that is no provocation? A recent statement by Emily Damari said that when she was a hostage she was in a cage-like environment for 15 months. Does she not realize that there are Palestinians born and lived all their lives in a cage with daily checkpoints, midnight atrocity crimes — all detailed in B'Tselem human rights group's report titled 'Our Genocide'?' Silence grasped the table. I said, 'No one seems to mind as disasters across the world increase in their ferocity and inhumanity.' My mind went again to The Great Gatsby — profits being made during the prohibition, ethics being shuffled aside, and whatever attacks occurred all danced to the music. Steve ushered the dessert and coffee as he said once again, 'Now what?' or better still, 'What next?' I ventured, 'We need to find peaceful, sustainable solutions, win-win to all these problems. All problems can be sorted if there is the will and the courage of the conviction. There could have been,' I explained, 'a Zelensky meeting in Moscow with Putin before the war broke out. Abbas and Hamas could have stepped out and America and Israel proclaimed a Palestinian State instead of the catastrophic state of affairs born by Netanyahu's policies since 2006 when he supported Hamas to rule Gaza.' Martin interrupted, saying to Steve, 'Shall we go to the terrace for cigars?' Henry stood up along with Steve, followed by all of us. I bid Steve a thank you and good evening to all and headed to the door. Raymond, the butler, opened the door and waved to my driver Jessie as my mind went one last time to The Great Gatsby. Gatsby was shot and killed for a crime he did not commit. But no one who knew did bat an eye — all convinced as if nothing happened. I hoped that would not happen to the world my daughter will face and that humanity will learn from its mistakes. About the author M. Shafik Gabr is a renowned leader in international business, innovation, investment and one of the world's premier collectors of Orientalist art, and an accomplished philanthropist. During his career, Gabr established over 25 companies plus three investment holding companies including ARTOC Group for Investment and Development which, established in 1971, is a multi-disciplined investment holding company with businesses in infrastructure, automotive, engineering, construction and real estate, over the past three years focusing on investment in technology and artificial intelligence. Gabr is the Chairman and a founding member of Egypt's International Economic Forum, a member of the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum, a Board Member of Stanhope Capital, an International Chairman of the Sadat Congressional Gold Medal Committee, and a Member of the Parliamentary Intelligence Security Forum. Gabr is a Member of the Metropolitan Museum's International Council and serves on the Advisory Board of the Center for Financial Stability, the Advisory Board of The Middle East Institute, and the Global Advisory Council of the Mayo Clinic. Through the Shafik Gabr Social Development Foundation, Gabr is helping to improve elementary-school education in Egypt, introducing students to arts and culture and promoting sports and physical fitness for youth. The Foundation has its first Medical and Social Development Center in Mokattam, Cairo, offering free medical and health services. In 2012 Gabr established in the US the Shafik Gabr Foundation which supports educational and medical initiatives plus launched in November 2012 the 'East-West: The Art of Dialogue initiative promoting exchanges between the US and Egypt with the purpose of cultural dialogue and bridge-building. Gabr holds a BA in Economics and Management from the American University in Cairo and an MA in Economics from the University of London.
