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Al-Ahram Weekly
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Don't miss a round table discussion on 'Reading, Naguib Mahfouz and Al-Gamaleya' exhibition
Amir Taz Palace 27 Al-Syoufiya St, off Al-Saliba St, Al-Khalifa District, Tel 02 2514 2581 Thurs 17, 7pm: Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass Salon presents a course for teaching the ancient Egyptian language. Sun 20, 7pm: 'The Egyptian Family House' salon will be moderated by media figure Nahed Abdel-Hamid, accompanied by a musical concert. Beit Al Sett Wassila (House of Arab Poetry) Al Azhar district, behind Al Azhar Mosque, Al Aini St, Tel 02 2510 3171 Sun 20, 8pm: A poetry evening celebrates poet Mohamed Abu-Doma. Diwan Bookstore 105, Abu Bakr El-Seddiq St, Heliopolis, Misr Algedida, Tel 02 2690 8184/85/ 0122 6000168 Sun 20, 7pm: A book signing ceremony and discussion of Mena Nagui's book Lais Azaa Bal Dawouaa (Not a consolation, but light), moderated by writers Fayrouz Karawia and Ahmed Abdel-Hamid Omar. Goethe Institute 17 Hussein Wassif St, Mesaha Sq, Dokki, Tel 02 2575 9877 Goethe Institute organises Green July 2025, a vibrant month-long programme featuring workshops and events aim to rethinking our relationship with the planet through four main themes: growth, innovation, imagination and reform. Wed 23, 5-6.30pm (in Arabic, free entrance): 'Don't Waste: Agricultural Residues in Egypt' is an inspiring discussion with a local expert who turns waste into opportunities. Discover how Egypt's agricultural waste, often considered waste, has enormous potential to drive innovation, create jobs, and protect our planet. The attendees will learn about real-life success stories, environmental solutions being developed here at home, and how each of us can be part of turning waste into treasure. Fri 25, 3.30-6.30pm (in Arabic, free entrance): 'Sustainable Education' an awareness talk rich in ideas and practical tips for raising environmentally conscious children. Learn how parents' choices can contribute to a sustainable future—from everyday habits to caring and responsible and preserving the environment Italian Cultural Institute 3 El-Sheikh El Marsafy St, Zamalek, Tel 02 2735 5423/2735 8791 Intensive Advanced Italian courses (Levels C1 - C2) enrollment is now open for in-person intensive Italian language courses at advanced levels C1 and C2. Enrollment period from 15 to 31 July 2025, course duration: 70 hours over the span of three months Course start date on 2 August 2025, modality: face-to-face for information and enrollment: [email protected] Enrollment deadline is 31 July 2025, hurry up because spots are limited. Naguib Mahfouz Museum Tekkeyet Mohamed Bek Abul-Dahab, next to Al-Azhar Mosque, Al-Darb Al-Ahmar, Tel 0122 723 1573 Sat 19, 7pm: A round table discussion on the exhibition 'Reading, Naguib Mahfouz and Al-Gamaleya' introducing a number of visual artists and literati. Tahrir Cultural Centre (TCC) Al-Sheikh Rihan St, off Tahrir Square, Tel 02 2615 2694/01280009077 Oriental Hall The 'Museum of the People' initiative, launched by iCulture Consulting in 2024, seeks to engage communities in the appreciation, documentation and celebration of Downtown Cairo's collective memory as part of our intangible cultural heritage. In collaboration with the AUC Tahrir Square Programming, this initiative aims to create an interactive platform for knowledge exchange and oral history documentation of Downtown Cairo, through curated sessions and community-driven activities. Fri 18, 7pm: Explore the folk heritage of the iconic cafes of downtown by Mostafa Gad, UNESCO expert and former dean of the Folk Art Institution, Arts Academy. Through the interactive discussion 'Downtown Cafés: Tales from the Heart of Cairo', he will be sharing his experiences in documenting folk arts and traditions in downtown beside his own memories as a young Egyptian in the streets of downtown, which will then be added to the district's oral archive. Sat 19, 7pm: 'Storytelling Building' join professional storytellers Alaa Khairi and Mohamed Kamel as they lead an engaging live storytelling session. Through creative techniques, they bring downtown's history and human experiences to life, inviting the public to brainstorm and share their memories and forging emotional connections between the audience and the place. Participatory Mapping Workshop and Closing Sat 19, 7:45pm: Take part as the iCulture team will guide you in creating an 'oral history map' of Downtown. Participants annotate locations tied to their memories and share accompanying stories. Printed street maps will be provided by iCulture. All stories gathered—from the social figures, storytellers, and participants—will be compiled into a book 'Oral History of the People of Downtown,' to be published by iCulture. This publication aims to preserve the intangible heritage of residents, even as the city's physical landscape evolves. iCulture has already documented dozens of such stories over the past year, and this effort furthers that mission. * A version of this article appears in print in the 17 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Monica Hanna speaks about 'Repatriating Cultural Identity: ISIS, Virgin Mary and Sayyida Zeinab' at TCC - Lectures - Al-Ahram Weekly
Amir Taz Palace 27 Al-Syoufiya St, off Al-Saliba St, Al-Khalifa District, Tel 02 2514 2581 Sun 13, 7pm: Nefertiti Cultural Salon. Thurs 17, 7pm: Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass Salon presents a course for teaching the ancient Egyptian language. Beit Al She'r Al-Arabi (Al Sett Wassila) Al Azhar district, behind Al Azhar Mosque, Al Aini St, Tel 02 2510 3171 Sun 13, 8pm: Poet Ahmed Abdel-Moaati Hegazy Salon remembers Palestinian poet Fadwa Toukan. Goethe Institute 17 Hussein Wassif St, Mesaha Sq, Dokki, Tel 02 2575 9877 Goethe Institute organises Green July 2025, a vibrant month-long programme featuring workshops and events aim to rethinking our relationship with the planet through four main themes: growth, innovation, imagination and reform. Sat 12, 2-5pm: A fun-filled workshop designed for families to learn and bond building. Test your environmental knowledge with an entertaining Q&A game, then unleash your imagination in a group storytelling activity where families create stories inspired by nature. Ideal for all ages to enjoy learning and creativity together. Wed 16, 12-2.30pm: Imagine a future where nature and technology flourish side by side. This interactive workshop invites you to explore the principles of the Solarbank movement, renewable energy, community resilience, and environmental harmony, and to embody these ideas through art. Reimagine a brighter and more sustainable world, and express your vision of a hopeful future through collective creativity. Al-Hanager Arts Centre Cairo Opera Complex, Gezira Exhibition Grounds, Zamalek, Tel Tel 02 2735 6861 Al-Hanager Cinema Hall Thurs 10, 7pm: 'A Talk on Cinema' Salon features film director Ashraf Fayek, who will talk about maestro and musician Ali Ismail and his musical genius who reached international fame, and the works he composed to the cinema. Italian Cultural Institute 3 El-Sheikh El Marsafy St, Zamalek, Tel 02 2735 5423/2735 8791 Arabic courses registration is open from 1 to 14 July 2025. Registration is open for the face-to-face Egyptian Arabic and classical Arabic courses offered by Ahlan World school ( at the premises of the Italian Cultural Institute. Classes will be held in the evening, starting from 15 July. For information and registration, contact 01129891993 or email [email protected]. For information on advanced levels, contact via WhatsApp the number 01222143876. Intensive Advanced Italian courses (Levels C1 - C2) enrollment is now open for in-person intensive Italian language courses at advanced levels C1 and C2. Enrollment period from 15 to 31 July 2025, course duration: 70 hours over the span of three months Course start date on 2 August 2025, modality: face-to-face for information and enrollment: [email protected] Enrollment deadline is 31 July 2025, hurry up because spots are limited! Tahrir Cultural Centre (TCC) Al-Sheikh Rihan St, off Tahrir Square, Tel 02 2615 2694/01280009077 Oriental Hall 'Sayyida Zeinab: The Tale of a Mosque and Legendary Sites Around It' the Sheikh Hassan Abbas Sharbatly Department of Arab and Islamic Civilizations organizes an exhibition on the Cairene neighborhood of Sayyida Zainab. The exhibition is accompanied by a series of lectures organized by Hoda El-Saadi (Sheikh Hassan Abbas Sharbatly Department Arab and Islamic Civilizations, AUC), Zeinab Abul-Magd (Oberlin College, U.S.) and Eman Morgan (Rare Books & Special Collections Library, AUC). Mon 14, (in Arabic), 5pm: Opening reception and exhibition tour in the Future Gallery, 6 - 8.30pm: Roundtable discussion at the Oriental Hall introducing Hoda El-Saadi of AUC, Zeinab Abul-Magd of Oberlin College. Distinguished speakers: Associate Professor of History at AUC Pascale Ghazaleh, Founder and Chair of Megawra-Built Environment Collective Maye El-Ibrashy, adjunct Associate Professor at AUC Dalia Wahdan, Professor of Architecture at Cairo University Dalila Elkerdany, independent researcher in the history of modern Egypt Dina Hussein, visiting scholar of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Theology, University of Helsinki Amira Abou-Taleb, and architect Ahmed Mansour. Tues 15, (in Arabic) 4 - 5pm: 'Repatriating Cultural Identity: ISIS, Virgin Mary and Sayyida Zeinab' by Egyptologist and Dean of College of Arts and Sciences at the American University in Baghdad Monica Hanna. (5.15 - 6.15pm): 'Sayyida in City's Memory -Dhakirat Madina' by Urban planner and researcher at the National Organization for Urban Harmony (NOUH) Amr Abdel-Aal and Haydi Shalabi, Director of the Central Administration for Technical Affairs at the NOUH, (6.30 - 8pm): 'Mapping Cairo, Mapping Sayyida' by Historian of the modern Middle East specializing in Urban history, science and technology studies, and digital history Shehab Ismail. Hill House, Room 102 Wed 16, 5-6pm: 'Popular Religiosity of Ordinary Egyptians in the Sayyida Zeinab Area' a lecture by independent researcher Essam Fawzy. (6.30-7.30pm) 'From the Tram to the Subway, Sayyida Zeinab District in a Hundred Years' lecture by independent researcher Amr Essam, both lectures are organized by Al Maraya Publishing House. * A version of this article appears in print in the 10 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Scroll.in
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Despite the assaults on Nehru's legacy, India still lives in the house that he built
Jawaharlal Nehru died 61 years ago on May 27, 1964. He was 74. He had a stroke that morning at 6.25 and lost consciousness almost immediately. He died without regaining consciousness, and according to a member of his household, his death was due to 'an internal hemorrhage, a paralytic stroke, and a heart attack'. He had returned the previous day from Mussourie, 'hale and hearty' but Nehru was clearly ailing. Parliament, then in session, and the nation were told about his death at 2.05 pm. A major event such as this inevitably gives rise to 'where were you?' questions. Where were you when Kennedy was assassinated? Where were you when Indira Gandhi was killed? Where were you when the World Trade Center was brought down? The shock of the event magnifies the immediate around you and imprints itself in your mind. I still can vividly recall the day Nehru died and the moment I learnt about it. I was in Poona studying German at the Goethe Institute, and after class that afternoon I was cycling into town to meet a friend. As I passed a government building, I saw a flag flying at half-mast. I asked and, when told, a great fear descended over me. Like many young Indians I too was unwilling to contemplate India without Nehru, despite having read many speculations about Who Next? The most widely read book on the subject was by the American journalist Welles Hangen, A fter Nehru Who? Hangen speculated on a list of personalities and wrote: 'Many people in India who concede that Nehru can now be replaced have told me that only he could have held the country together in the early days after the partition of British India.' Clearly, to many, Nehru had outlived his purpose, particularly after the disastrous India-China War of 1962. Not knowing what was in store next sent me scurrying down back to my hostel, where a radio set was reporting the mourning as only AIR and Melville de Mello's dulcet voice could. We began discussing the succession. Even though Gulzarilal Nanda was appointed the interim prime minister, few took him seriously as a successor. By late in the night our fears took over. One refrain was that the military would take over. Another was that either the Communists or the Central Intelligence Agency would set off a coup. None of this happened. Nehru had built a modern and democratic India to last. 1964 :: Funeral Procession of PM Jawaharlal Nehru — indianhistorypics (@IndiaHistorypic) September 3, 2023 India was fortunate to have his leadership in the formative years of the Republic. We took the road less traveled and it made all the difference. Recall Robert Frost, who wrote: 'I shall be telling this with a sigh/Somewhere ages and ages hence:/Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – /I took the one less traveled by, /And that has made all the difference.' We could have done better but we could have done worse – like many other countries in our situation did. The India conceptualised by Nehru and the founding fathers still endures, weathering blows from the philistines opposed to the foundational philosophy of modern India. Nehru was a man with a towering intellect and a long vision. No one who has read Discovery of India will think otherwise. He tried to forge a new all-inclusive nationality for us. I have often tried to explain this notion in simple terms. This is to make the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai or the Taj Mahal in Agra or the Golden Temple in Amritsar equally our heritage. Every invasion or migratory wave, every musical instrument and kind of music, and every literary form and style that flourished in India was equally ours. The raag and ghazal were ours, just as Bhimsen Joshi and Begum Akhtar were our very own. Nehru made mistakes. When big people make mistakes, they are often monumental. He misunderstood the nature of the dispute with China. He tied the economy in the ropes of central planning, which, while giving us an industrial base, helped spawn very many undeserving millionaire tycoons. But he had a bigger vision. He contemplated the new India to be guided by reason and infused with the scientific temper. Instead we are now increasingly a people driven by dogma and blind faith. Religion and blind faith are our biggest fault lines and the cause of much social friction and breakdown of orderly public behavior and order. Inspecting progress of work on Tungbhadra Dam , 29 September 1952. #JawaharlalNehru. — Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund (@jnmfsm) May 24, 2025 In recent years, the assault on Nehru's memory has become vicious. It is led by small men, men who do not know history and who confuse Taxila with Patna, the Indus with the Ganges, and Alexander with Seleucus; who do not know science and think the Ganesh was real and not a symbol and who cannot tell between a transplant and plastic surgery; who cannot distinguish between history and mythology, science and superstition, and fact and fiction. They are now trying to define our identity in narrow and divisive terms, and hence excluding the majority. Our never-ending economic malaises and the seemingly intractable problem of Jammu and Kashmir serve as ready sticks to beat the memory of Nehru. And in the hands of the half-knowing and politically vicious politician these become deadly weapons, however false they may in fact be. Then of course there is the myth perpetuated that it was Jawaharlal Nehru's eagerness to become prime minister that forced the agreement for the partition of India. There is a good deal of irony in this for those who seem to castigate him loudest on this are those who hate Muslims the most. The attempted deification of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who supposedly disagreed with Nehru on all these and other issues, serves the political purpose of those who, having got their day in office, misused it and now are desperately hoping to get another term. It is sad to see few willing to stand up and take a position in defence of Jawaharlal Nehru these days. In my time I have been a frequent critic of Nehru, yet even I will have little hesitation in stating that he was the greatest statesman this country has known for several centuries. We were fortunate to have had him in the beginning. Our unique diversity and common perception about ourselves bound by a modern and egalitarian Constitution is now being challenged. India has weathered worse. We are, after all, the people of India, that is Bharat. And we still live in the house that Nehru built.
