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‘One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This’ examines the international community’s response—or lack of response—to Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Egyptian-Canadian author Omar El Akkad has won the 2025 National Book Award for nonfiction for his debut work ‘One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This’. The National Book Awards, presented annually in the United States for books published within the country, remain among the most prominent global prizes for fiction and nonfiction.
Published in February 2025, ‘One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This’ marks El Akkad’s first full-length nonfiction book. The work examines the international community’s response—or lack of response—to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, interweaving political analysis with personal narrative. Critics praised the book upon release for its clarity, its forceful moral argument, and its challenge to dominant western liberal frameworks.
The book’s title originates from a tweet El Akkad posted shortly after the war began, which has since amassed more than 10 million views: “One day, when it’s safe, when there’s no personal downside to calling a thing what it is, when it’s too late to hold anyone accountable, everyone will have always been against this.”
The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has chosen, by a majority vote of more than 160 countries, Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais as new Secretary-General of the organisation for the term 2026–2029, following her election last May by the Executive Council.
Al Nowais successfully completed all stages of nomination, election and confirmation in accordance with the organisation’s protocol, marking an unprecedented achievement.
This announcement came during the participation of a delegation from the UAE, led by Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, in the 26th session of the UNWTO General Assembly, hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 7th to 11th November.
With this election, Shaikha Al Nowais becomes the first woman in the world and the first Emirati ever to lead the organisation since its founding 50 years ago, a milestone that reflects the international community’s confidence in Emirati talent and leadership, and the UAE’s success in empowering women and strengthening their global leadership presence.
Abdullah bin Touq stated, “We are witnessing a milestone moment – not only for the United Arab Emirates but for the entire Arab region and the global tourism sector. The election of the first woman to lead the world tourism system reflects a unanimous international recognition of the UAE’s distinguished position in tourism and economic diplomacy. It also confirms our leading and growing role in promoting sustainable tourism development and cultural exchange among the peoples of the world.”
He added that this milestone reflects the wise leadership and vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court – a vision that champions excellence, innovation, and the empowerment of national talent to make influential contributions in international organisations, solidifying the UAE’s role as a trusted partner in global economic development initiatives.
Abdullah bin Touq extended his gratitude to all UNWTO member states for their confidence and support in electing an Emirati woman to this leadership role, emphasising that this historic achievement motivates further efforts to strengthen the UAE’s contribution to shaping a more sustainable and prosperous future for global tourism.
He also highlighted the UAE’s success, over past decades, in establishing itself as one of the world’s leading tourism destinations, thanks to its advanced infrastructure, sustainable investments, and cultural diversity rooted in values of tolerance and openness.
He reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to supporting the UNWTO’s programmes and action plans in the coming years, and to strengthening international partnerships in the tourism sector. This includes sharing expertise and best practices, promoting collaboration between governments, the private sector, and civil society, and advancing sustainable tourism goals.
Abdullah bin Touq also pointed out that the UAE’s aviation sector has played a central role in reinforcing the country’s global position in tourism and travel, with Emirati airlines connecting East and West, facilitating the movement of travelers, entrepreneurs, students, and tourists — transforming the UAE into a global hub for economic, cultural, social, and knowledge exchange.
Addressing the UNWTO General Assembly, Al Nowais expressed her deep gratitude to all UNWTO member states for their trust and support, affirming her commitment to this global responsibility during a period that requires collective effort and forward-looking vision.
She stated, “Tourism is not merely an economic industry; it is a bridge for human connection and a cornerstone for promoting understanding, peace, and sustainable development among peoples and cultures worldwide.”
She emphasised that her achievement would not have been possible without the visionary leadership of the UAE and its unwavering support for empowering Emirati women across all sectors, including tourism, now one of the main drivers of sustainable development. This accomplishment, she said, reinforces the UAE’s influential role in shaping global tourism policies and directions in the years ahead.
“Together – governments, organisations, private sector partners, and civil society – we will lead a new phase of collaborative work based on innovation, empowerment, and sustainability, with a focus on developing human capabilities. We aim to make tourism an inclusive sector that creates opportunities for all – especially youth, women, and local communities – to drive sustainable growth and global cultural exchange.”
Al Nowais outlined her vision for leading global tourism, centred on turning challenges into opportunities and redesigning tourism systems to meet local community needs while strengthening national economies. She emphasised the importance of partnerships to expand the organisation’s capacity to support developing countries through training, capacity-building, financing, and knowledge sharing.
The 26th session of the UNWTO General Assembly featured a series of intensive meetings of the General Assembly and the Executive Council, covering a wide range of strategic topics related to international tourism programmes.
Discussions focused on enhancing tourism sustainability at regional and global levels, developing human capital and professional skills in tourism, promoting digital transformation and innovation in global destinations, and improving tourism experience quality and competitiveness among member states.
They also opened pathways for advancing sustainable tourism models that protect the environment and local communities while driving global economic growth, innovation, and investment – ensuring that tourism remains a key pillar of inclusive and sustainable economic development for future generations.
The session included in-depth discussions on the future of global tourism in the post-pandemic era, highlighting the need to rebuild the sector on stronger, more resilient, and diversified foundations that balance economic growth with environmental and cultural preservation.
Savaya, a Michigan-based entrepreneur of Iraqi Chaldean descent, was appointed in a statement on Trump’s Truth Social page on Sunday.
United States President Donald Trump has named Detroit businessman and cannabis entrepreneur Mark Savaya as special envoy to Iraq, sparking debate in Baghdad and Washington.
Savaya, a Michigan-based entrepreneur of Iraqi Chaldean descent, was appointed in a statement on Trump’s Truth Social page on Sunday.
“Mark’s deep understanding of the Iraq–US relationship and his connections in the region will help advance the interests of the American people through his diplomatic engagement and direct communication with Iraqi officials as special envoy. As special envoy, he will act as a direct representative for US interests in Iraq, coordinating joint initiatives, maintaining diplomatic negotiations, and ensuring transparent communication between US and Iraqi governments on security, political, and economic priorities,” Trump wrote.
Trump praised Savaya’s contribution to his 2024 campaign, particularly his efforts to mobilise support among Muslim American voters in Michigan.
Savaya, born in Detroit in 1983, owns Leaf and Bud dispensaries and, according to his public profile, has no previous government experience. His family left Iraq for the US in the 1990s.
The appointment has sparked discussion among Iraqi political circles, though the Iraqi Prime Minister has welcomed the move.
On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani described the appointment of US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to Iraq as “an important step,” noting the envoy’s Iraqi roots.
“The appointment of a special envoy by President Trump to Iraq is an important step, especially as he is of Iraqi origin. We wish him success in his mission,” Sudani said during a meeting with Arab and foreign journalists in Baghdad.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Savaya said he was “deeply humbled, honoured and grateful” to be appointed and committed to “strengthening the US–Iraq partnership under President Trump’s leadership.”
The announcement came after the release of Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian doctoral student who was kidnapped in Baghdad in 2023 by the Kataib Hezbollah militia.
Tsurkov, who spent more than 900 days in captivity and was freed on 9 September, wrote on X that Savaya had played “an instrumental role” in securing her release, calling the move “terrible news for anyone serving Iran’s interests in Iraq.”
On his part, Nechirvan Barzani, the President of the Kurdistan Region, welcomed the appointment, describing it as underscoring “The strategic importance of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in advancing our shared interests and regional stability.”
Senior Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) figure and former foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari welcomed the appointment, describing it in a post on the X social media platform as “a bold decision to restore Iraqi sovereignty and independence away from corruption, mismanagement and militia rule.”
Zebari also said Savaya’s appointment, as “an American of Chaldean Christian and Iraqi descent”, reflected recognition in Washington that Iraq’s political situation “is neither stable nor normal”, and called for “decisive measures beyond traditional diplomatic frameworks”.
However, others have questioned the timing and nature of the role.
Iraqi writer and political analyst Falah Al-Mashaal described the decision to appoint a special envoy, rather than a traditional ambassador, as “puzzling” and “unusual under diplomatic norms”.
“A special envoy is usually sent for a specific mission—during a crisis, war, or to deliver a particular message,” he wrote in a post on the X. “Is President Trump planning something unusual for Iraq?”
He linked the appointment to Trump’s recent comments at the Sharm el-Sheikh peace summit in Egypt, where he referred to Iraq’s “vast oil wealth” and accused its leaders of mismanaging it.
“It sounded like an invitation for Trump’s allies in Iraq to sue Prime Minister Sudani for negligence and mismanagement of public funds,” al-Mashaal said.
Some analysts believe the appointment may be connected to Trump’s regional agenda and his longstanding focus on Iraq’s oil sector.
Alex Warkes, a UK-based Iraqi political analyst, said the decision could also have domestic political implications for Baghdad.
“I think the back door of the US embassy will be quite busy with the arrival of Trump’s special envoy,” Warkes said in a post on X. “I believe the appointment was coordinated with Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al-Sudani’s team, perhaps to support his bid for a second term. We don’t yet know what the exchange might be—but time will tell.”
Warkes also questioned whether Savaya’s appointment had been coordinated with Israel, given that Trump’s Middle East policy “has always prioritised Israeli interests more than any of his predecessors”.
“These are legitimate questions,” he said. “Especially at a time when Iraq’s stability, oil policy, and relations with Iran remain central to the region’s balance of power.”
source/content: newarab.com (headline edited)
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Mark Savaya and US President Donald Trump. [Screengrab from Mark Savaya/Instagram]
The American University in Cairo (AUC) recently hosted renowned historian Rashid Khalidi for a discussion on his acclaimed book, The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance.
The talk, titled “The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A Conversation with Rashid Khalidi,” was moderated by Rabab El Mahdi, an associate professor of political science at AUC.
It offered students the opportunity to engage with one of the most influential contemporary voices on Middle East history and politics.
Professor Khalidi, the Edward Said Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University’s Department of History, presented his detailed, century-long analysis spanning from 1917 to 2017.
He argues that the conflict is best understood as a “War on Palestine,” an ongoing campaign of settler colonialism met with indigenous resistance.
Khalidi opened the conversation by sharing the personal motivation behind the work, noting he wrote the book primarily for a Western audience.
He stated that the goal was to counter decades of “disinformation, lies and myths” that have distorted the region’s history.
“I wrote the book to respond to the distortions surrounding Palestine and to offer a narrative grounded in lived history, my family’s experience and the voices of ordinary people.”
He emphasized that the entire argument of his book is encapsulated in its full title: The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance.
“Every word in that title is meant to convey a specific message… I wanted to establish clearly and emphatically that this is a series of events that started with the advent of British colonialism in Palestine.”
Khalidi discussed how the dynamics he traces over a century—colonial intervention, geopolitical power imbalances and the struggle for self-determination—continue to shape present-day realities.
He emphasized that the conflict over Palestine is fundamentally a modern political struggle driven by specific colonial and political forces, rather than an ancient religious or ethnic feud.
The event, held in a fully packed hall, drew a wide array of attendees, including local and international students from various academic disciplines, faculty, and community members, underscoring the keen interest in the historical narrative surrounding Palestine.
They asked about the impact of shifting US public opinion, the implications of recent European recognition of the State of Palestine, and the reliability of social media as a primary source for documenting the war, especially given investments in state-sponsored content creation.
Others raised broader regional issues, including the fragmentation of the Arab world, external intervention in local conflicts and how global injustices—from Sudan to Syria—intersect with the Palestinian struggle.
Khalidi concluded on a note of cautious optimism, pointing to what he described as an unprecedented shift in global public opinion, particularly among young people. “What people saw in Gaza cannot be unseen,” he said.
“And for the first time, because of social media and independent reporting, many are no longer reliant on mainstream narratives. Young people today have played a decisive role in challenging decades of misinformation.”
For AUC students, the event offered more than a historical analysis. It provided a space to reflect on contemporary realities, understand global interconnections and consider the responsibilities of emerging scholars, citizens and advocates.
Journalist El-Akkad critiques West amid Gaza ‘genocide’
Novelist Alameddine explores family, solitude in Beirut
Egyptian Canadian writer Omar El-Akkad and Lebanese novelist Rabih Alameddine were among the major honorees at this year’s National Book Awards in the US.
El-Akkad was recognized in the non-fiction category, while Alameddine earned the fiction award.
The National Book Awards — established in 1936 and often considered the Oscars of the publishing world — are presented by the National Book Foundation, a non-profit known for spotlighting works that challenge or reflect on the social and political moment.
El-Akkad’s winning book, “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This,” is his first non-fiction project.
The book looks at how many people in the West have become increasingly disconnected from the political and moral framework their societies promote.
Beginning with El-Akkad’s viral tweet during the early weeks of Israel’s war on Gaza, it reflects on shifting public confidence in Western institutions and global leadership.
Drawing on his own experience as an immigrant and journalist, El-Akkad traces how views of the Western-led world order have evolved over time.
According to The Associated Press, El-Akkad said it was “very difficult to think in celebratory terms about a book that was written in response to a genocide (in Gaza). It’s difficult to think in celebratory terms when I spent two years seeing what shrapnel does to a child’s body.”
According to AP, Alameddine’s awards speech, like his novel, combined humor and agony. He began with a lament for the bombing of a Palestinian refugee camp.
But went on to joke about the demands of his agent, Nicole Aragi, and thanked everyone from his gastrointestinal doctor to the “psychiatrist who has been telling me to get over myself for more than 20 years.”
His novel, “The True True Story of Raja the Gullible,” follows Raja, a 63-year-old philosophy teacher living in a small Beirut apartment with his elderly mother, Zalfa. While Raja values solitude, books and routine, his mother insists on involving herself in every part of his life.
When he is offered a fully funded writing residency in the US, the opportunity arrives after a series of difficult personal and national events. As he prepares to leave, Raja is forced to confront the memories and past experiences he had hoped to escape.
Spanning six decades, through Raja’s distinctive voice the story explores his life, relationships and the moments that shaped him.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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El-Akkad was recognized in the non-fiction category. (AFP)
Tunisian Women Entrepreneurs Honored for Innovation and Impact at the 10th FET Awards
On February , 2025, the 10th edition of the Trophées de Femmes Entrepreneures de Tunisie (FET) honored nine outstanding Tunisian women entrepreneurs for their innovation, resilience, and the impact of their ventures. Organized by Managers magazine in collaboration with the Delegation of the European Union and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, the event brought together a distinguished audience, including ministers Asma Jabri (Family, Women, Children, and Seniors), Fatma Thabet Chiboub (Industry, Mines, and Energy), and Jihene Srioui (Financing and Partnerships, Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training).
In her opening speech, Sahar Mechri, Executive Director of Managers, emphasized that the FET Awards are more than a celebration, they are a validation of bold journeys and a source of inspiration for future generations of women leaders.
Spotlight on the 2025 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year
Malak Boukthir, founder of Ecofeed, was named Tunisian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 for her groundbreaking project that transforms crab waste into sustainable animal feed a powerful example of eco-innovation.
Imen Bakhti (La Seine) – Microcred Empowerment Award
Fatma Midani (Soul & Planet) – Meninx Marketplaces Award
Beyond Recognition: Support for Growth
Along with financial prizes from sponsors, the winners will benefit from a tailored mentorship program offered by the Club des Femmes Entrepreneures de Tunisie. Thanks to the support of the European Union Delegation, they will also receive personalized guidance through various EU-funded projects, including Adapt, Greenov’i, CQE (Qualitative Growth for Employment), Insadder, and Initiative Tunisie.
The FET Awards go beyond accolades, they celebrate a thriving community of women entrepreneurs driving Tunisia’s social and economic development. By highlighting their stories and successes, the event strengthens the spirit of sorority and underscores the transformative power of female entrepreneurship in Tunisia.
source/content: freiheit.org /Friedrich Naumann Foundation (headline edited)
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Tunisian Women Entrepreneurs Honored for Innovation and Impact at the 10th FET Awards
Announcement came during black-tie White House dinner honoring crown prince
Mohamed bin Salman hails new phase in bilateral cooperation, economic ties
President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the US will formally designate Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally, marking a significant elevation in defense ties between the two countries.
He revealed the decision during a black-tie White House dinner honoring Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that we’re taking our military cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally — something that’s very important to them,” Trump said.
“And I’m telling you now for the first time, because they wanted to keep a little secret for tonight.”
The new status paves the way for deeper military cooperation and carries strong symbolic weight, with Trump saying it will advance US-Saudi defense coordination “to even greater heights.”
The crown prince thanked Trump for a “warm and great welcome,” adding: “We feel home.” He referenced the historic foundations of the US-Saudi relationship, noting that the partnership dates back nearly nine decades to the meeting between President Franklin D. Roosevelt and King Abdulaziz, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia.
He also pointed to upcoming milestones for both nations, the US approaching its 250th anniversary and Saudi Arabia nearing its 300th, saying these celebrations underscore the long arc of shared cooperation.
Reviewing the history of the alliance, the crown prince highlighted joint efforts across the Second World War, the Cold War, and the long fight against extremism and terrorism.
Yet he stressed that today marks a new phase in bilateral cooperation, with economic ties expanding across unprecedented sectors.
“Today is a special day,” the crown prince said. “We think the horizon of economic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and America is bigger and wider in many areas.
“We’ve been signing a lot of agreements that can open the door to develop the relationship deeper in many areas, and we’re going to work on it.”
He added: “We believe the opportunities are huge, so we have to focus on implementation and keep increasing the opportunities between our two countries.”
Trump repeatedly expressed appreciation for the crown prince’s partnership and leadership, highlighting major agreements signed during the visit, including on civil nuclear energy, critical minerals and artificial intelligence, describing the scale of investment as unprecedented.
Trump emphasized that Saudi Arabia is undertaking a major expansion of its defense capabilities, referencing the Kingdom’s plans for nearly $142 billion in purchases of US military equipment and services, which he called “the largest arms purchase in history.”
He framed the acquisition as part of a broader strategy to enhance Middle East security and reinforce the Kingdom’s role as a stabilizing force.
In addition to the major non-NATO ally designation, Trump announced that the US and Saudi Arabia had signed a historic strategic defense agreement that would create “a stronger and more capable alliance” and support what he called the closest the Middle East has ever come to “truly everlasting peace.”
Trump thanked the crown prince “for all the help” in shaping what he described as a historic moment for regional peace and US-Saudi cooperation, and for playing a central role in recent diplomatic breakthroughs, including steps that contributed to ending the war in Gaza.
“Even the great experts … are calling it a miracle,” he said of recent regional shifts. Both leaders framed the moment as the beginning of a new chapter.
This book demolishes one French myth about Algeria after the other.
Algerian leaders are too prone to dwell on their war for independence, nostalgia for an exalted past cannot help to build a modern nation.
The first twenty years of the French conquest of Algeria (1830-1850) cost 400,000-500,000 natives lives, between ten and 12.5 percent of the population. The First World War, the costliest in lives France ever fought, cost the country an estimated 3.5 to 3.7 percent of the native population. Nothing better illustrates the sheer brutality of France’s conquest of Algeria than these bare statistics. European colonial wars were usually brutal but this one was particularly so, mirrored by an equally bloody war on independence in 1954-62. That Algerian and French modern politics and broader relations should be haunted by the sheer amount of blood spilt, the human brutality and lasting resentment these conflicts provoked should not surprise the modern reader. History offers a useful guide when trying to understand the deep crisis diplomatic relations between France and Algeria have been going through over the past 18 months, the worst crisis since the latter’s independence.
The theory of France’s “civilising” mission to the world remains to this day the mainstay of many TV debates. Where Algeria is concerned it was traditionally the mainstay of public discourse in academic and political circles. That discourse predates the conquest of Algeria by a century and was given new impetus by the French Revolution after 1789 which turned the idea of Revolutionary Enlightenment values into the bedrock of public discourse. Such ideas combined with the missionary discourse of the Catholic church which before 1789 took the form of “rescuing” Christian lives from captivity in the prisons of the “Algerine pirates” in other words the privateering sea captains of the Regency of Algiers which at the height of their power in the 16th and 17th centuries regularly raided the coast of Devon, Ireland and once in 1632, Iceland. By the 19th century the Catholic Church had taken on a novel form, at least in Algeria, that of bringing the native Berbers back to the faith of their ancestors, notably that prince of the early Christian Church St Augustine, bishop of Hippo (modern day Annaba).
he reasons king Charles X invaded Algeria in 1830 are well known but the extent to which such an idea had been discussed in the Paris press is explained in Alain Ruscio’s remarkable book more fully than ever before. The British admiral Lord Exmouth had bombarded Algiers in 1816 after the Congress of Vienna had decided that the activities called “privateering” had to stop. They had virtually disappeared by then but the European powers after their victory against Napoleon felt morally righteous as never before and that righteousness turned, after 1815, against the Ottoman empire and, more broadly, the Muslim world. Greece was about to break loose from Constantinople, Algiers came at the same time though the circumstances of Western intervention were very different.
Continuous warfare in the 20 years after 1830 across the northern region of Algeria witnessed methods of war the native population did not use: the systematic burning of towns, destruction of irrigation works, cutting down of fruit trees and burning of crops. The French miliary commanders enjoyed overwhelming superiority in weapons but they had to fight a tenacious enemy: Abdelkader and Hadj Ahmed Bey are but two of the most famous Algerians who fought the French army with tenacity for years. Eventually outgunned, the first surrendered to the French in 1847, the French generals promptly betrayed their word and imprisoned the Emir in France. It took five years for the new emperor Napoleon III to free Abdelkader and let him leave for the East in 1852.
French settlers were not attracted to Algeria and never were in great numbers. By the mid century the majority of European settlers was not French, but Spanish and Italian. Nor did they care to farm a land the troops had so devastated during the conquest. Most Europeans resided in cities. It was only much later in the 1880s while phylloxera devastated the vineyards of France that Algerian grapes and winemaking prospered.
This book demolishes one French myth about Algeria after the other. It is very well documented and written in chronological order which makes it very pedagogical. The sorry story it tells puts paid to any idea of a French civilising mission but it is one which conservative and radical right wing politicians evoke regularly on TV talk shows, in their view Algeria remains the “barbary state” so beloved of their 18th and 19th century forebears. Nor have attitudes towards Islam changed all that much.
Algerian leaders are too prone to dwell on their war for independence, nostalgia for an exalted past cannot help to build a modern nation. La Première Guerre d’Algérie should be required reading for many French political readers. Clearly written and argued with a wealth of previously difficult to access statistics and references, this book demonstrates once and for all why Algeria is the black box of French history.
Ahmed Malek made history as the first Egyptian to win the El Gouna Star for Best Actor at the El Gouna Film Festival, which closed yesterday. During the closing ceremony, many other awards were also presented to Arab and international films.
The 8th edition of the El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) concluded, celebrating a remarkable lineup of films that illuminated the power of storytelling across cultures. The evening crowned winners in the festival’s five competition sections: Feature Narrative, Feature Documentary, Short Film, Cinema for Humanity, and the El Gouna Green Star.
Egyptian actor Ahmed Malek was awarded the El Gouna Star for Best Actor for his performance in My Father’s Scent, directed by Mohamed Siam, making history as the first Egyptian actor ever to receive this honour in the festival’s eight editions.
The jury praised Malek for delivering “a layered emotional journey between father and son,” commending the depth and subtlety of his performance. In his acceptance speech, Ahmed Malek pointed out that, for the first time in the festival’s eight editions, the Best Actor award had finally come to Egypt.
He expressed his deep happiness at being the first Egyptian to receive it, saying, “I am really proud to be part of this industry, in which I have worked since I was a child. Acting chose me, and it has been—and will always be—my greatest passion.”
Over the past editions, the El Gouna Star for Best Actor has recognized outstanding performances from across the globe.
Previous winners include Daniel Giménez Cacho (Zama, Mexico) in 2017, Mohamed Dhrif (Dear Son, Tunisia) in 2018, Bartosz Bielenia (Corpus Christi, Poland) in 2019, Ali Suliman (200 Meters, Palestine) in 2020, Petri Poikolainen (The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic, Finland) in 2021, Bottsooj Uortaikh (If Only I Could Hibernate, Mongolia) in 2023, and Adam Bessa (Ghost Trail, France/Tunisia) in 2024.
Feature Narrative Competition
The Golden Star for Best Feature Narrative Film ($50,000) went to A Poet, a deeply human portrayal of a man torn between his poetic dreams and harsh social realities, directed by Colombian filmmaker Simón Mesa Soto. The jury praised the film’s “observational, semi-documentary approach and its politically aware gaze sustained by empathy and humor.”
The Silver Star ($25,000) was awarded to Lucky Lu by Lloyd Lee Choi (Canada/USA), recognized for its “urban symphony of struggle and dignity” embodied by a standout performance from actor Chang Chen.
Egyptian filmmaker Mohamed Rashad received the Bronze Star ($15,000) for his debut feature, The Settlement (Al Mosta’mara) — a stark, neorealist portrayal of Egypt’s shrinking working class that the jury described as “a powerful, unembellished look at social predetermination.”
Rashad accepted the award on stage during the closing ceremony, accompanied by his young protagonist Zeyad Islam, who charmed the audience and couldn’t leave the stage without thanking his mother and family.
The Best Arab Narrative Film Award ($20,000) went to Where the Wind Comes From by Tunisian filmmaker Amel Guellaty, praised for its “free, dreamlike road-movie spirit that captures the betrayed hopes of a generation.” Guellaty thanked the El Gouna Film Festival for its continuous support throughout the film’s post-production. Léa Drucker received the El Gouna Star for Best Actress for her role in Adam’s Sake by Laura Wandel (Belgium/France). The jury commended Drucker for delivering “an intense and complex performance rooted in realism.”
Feature Documentary Competition
The Golden Star for Best Documentary ($30,000) was presented to Always by Deming Chen, a poetic reflection on childhood dreams and imagination. Egyptian-French filmmaker Namir Abdel Messeeh triumphed at the El Gouna Film Festival, taking home two major awards for his latest documentary Life After Siham: the Silver Star for Best Documentary ($15,000) and the Best Arab Documentary Award ($10,000).
The film, a tender, humorous, and deeply personal exploration of memory, family, and intergenerational connection, impressed the jury, who praised its “delicacy, sincerity, and the power to bridge generations.”
In his heartfelt acceptance speech, Abdel Messeeh reflected on the intimate roots of the project, saying, “This film could have been called An Egyptian Tale — it tells the story of my parents, which began 75 years ago. I tried to tell it while connecting it to my children.”
He added with emotion, “We have so many stories, and I think as Arabs we need to tell our stories — but in our own way.”
The Bronze Star ($7,500) went to Orwell: 2+2=5 by Raoul Peck, honoured for its “uncompromising, lucid critique of systemic violence.” A Special Mention was also given to How to Build a Library by Maia Lekow and Christopher King, praised as “a profound act of resistance through knowledge preservation.”
Cinema for Humanity Audience Award
This year’s Cinema for Humanity Audience Award was shared between Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk by Sepideh Farsi (France/Palestine/Iran), an intimate account of Gaza’s resilience, and Happy Birthday by Sarah Goher (Egypt), a moving debut exploring Cairo’s class divides. Both films were celebrated for their heartfelt portrayal of humanity and empathy.
El Gouna Green Star Award
The environmental award, the Green Star, went to Seeds by Brittany Shyne (USA), honoured for its “immersive meditation on sustainability and survival through the preservation of land and agriculture.”
Behind the Camera Awards
In recognition of excellence in cinematic craft, the Behind the Camera Creative Achievement Award was presented to veteran cinematographer Dr Tarek El-Telmissany for his outstanding contribution to Egyptian and Arab cinema. The Recent Achievement Award went to editor Heba Osman for her exceptional technical artistry.
Short Films Competition
The Golden Star for Best Short Film was awarded to Agapito by Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero (Philippines), which the jury called “a tender and magical portrayal of the extraordinary in the everyday.”
The Silver Star went to Loynes by Dorian Jespers, described as “a mysterious and witty short that defies convention,” while the Bronze Star was presented to Water Girl (Fille de l’Eau) by Sandra Desmazières, celebrated as “a poetic meditation on aging and the passage of time.”
The Best Arab Short Film Award went to The Devil and the Bicycle by Sharon Hakim (France/Lebanon), commended for its “bold and nuanced storytelling that explores faith and desire with wit, charm, and emotional depth.”
In his speech, Eng. Naguib Sawiris, founder of the El Gouna Film Festival, reaffirmed the festival’s guiding motto, “Cinema for Humanity,” stressing cinema’s duty to shed light on global suffering—from Sudan and Ukraine to the children of Gaza.
He concluded by presenting a Special Tribute Award to Intishal Al-Tamimi, the festival’s former director and current advisory board member, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to GFF’s legacy and to Arab cinema.
Oil, defense, technology provided links in recent years
Diverse economic collaboration built on Vision 2030 initiatives
Saudi Arabia and the US have seen steadily growing economic ties throughout a relationship spanning more than 80 years, beginning with oil and expanding to defense and technology in recent years.
What began as a reliance on oil and gas has expanded to more diverse economic collaboration built on Vision 2030 initiatives.
Economic cooperation between the two nations was solidified in the early 1930s when King Abdulaziz granted the right of oil exploration to the American company Standard Oil through a 66-year contract. This led to the formation of the Arabian-American Oil Company, better known as Aramco.
Saudi Arabia and the US signed an interim diplomatic trade agreement in 1932, establishing an initial framework for trade, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Aramco’s Dammam Well No. 7 struck commercial quantities of oil in 1938, ushering in a new age in the Kingdom’s development.
In the early 1970s the two countries deepened their trading relationship. In 1972, the value of the Kingdom’s imported goods and materials from the US was $314 million, and the Kingdom’s exports were $194 million.
Economic relations between the two countries were underlined in June 1974 through the formation of the US-Saudi Arabian Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation, which provided US expertise to develop infrastructure to advance Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economic development.
The two countries agreed to increase the number of private US companies working on local projects in the Kingdom.
The two nations went on to maintain a steady and growing economic relationship with partnerships largely focusing on defense, energy, investment and technology.
The partners took a step forward in their economic cooperation in 2005 by formalizing a partnership in education with the King Abdullah Scholarship Program. This program allowed thousands of Saudi students to study in US universities, building a long-term foundation for a knowledge-based economy.
According to a White House fact sheet, Saudi Arabia is now one of the US’ largest trading partners in the Middle East.
The Kingdom’s direct investment in the US totaled $9.5 billion in 2023, and was focused on the transportation, real estate, and automotive sectors.
US-Saudi goods trade totaled $25.9 billion in 2024, with US exports at $13.2 billion and imports at $12.7 billion.
One recent major platform for economic cooperation was the Saudi-US Investment Forum held in Riyadh in May, at which Saudi Arabia signed deals with the US worth more than $300 billion.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, speaking at the forum, said the Kingdom was looking at $600 billion of investment opportunities, adding that he hoped this would rise to $1 trillion.
Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha, speaking to the Saudi Press Agency on the sidelines of the forum, said that the event reflected the Kingdom’s growing prominence on the global digital economy map, with the country the largest digital economy in the region and a key hub for investment in artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
Nov. 18 will mark another milestone in the Saudi-US relationship with the Saudi crown prince meeting US President Donald Trump in Washington.
The relationship between the countries, which was underlined by the meeting between King Abdulaziz Al-Saud and President Franklin D. Roosevelt on board the USS Quincy in 1945, has endured and prospered.
And these ties have witnessed continued economic expansion and moves into new sectors like technology.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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On Feb. 14, 1945, as World War II neared its end, President Franklin D. Roosevelt met King Abdulaziz aboard the USS Quincy in Egypt’s Great Bitter Lake, following the Yalta Conference. (Supplied/MOFA)
US President George W. Bush dances with a sword with then Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz (R), who was governor of Riyadh, during their tour of the Murabba Palace and National History Museum. (AFP file photo)
The Crown Prince and US President in a group picture with investors during the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh on May 13. (Supplied)
