RECORDS IN ME & AFRICA* – Page 55 – Arabian Records (1st post : Eid Al Fitr – 01st Shawwal 1439 (AH) / 15th June 2018 ) / (BETA testing – Research

Arab Cinema Center Grants Mouhamad Keblawi the ‘Arab Cinema Personality of the Year Award’

During the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), Arab Cinema Center (ACC) granted Mouhamad Keblawi, Founder and Head of Malmö Arab Film Festival in Sweden, the Arab Cinema Personality of the year award.

This comes in recognition of his contribution and immense support to Arab Cinema through the festival, with an aim to promote Arab cinema in Sweden and Scandinavia.

Mohamed Keblawi is a Swedish-Palestinian director and producer, who has worked in television and documentary film production.

In 2011, he founded the Malmö Arab Film Festival in Sweden, which is set on encouraging Arab filmmakers to find more opportunities to tell their stories, and support Arab film projects.

The festival screened hundreds of Arab films since its establishment, including Oscar-nominated films; Director Naji Abu Nowar’s Jordanian film Theeb, Kaouther Ben Hania’s Tunisian film The Man Who Sold His Skin, and Palestinian short film The Present by Farah Nabulsi.

The festival also featured several award-winning Arab films that have been to numerous international festivals; Wajib by director Annemarie Jacir, EXT. Night by Ahmad Abdalla, A Son by Mehdi Barsaoui, Gaza Mon Amour by Arab and Tarzan Nasser, and Ali, the Goat and Ibrahim by Sherif Elbendary, among others.

Mohamed Keblawi also launched MAFF Market Forum as part of the festival with the aim of supporting Arab film projects and helping them come to light. During its latest edition, the Forum presented monetary prizes worth of $ 250,000. Ever since it was created, this annual prize supported almost 100 projects including Costa Brava, Lebanon by Mounia Akl, Beauty and the Dogs by Kaouther Ben Hania, Captains of Zaatari by Ali El Arabi, 200 Meters by Ameen Nayfeh,

Our River…Our Sky by Maysoon Pachachi, Communion by Nejib Belkadhi, Khartoum Offside by Marwa Zein, and Tiny Souls by Dina Naser.

Keblawi is also the founder of Arab Cinema in Sweden, a company that works on the distribution of Arab films in Sweden. These films include Mohamed Jabarah Al-Daradji’s Jordanian film The Journey, Sophie Boutros’ Lebanese film Solitaire, Mohamed Khan’s Egyptian film Factory Girl, and Khadija al-Salami’s Yemeni film I Am Nojoom, Age 10 and Divorced.

Most recently, Mohamed Keblawi received the City of Malmö’s Grant for Art and Culture for the year 2021. This is an annual grant allocated to twelve creators in the fields of music, theater, cinema and literature. From 2015 to 2017, he was a member of the documentary film nomination committee for the Guldbagge Awards, one that is considered as Sweden’s Oscars.“What Keblawi did by establishing a main venue for Arab cinema in Sweden, is certainly a first of its kind. Through which, thanks to his tireless efforts, he was able to develop a platform for filmmakers in Sweden and Europe, and so Arab filmmakers became quite familiar faces in Sweden. He was able to create an exceptional fan base for a festival that caters for Arab films in Europe. We are honored to grant him the prize, as he continues to expand his horizons each year, whether through the festival or through his distribution and production firms.” commented Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab, the Co-founders of Arab Cinema Center.”The prize crowns many years of hard work to try to grant the Arab film a chance to be acknowledged in places that it has never been before,” Keblawi said after announcement of the prize. “Things like the release of an Arab picture in Swedish theaters or Sweden’s funding of an Arab film were fictitious at the beginning of the millennium, this is an achievement which I am proud of. I’d like to thank everyone who helped me reach my goal. I’d also like to thank the Arab Cinema Center for this award, which I’m very proud of.

The Arab Cinema Personality of The Year award is part of its strategy of promoting the Arab film industry internationally and supporting Arab filmmakers.

During the last years, Arab Cinema Center (ACC) presented the Arab Cinema Personality of The Year award to Chiraz Latiri, former Tunisian Minister of Cultural Affairs, Screenwriter and Producer Mohamed Hefzy, the President of the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), Abdulhamid Juma, Chairman of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), and Masoud Amralla, Artistic Director of DIFF.

Arab Cinema Center (ACC), founded in 2015 by MAD Solutions, is a non-profit organization incorporated in Amsterdam. ACC also provides networking opportunities with representatives of companies and institutions specialized in co-production and international distribution, among others. ACC’s activities vary between film markets, stands,pavilions, networking sessions, one-on-one meetings bringing together Arab and foreign filmmakers, welcome parties, and meetings with international organizations and festivals.

Also, the activities include the issuance of Arab Cinema Magazine to be distributed at the leading international film festivals and markets. Furthermore, newsletter subscription is now available on ACC’s website, allowing users to obtain digital copies of Arab Cinema Magazine, as well as news on ACC’s activities, notifications of application dates for grants, festivals and offers from educational and training institutions, updates on Arab films participating at festivals, exclusive news on the Arab Cinema LAB, and highlights from ACC’s partners and their future projects.

Arab Cinema Center has launched the Arab Cinema Directory in English language on its website, which is a comprehensive cinema directory that provides multiple tools in one place for the first time in order to enhance easy access to information on cinema to film makers inside and outside the Arab world. It also aims to facilitate the connection between the Arab film and Filmmakers and the International market. It also helps International Filmmakers to easily identify the Arab Cinema Productions.

source/content: egypttoday.com

_________

________________________

SWEDEN / PALESTINE

Two Moroccans Mouna Abbassy and Sophia Alj on Forbes’ ‘Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands’ List

Forbes selected Mouna Abbassy and Sophia Alj for two of its prestigious rankings.

Forbes has featured two Moroccan businesswomen on its “30 Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands 2022” and “20 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands 2022” lists. The two successful, celebrated business leaders are the Founder of IZIL Mouna Abbassy and the co-Founder of Chari.co Sophia Alj.

This week, Forbes released the two lists simultaneously. The magazine’s list of “30 Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands” featured companies operating in six MENA countries, with the UAE hosting 13 of the successful businesses.

The list includes 18 nationalities in total, with Egyptian businesswomen topping the list with 11 entries, followed by Lebanese with 4 mentions.

The “20 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands” list highlighted the achievements of successful female founders and co-founders of tech platforms and apps. This year, 17 nationalities were represented in the list.

The 20 featured businesses operate in 13 sectors and are prominently based in the UAE (13), Egypt (2), and Saudi Arabia (2).

Mouna Abbassy

Moroccan businesswoman Mouna Abbassy ranked 10th in the “30 Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands 2022” list.

In 2012, Abbassy founded IZIL, an “all-natural skincare line.” The brand offers hair, skin, and body products, inspired by old Moroccan beauty recipes.

IZIL is based in the UAE with clients in Gulf countries, the US, and the UK. The brand’s e-commerce sales to the US and the UK markets recorded a 40% and 50% growth in 2021.

Last year, IZIL opened new offices in Dubai as it launched a Moroccan Hammam and Spa in the Dubai Mall. In terms of social media outreach, the brand currently counts 346K followers on Instagram and 136K followers on Facebook.

Sophia Alj

Sophia Alj ranked 8th in the “20 Women Behind Middle Eastern Tech Brands 2022” list.

She is the co-founder of Morocco’s popular e-shop and startup Chari.co, which she founded with her husband Ismael Belkhayat in 2020.

The Chari application connects retailers to fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies.

In March, the startup acquired Axa Credit for $22 million. A year prior, Chari purchased Moroccan bookkeeping and credit platform Karny.ma which serves roughly 40,000 retailers. The startup concluded the deal after receiving $5 million in seed funding.

As it continues to expand into Francophone African markets, Chari.co has the potential to obtain unicorn status by reaching a valuation of $1 billion.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com

__________

_____________

MOROCCO

Egypt’s Ahmed Shawky to Chair Cannes Festival’s FIPRESCI Jury

Egyptian film critic Ahmed Shawky was chosen last week to head the jury of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) competition at the 75th Cannes International Film Festival.

Though Egyptians have been part of the FIPRESCI jury panel competition in the past, this is the first time one will chair the panel.

Shawky will head a panel that includes a number of film critics from all across the world: Mariola Wiktor (Poland), Nathalie Chifflet (France), Emanuel Levy (USA), Simone Soranna (Italy), Jihane Bougrine (Morocco), Magali Van Reeth (France) Bidhan Rebeiro (Bangladesh) and Youssoufa Halidou Harouna (Niger).

Launched in the 1920s, the FIPRESCI committee is among the most influential film criticism committees internationally. The committee is responsible for awarding the best film at numerous festivals, including at Cannes since the festival’s launch in 1946.

The upcoming Cannes International Film Festival is scheduled to take place between 13 and 24 May 2022.

Shawky is an Egyptian film critic, programmer and screenwriting developer. He writes about film for numerous Egyptian and regional publications. He has also published six books about Egyptian cinema.

A FIPRESCI board member and the vice president of the African film critics’ federation (FAAC), Shawky is also as a programmer for many film festivals.

Shawky was appointed an acting artistic director of the Cairo International Film Festival in 2019, and a year later he was appointed its artistic director.

Shawky is also one of two Egyptian names to head the 75th festival’s juries, with the other being Yousry Nasrallah who will chair the Short Film Jury, a panel in charge of selecting one of nine films in competition for Short Film Palme d’Or.

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg (edited)

______________

________

EGYPT

13 Moroccan Groups Among North Africa’s Top 20 Companies

Morocco’s telecom operator Maroc Telecom is the largest company in North Africa with a market valuation of $11.8.

13 Moroccan companies feature among North Africa’s top 20 biggest firms in terms of market capitalization, according to a report by African Business, a pan-African business-oriented business magazine.

Leading the charts is Maroc Telecom, Morocco’s leading telecommunication firm, with an $11.8 billion valuation.

Despite topping the list of North African companies, Maroc Telecom slipped from the list of the top 10 companies on the continental ranking. The Moroccan firm’s market capitalization fell from $13.5 billion to $11.8 billion between 2021 and 2022, according to a report by African Business.

Maroc Telecom ranked 13th in Africa, down from 8th in 2021, the report noted.

With a market capitalization of $10.3 billion, Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco’s largest bank, came in second place on the list of the top 20 largest companies in North Africa.

On the continental level, Attijariwafa Bank fell from the 15th to the 19th in 2022 even as its capital grew by $0.4 billion in the past year, reflecting strong growth in Africa’s business landscape.

Morocco’s Banque Centrale Populaire ranked as North Africa’s third-largest company; the Moroccan banking group was meanwhile ranked 32nd in Africa, with market capitalization having fallen from $5.652 billion to $5.622 billion in the past year.

LafargeHolcim Maroc construction group ranked fifth in the North African market and 39th in Africa. The group’s market capitalization stood at $4.623 billion, up from $4.167 billion in 2021

The final Moroccan bank to feature on the list of the top 20 largest companies in North Africa is Bank of Africa in 6th place in North Africa and 42nd across the entire continent. The banking group’s market capitalization in 2022 is valued at $4.238 billion, up from $3.563 billion a year before, the report indicates.

Other Moroccan companies featured in the regional ranking include construction materials manufacturer Ciments du Maroc and energy company TAQA Morocco. The two firms are respectively ranked 7th and 8th in the North African market.

Food manufacturer Cosumar Maroc is ranked as the ninth-largest company in North Africa and 61st in the whole of Africa. Meanwhile, Mining company Managem, and Morocco’s national port operator, Marsa Maroc, ranked in the 11th and 12th ranks respectively.

The final Moroccan companies to appear in the ranking in 13th, 15th, and 17th place are Wafa Assurance, Afriquia Gaz, and Total Maroc respectively.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (edited)

__________

13 Moroccan Groups Among North Africa’s Top 20 Companies

_____________

MOROCCO

Mohamed Salah Wins FWA’s ‘Footballer of the Year Award’ for second time

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has won the prestigious Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year award for a second time, it was announced on Friday.

The 29-year-old enjoyed a vote share of 48% ahead of Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne and West Ham United’s Declan Rice to scoop the prize.

Elsewhere, Chelsea striker Sam Kerr also won the women’s Footballer of the Year award after another stellar campaign. The 28-year-old claimed the prize with 40% of the vote, beating Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema and Manchester City’s Lauren Hemp.

FWA chair Carrie Brown said: “Both Mo and Sam have been outstanding this season, breaking records for both club and country. As well as their performances on the pitch, they are leaders and standard bearers of excellence at their clubs and respective leagues.

“The fact they have won by such convincing margins underlines just how impressive they have been this season which has been recognised by our members.”

source/content: wam.ae

___________

________

EGYPT

Emirati Noura Al Ketbi Breaks Asian Record at Dubai World Para Athletics Grand Prix

The UAE racked up five more medals on the final day to take their final tally to 17 at the Dubai 2022 World Para Athletics Grand Prix – 13th Fazza International Para Athletics Championships.

Noura Al Ketbi, winner of the host nation’s only gold in the women’s wheelchair F34 shot put, wrapped up with silver in an Asian record throw of 19.46m in the women’s club F32 final.

Algeria’s Mounia Gasmi (21.74m) won the gold and Al Ketbi’s teammate Thekra Al Kaabi (18.67m) took bronze at the Dubai Club for People of Determination.

“For us to win 17 medals and for me to be able to chip in with a gold and silver in that tally was a real good performance that we can be proud as a team,” Al Ketbi, silver medallist at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, said.

“As the host of this championship, we were able to field as many as 50 entries, obviously with the objective of providing them the opportunity to compete at this level.

“Personally, it was a very good competition for me. I can take a lot of positives forward and continue with my preparation for the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou later this year.”

Colombia topped the list with 25 medals, made up of 12 golds, eight silvers and five bronze. Algeria, with 11 golds, four silvers, and one bronze, finished second. The UAE was placed 19th with one gold, 10 silvers and six bronze.

Sara Al Jneibi grabbed her second silver medal of the championships in the women’s javelin wheelchair F33/34/54 with a throw of 8.51m.

Algeria’s Asmahane Boudjadar (11.99m) took gold and Emirati Aishah Salem Al Khaaldi (8.49m) clinched the bronze.

Abbad Ali added another silver to UAE’s medals tally in the men’s discus F11/37 with an effort of 37.04m. Kuwait’s Hamed Ali (41.54) took the gold.

Marcel Hug broke the world record when winning the men’s T54 wheelchair 5,000m final.

The Swiss Paralympic star clocked 9 minutes 32.32 seconds to set his second world record in as many weeks after his effort at the Sharjah International Meeting.

“It’s amazing and I’m really happy with my form right now,” Hug said. “It was my goal to come here and break the world record.

“The conditions are always perfect here. Besides it’s a very fast track so I had a great chance to get a good time here. First, I did it in Sharjah and then here.

“The Fazza Championships has always been an important competition for me and I have been coming here for many years. It’s a good opportunity to see where I stand and where I have to improve in my training besides trying different tactics.”

source/content: thenationalnews.com

_________________

Noura Alketbi (left) and Thekra Al Kaabi with Theban Salem Al Muhairi, general secretary of UAE Paralympic Committee, after the presentation ceremony. Gaber Abdeen

___________________________________

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

33 Million Beneficiaries Through Noor Dubai Eye Treatment and Preventive Programmes Around the World

Noor Dubai Foundation, one of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, succeeded in benefitting 33 million people around the world, through its treatment, preventive and awareness programmes specialised in the prevention of blindness.

This was reported during the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation Annual Meeting , in which an inspiring patient story was shared also documenting Noor Dubai’s journey since its launch in 2008.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, tweeted on his personal account yesterday expressing his pride in that 145,000 volunteers joined the initiatives in 2021, while H.H. also tweeted, “proud of Noor Dubai which reached 33 million beneficiaries.”

Since its launch as an initiative by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2008, Noor Dubai has contributed to treating those in need in 22 countries around the world, supporting humanitarian efforts and the prosperity of communities. After the success of the initiative in its first year, H.H. launched Noor Dubai as a Foundation in 2010.

Despite the progress achieved by Noor Dubai and other institutions in this field, there is still a need to provide eye care services to those in need. According to the statistics published by World Health Organisation, 295 million people worldwide suffer from visual impairment, 80% of them can be treated or prevented from developing visual impairment and 90% of people with visual impairment reside in developing countries.

Despite the challenges faced by the world, especially the humanitarian sector, due to the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic globally, Noor Dubai was able to overcome all challenges within a year and exceed its targeted beneficiaries to reach 33 million beneficiaries in a short period of time.

Noor Dubai Foundation’s programmes focus on supporting the acceleration of the UN sustainable development goals No. 1, 3, 4, 5, 17 by developing programs and strategies for eye health in Africa and Asia that aim to empower the local community to control the disease, which will have a positive impact on the economic development of the countries where the treatment has taken place.

At a national level, the Foundation provides free eye screenings and consultations to the UAE community through the Mobile Eye Clinic program, which has benefited 30,050 patients since its launch of the program in 2014.

The campaigns mostly focus on public transport drivers, community schools, and labour accommodations to ensure that eye examination services are accessible to all members of the community.

The Foundation also provides treatment to UAE residents who suffer from eye critical diseases through the UAE treatment programme, which has succeeded in providing treatment to 245 patients since its launch in 2016.

Globally, Noor Dubai Foundation organises Mobile Eye Camps in remote areas of Asia and Africa, where the absence of healthcare infrastructure and health resources in these remote areas in addition to the extreme poverty make it challenging for patients to access the services required. 319,280 patients have benefitted from the programme through diagnostic and treatment services.

Noor Dubai Foundation also continues its journey in combating neglected tropical diseases through the Trachoma Eradication Programme in Northern Ethiopia. The Foundation succeeded in the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in 29 percent of the Amhara region and treated 18 million people.

Trachoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, with more than 1.9 million people suffering from visual impairment as a result of complications from trachoma. As a member of the Neglected Tropical Disease NGO Network (NNN) and the International Coalition for Trachoma Control (ICTC), Noor Dubai Foundation is involved in policy-making to combat neglected tropical diseases that affect one billion people around the world.

In line with its strategic direction for comprehensive, long-term programs, in 2019 Noor Dubai launched an eye care program in the Katsina State of Nigeria, where all programme activities were integrated into the public health system including the development of local, human, material, and infrastructure capacities and resources.

The programme aims to improve the quality of life and socio-economic status of the residents of Katsina State and will contribute to reducing blindness and visual impairment in the state by at least 30 percent – 40 percent. To date, more than 24,000 patients have benefited from medical and diagnostic services and 7.5 million people have benefited from public health programs aimed to educate about diseases that lead to visual impairment.

In 2021, Noor Dubai launched a 5-year programme in partnership with the Fred Hollows Foundation, to reduce avoidable blindness through strengthening the eye healthcare system to deliver a more comprehensive and sustainable approach in addition to delivering gender-equitable and disability-inclusive eye care services in the Barishal division of Bangladesh.

The programme focuses on providing effective and affordable prevention, treatment and management of refractive error and diabetic retinopathy, the leading causes of blindness in Barishal.

This programme is expected to benefit 25,000 children, 50,000 adults, and raise awareness and educate nearly 4 million people in Barisal.

source/content: wam.ae

_______________

____________________________________________

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

Morocco’s Youness Mustafa Gharbi Wins Quran Recitation Skill, Scent of Speech (Otr Elkalam)’ Category in the ‘Saudi International Holy Quran Competition ‘ 2022

Gharbi is one of a number of Moroccans who have won similar prizes.

Youness Gharbi is the latest in a list of other Moroccans to have claimed a prize for his Quran recitation skills, this time in Saudi Arabia.

Visually impaired Gharbi won the “Otr Elkalam” competition on Wednesday, with a prize of SAR 5 million ($1.3 million).

He received his prize during a ceremony celebrating the completion of the international Quran reciting competition whose name is Arabic for the fragrance of speech.

The Chairman of the board of directors of Saudi’s general entertainment authority , Turki Al-Seikh, delivered the prize to Youness Gharbi and another British contestant Mohamed Ayoub who came in second place.

Mohamed Ayoub received an award of a little over half a million dollars.

In the call to prayer category, a Turkish contestant came in first place, Muhsin Kara, receiving SAR 2 million ($533,200), while another Turkish contestant Albijan Celik came in second place, winning a prize of SAR1 million ($266,600).

Saudi contestant Anas Al-Rahili came in fourth place with a SAR250,000 ($66,650) award.

During the ceremony, the event organizers announced that the “Otr Elkalam” competition will open its doors for international Quran reciters during Ramadan next year.

The “Otr Elkalam” competition was organized by the Saudi government’s General Entertainment Authority this month, to coincide with Ramadan.

Moroccans are no strangers to winning Quran reciting awards. In 2020, Five Moroccans won a Quran reciting competition award in Abu Dhabi during a virtual ceremony.

Nearly all prizewinners of the Abu Dhabi competition were Moroccans.

Moroccan Fatima-Zahrae Mrabet claimed the first place in the women’s “All Nationalities” category, and Moroccan Kaoutar Zribi and Chaimae Lchab trailed behind respectively in second and third place.

Moroccan men equally distinguished themselves at the ceremony, with Anas Mhamdi ranking first in the men’s “All Nationalities” category and Abdellah Bela ranking third within a different category.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com

__________

_____________

MOROCCO

Egypt’s Suhayr Al-Qalamawi, FIRST Woman to Obtain a Doctorate in Literature in MENA region

Suhayr al-Qalamawi is an icon of literature and politics in the Arab world in general and in Egypt in particular.

She greatly influenced cultural life in Egypt and the Arab world and it was her idea to establish the Cairo International Book Fair.

Qalamawi was born in Cairo, in a family that focused on educating their daughters. Her father was a surgeon and her mother spoke various languages. This upbringing helped her complete her education, and she graduated from the American College for Girls in 1928.

Her father also played a major role in developing her linguistic and cultural skills. She excelled reading the holy Qur’an with her father. Qalamawi’s father also owned a library where she was able to feed her infinite hunger for reading.

She was able to benefit from her father’s vast library of works at an early age, and it seems that writers such as Taha Hussein, Rifa’a al-Tahtawi and Ibn Iyas greatly contributed to her literary talent and shaped her voice as a writer.

Her father encouraged her to specialize in Arabic literature, and she became the first young girl to attend Cairo University and the first woman among 40 men to study Arabic literature. After obtaining a Master of Arts, she then received a scholarship to conduct research in Paris for her Ph.D. in 1941. After the completion of her doctoral thesis, she became the first woman to obtain a doctorate from Cairo University.

During her educational career, she was influenced by a number of personalities, most notably the dean of Arabic literature Taha Hussein, who was head of the Arabic language department and editor-in-chief of the Cairo University Magazine at the time. He made her assistant editor-in-chief of the magazine in 1932, and Qalamawi became the first woman to obtain a permit to practice journalism in Egypt.

Suhayr al-Qalamawi started her career after graduation as the first female lecturer at Cairo University in 1936. Soon she became a university professor and later the head of the Arabic language department between 1958-1967, in addition to becoming the president of the Egyptian Feminist Union.

She became the president of the Egyptian General Authority for Cinema, Theater and Music in 1967 and the head of the Child Culture Society in 1968. Qalamawi was also the head of the administration of the General Egyptian Book Organization, from 1967 to 1971, and the head of the censorship authority from 1982 to 1985.

In addition, Qalamawi was able to make outstanding contributions within the cultural field. During her tenure as head of the General Egyptian Book Organization, she worked to expand the range of readers, encourage young writers, and advance the book industry in 1967. From here, she established the first book fair in the Middle East, which is the Cairo International Book Fair in 1967.

Suhayr al-Qalamawi’s contributions were not limited to the cultural community, but she also contributed to the struggle of women, in order to preserve their rights through her literary works, in addition to her participation in many conferences on Arab women, and in 1960, she was the president of the International Conference on Women.

Furthermore, Qalamawi’s journey was also full of political work, and the beginning was when she entered politics as a member of Parliament in 1958 , and was nominated again in the period from 1979 to 1984.

Qalamawi’s career was crowned with a number of awards, as she was awarded the Arabic Language Academy Award in 1954 and the State Appreciation Award in Youth Literature. She also received the State Encouragement Award, the State Appreciation Award in Literature, The First Class Order of the Republic, the Medal of Achievement, and an Honorary Doctorate from the American University in Cairo.

After an enriching career, Suhayr al-Qalamawi passed away in 1997.

source/content: egypttoday.com (edited)

________________

_________

EGYPT

Kuwait’s Yousef Al Refaie Achieves Guinness World Record as the Youngest to Climb Seven Volcanic Summits on 7 Continents.

Yousef Al Refaie sets the record for reaching the top of the highest volcanoes on each of the seven continents.

A Kuwaiti mountaineer has become the youngest person to climb the world’s Seven Volcanic Summits.

Yousef Al Refaie has set a Guinness World Record for reaching the top of the highest volcanoes on each of the seven continents at 24 years and 119 days.

“[If] you came from the desert, I wouldn’t think you [would] be able to climb the highest mountains,” he said of his feat.

Mr Al Refaie, the 24th person to climb the peaks, began his journey as a tourist on December 30 2015 when he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

He then climbed Russia’s Mount Elbrus on July 18 2017, Mount Giluwe Mountain in Papua New Guinea on July 21 2018, Pico de Orizaba in Mexico on January 6 2019, Iran’s Mount Damavand on August 11 2019, Ojos Del Salado in the Andes on January 15 2020 and Mount Sidley in the Antarctic on December 22 2021.

He said the toughest was the 4,285m dormant Mount Sidley in Antarctica’s Marie Byrd Land, one of the largest uninhabited areas in the world. It took the team seven hours to push from their camp at 3,000m to the crest of the caldera.

He said he had previously attempted to break the record for the fastest climb of the Arabian Peninsula’s highest peaks, but, as with other challengers, he was not allowed to enter Yemen.

Mr Al Refaie now wants to cross the largest deserts in the world, starting with the Empty Quarter in November.

“When I first asked my mum for the Guinness World Records Book as a kid, she told me she would only buy it if I had something amazing to make my way into it,” he said.

“I really don’t know if she meant it that time, but here we are living the dream.

source/content: thenationalnews.com (edited)

___________

KUWAIT