WATANI International
11 April 2010
From child to child
The Supreme Council of Antiquities has launched a national project entitled “From Child to Child” aimed at increasing awareness of children about ancient monuments and antiquities. The project would adopt child innovation and expression to produce guidebooks, films and 3D cartoons for children to inform and educate them about Egyptian heritage and history.
Joint research
Egypt and India have agreed to establish a joint fund to activate research in fields including ocean science, medicine and bio-technology. Renewable energy—especially wind energy and solar energy, food security, water resources and climate change, are also among the fields open for Egyptian Indian research.
Clean water for Memphis
Mit Rahina is a village known for its historical ruins of Memphis, Egypt’s first capital. The village is now the home of approximately 30,000 people, most of whom earn their lives by selling products made of palm fronds. Inhabitants suffer from limited access of clean water due to the poor quality of the existing water network. To provide them with affordable, clean water the Japanese Government has extended a grant of USD88,888 for the establishment of a water station there. The grant comes under the Japanese Government’s Assistance Scheme for Grassroots and Human Security Projects which was launched in Egypt in 1994.
…and wastewater collection in Minya
Three water projects funded by some USD7.5 million from USAID have been officially opened in the governorate of Minya, Upper Egypt. The projects, which have the capacity to serve up to 155,000 residents, include a wastewater collection system in the village of Abyuha in Abu-Qurqas; as well as two water treatment plants in the villages of al-Ashraf and Bertebat in Maghagha. The new wastewater collection system serves to reduce Abyuha’s dependence on septic tanks which often lead to exposure to untreated septic waste and contamination of groundwater. USAID has contributed a total of USD98 million for water and wastewater utility projects in Minya since 1982.
India in Minya
The Indian Embassy in Cairo has joined hands with Minya University to organise an “India Week” earlier this month at Minya University. The week long festival included a talk on India-Egypt relations; a photo exhibition “India-Egypt: A Photographic Retrospective”; a display of books on India; an exhibition of Indian tea and spices; a yoga demonstration workshop; and the screening of Indian Films.
Arabic for Chinese
A cooperation agreement has been signed between Suez Canal University and China University. The agreement will enable China University to establish an Arab Language Centre for Chinese students to learn Arabic, and will open scopes for cooperation between the Chinese university and the Petroleum and Mining College of Suez Canal University.
Smokers and non-smokers
The Egyptian Hotel Association (EHA) in Alexandria and Hurghada has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with British American Tobacco, Egypt (BAT), aimed at providing hotel guests in both towns with designated non smoking and smoking areas. Building on a similar MoU signed with the South Sinai Governorate in February 2009, the initiative has been developed under the framework of BAT’s global “Respecting Choices” programme, which ensures that both non-smoking and smoking customers are equally catered to through a mutually beneficial solution. Clear signs will be available to direct both non-smokers and smokers to their respective areas.