India has launched a month-long festival in Cairo to showcase the diversity Indian culture, entertainment, arts, music and cuisine to build an enduring partnership between the two ancient civilisations.
The ##India by the Nile## festival includes a Bollywood workshop by Gilles Chuyen, a performance of music and dance called Bollywood fusion which is to be presented in collaboration with dancers of the Cairo Opera Ballet Company. The Indian Classical Vocalist Shubha Mudgal will present his art as well as Mrigya for World Music, and the Sriyah-Nrityagram Dance Ensemble
An exhibition of visual arts by Akshara showcasing calligraphy in crafts and a forum for Indian and Egyptian authors in conversation will be on display during the event, which began yesterday. A week will be dedicated to the Indian Cuisine as well as a special event for tasting Indian tea entitled Savour the Flavour.
“We will also try to extend the horizons beyond the conventional boundaries of entertainment,” Indian ambassador to Egypt Navdeep Suri said.
Suri, who served in Cairo 25 years ago, returned back to the city at a time when the Arab country is facing political turmoil in the wake of the 2011Revolution.
For Egyptians the India of today represents an economical and political power which has managed to keep its tradition and heritage alive all along, they say.
CV Raman Fellowship
Ten Egyptian professors and senior scientists from Egyptian universities, ministries, and research institutes have been selected for the CV Raman International Fellowship Programme offered for 2013 by the Indian government’s Department of Science and Technology and the Ministry of External Affairs. Out of the 10 selected candidates, six will work on post-doctoral research in agricultural, veterinary and space sciences; three on chemical and physical sciences; and one on Biotechnology. The selected candidates will travel to India between April to September 2013 to join various prestigious Indian educational and research institutions located in different parts of India.
The CV Raman Fellowship programme was started for African Researchers in the year 2010 to provide them the opportunity to conduct collaborative research with leading research groups in Indian universities and R&D Institutions in areas of Science and Technology. The fellowship has been provided in three different categories namely post doctoral, senior fellowship and visiting fellowship covering all areas of science, technology including biomedical and health sciences with durations ranging from one to six months. So far, more than 30 Egyptian scientists have benefited from the programme.
CV Raman (1888-1970) is regarded as one of India’s most distinguished scientists. He received the Nobel Prize for physics in 1930 for the discovery that when light traverses a transparent material, some of the light that is deflected changes in wavelength. This phenomenon is popularly known as Raman Effect.
Training 5,000 Egyptian students
The United States Government and the Egyptian Ministry of Education recently celebrated the achievements of the Future Leaders project in Aswan that is training over 5,000 students on active citizenship and media skills.
“The work showcased shows how learning about their roles and responsibilities as citizens, can inspire students into action that improves their communities,” remarked Dr. Mary C. Ott, USAID/Egypt Mission Director. “These students inspire all of us.”
The project, implemented by Internews and funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), involves students from 50 Egyptian preparatory schools in four governorates. The event presenting the work of students in Aswan was hosted by two local NGOs, Future Association for Development and Consumer and Environmental Protection and Pioneers of Aswan Cultural Palace Association, at the Cultural Palace Theatre in Aswan.
Students continue to build on their success in using a variety of media such as documentary films, radio clips, and electronic magazines to help identify and solve problems in their local communities.
Korean cooking contest
To those who are interested in the culture of Korean food “Hansec”, the Embassy of South Korea has launched a “Korean food cooking contest”.
The competition, which is held for the first time in Egypt, gives the first winner the opportunity to travel to Korea to participate in the international competition scheduled for next August.
WATANI International
26 April 2013
