Egyptian Flag, but It Was Worth Every Minute
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AUC TODA Y Spring 2012 Cairo: Beneath the Surface O’Kane’s project to document inscriptions on deteriorating monuments preserves narratives of the past Uniquely Urban • The Solution to Pollution • Paris on the Nile Bloc Cyan Magenta Yellow Black Colour: Plate AM 10:36 2012 10, Apr Tue, Time: & Date untitled2 Imposition: www.youtube.com/auc To watch more AUC alumni, visit visit alumni, AUC more watch To shape their communities in Egypt and around the world. the around and Egypt in communities their shape Omar Samra ’00 is one of the more than 38,000 alumni who are helping to helping are who alumni 38,000 than more the of one is ’00 Samra Omar ” I’m AUCian and Proud. and AUCian I’m Mount Everest. Everest. Mount Omar Samra. I’m the first Egyptian to climb to Egyptian first the I’m Samra. Omar my country have been with me ever since. I’m since. ever me with been have country my every minute. Desire and pride in presenting in pride and Desire minute. every and raise the Egyptian flag, but it was worth was it but flag, Egyptian the raise and took me 12 years to get to the top of the world the of top the to get to years 12 me took “ goal for someone like me, so I embraced it. It it. embraced I so me, like someone for goal Climbing Everest seemed like a miraculous a like seemed Everest Climbing PROUD and AUC IAN Black Cyan Magenta Yellow Black Cyan Magenta Yellow Black B C M Y B 75% 50% 25% C M Y B C 75% 50% 25% M Y B C M 75% 50% 25% Y B C M Y 75% 50% 25% B C M Y B 75% 50% 25% C M Y B C 75% 50% 25% M Y B C M 75% 50% 25% Y B C M Y 75% 50% 25% B C M Y B 75% 50% 25% Rare Books and Special Collections Library and Archives, AUC Archives, and Rare Books and Special Collections Library Contents Cairo in the past was known as Paris on the Nile Page 16 FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 8 ANCIENT AFFLICTION Egyptology Professor Salima Ikram is part of a research team that discovered the oldest 3 AUSCENES case of cancer in a mummy, suggesting that the disease may be largely genetic. Two new members join Board of 10 LIVING THROUGH WORDS Trustees, MBA program ranked by AUC Press celebrates the 100th birthday of Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz. Forbes Middle East as best in the 11 THROUGH THE LITERARY LENS region, Maintaining Mohamed Two AUC Press books by Professor Samia Mehrez shed light on Cairo through literature. Mahmoud artistic murals, Yousef Jameel GAPP Public Leadership 12 ISLAMIC INSCRIPTIONS: READING BETWEEN THE LINES Fund established Bernard O’Kane, professor of Islamic art and architecture, heads a project to document and preserve inscriptions on Cairo monuments. 7 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT 16 PARIS ON THE NILE LEAD student Salma Hegab Khaled Fahmy, chair of the history department, provides insights on Cairo’s glorious past. co-founded Tweet Share3 to 20 EL MOULED: MADE FOR EGYPT bridge the gap between online An on-campus mouled raises funds for tourism and builds awareness of Egyptian culture. users and the average citizen 22 UNIQUELY URBAN David Sims tackles urban planning in Cairo in his book, published by AUC Press. 36 AROUND THE WORLD Alumni meet in various countries 24 THE SOLUTION TO POLLUTION Experts examine ways to address water pollution and waste management in Cairo. 38 CLASS NOTES 27 ECONOMIC WOES: THE WAY OUT Class updates, weddings and deaths Faculty members share their views on Egypt’s economic turmoil and the means to solve it. 30 ALUMNI HEAD TO PARLIAMENT 40 AKHER KALAM Alumni parliamentarians discuss their role in shaping the country’s future. Mohamed Aly ’97 speaks about the captivating essence of Cairo. 32 TURNING OVER A NEW LEAGUE Nabil Fahmy, dean of the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, is a member of a committee working to reform the Arab League. 34 ALUMNI HOMECOMING More than 2,000 alumni and their families gathered on campus for homecoming. On the cover: Bernard O’Kane is spearheading a project to document inscriptions in Islamic Cairo, photographed by Arnaud du Boistesselin Editor’s Notes AUC TODAY Spring 2012 Volume 20, No. 2 airo is a city unlike many others. It has a rich cultural heritage that C attracts tourists from all over the world, yet it can be a maddening place to live with its pollution, endless traffic jams, bad driving habits and garbage dumps. Yet for those of us who reside in Cairo, there is more to this bustling metropolis than meets the eye. The American University in Cairo is a nonprofit private institution devoted to In this issue, we examine the city of Cairo from a multifaceted providing English-language liberal arts perspective, starting with literature, architecture, history and culture to education to serve Egypt and the urban development, the environment and politics. “Living Through Middle East. Words” (page 10) highlights the 100th birthday of Nobel laureate Naguib Editor in Chief Mahfouz, whose works have largely been centered on Cairo and its Dalia Al Nimr traditional districts. “Through the Literary Lens” (page 11) takes readers through a 100-year journey of Cairo as depicted by prominent writers. Designer “Islamic Inscriptions: Reading Between the Lines” (page 12) sheds light Hanan Omary on a faculty-led project to document inscriptions on Islamic monuments Writers in Cairo, the City of 1,000 Minarets, and what these inscriptions reveal Ghaydaa Fahim, Jill Lyon and Sam Holder about Muslims’ way of life. “Paris on the Nile” (page 16) provides historic insight on Cairo’s development as a way to understand the city’s past and Photographers Arnaud du Boistesselin, Ahmad El-Nemr, draw plans for the future. “El Mouled: Made for Egypt,” (page 20) is a Bernard O’Kane and C. Prates pictorial representation of one of the most popular and colorful traditional festivals that takes places annually in Cairo and different parts AUCToday is published twice a year by The of Egypt. This academic year, it took place at AUC as a student-led American University in Cairo. initiative to raise funds for tourism. “Uniquely Urban” (page 22) outlines We welcome all letters. Submissions may be strategies for effective urban development in Cairo. “The Solution to edited for space and clarity. Please send all Pollution” (page 24) examines faculty research to solve two of the most correspondence to: chronic problems in Cairo, garbage and water pollution. “Alumni Head to AUCToday Parliament” (page 30) and “Turning Over a New League” (page 32) shed The American University in Cairo light on two important political organizations based in Cairo, the People’s AUC Avenue Assembly and the Arab League, which provide an outlook on different P.O. Box 74 facets of political life in Egypt and the region. Finally, in “Cairo’s New Cairo 11835 Egypt Magnetic Attraction,” (page 40) Mohamed Aly ’97 talks about the things or that draw him to the city and make it hard for AUCToday him to leave, despite the daily frustrations. The American University in Cairo It would take more than a magazine issue to 420 Fifth Avenue, Third floor New York, NY 10018-2729 give Cairo the due recognition it deserves. Not USA only does it possess a unique culture and history, its people are also very hospitable and tel 20.2.2615.2405 (Egypt) accommodating. It is those same people who [email protected] www1.aucegypt.edu/publications/auctoday helped instigate the January 25 Revolution and who will undoubtedly lead Cairo, and Egypt as whole, to the right path in its search for freedom and dignity. 2 AUCTODAY Spring 2012 AuScenes New Members Elected to Board of Trustees wo new members have joined “Already a valuable University 1987, with an emphasis on real estate T AUC’s Board of Trustees: Atef supporter, having established an and finance, from Stanford University’s Eltoukhy, chairman of Aurum Capital endowed fellowship for deserving Graduate School of Business. Management, a family office in Egyptian students, Atef Eltoukhy “The board is delighted to have Woodside, California; and Philip F. brings great enthusiasm for both AUC Philip Maritz as one of its members,” Maritz, a business executive with and educating bright, young said Bartlett. “Philip is a remarkable experience in real estate and finance. Egyptians,” said Richard Bartlett, chair business leader and philanthropist, with “I am delighted to be joining a of the Board of Trustees. “Combining extensive experience in serving on the distinguished group of colleagues as a tremendous talent in the areas of boards of a number of nonprofit trustee of The American University in science, technology development, organizations. I am certain that the Cairo,” said Eltoukhy. “An institution entrepreneurship and investment, board will benefit greatly from his keen that has for decades been known for business knowledge and the outstanding caliber of its graduates deep interest in education and its contributions to research and and the Middle East.” academia, AUC is a University that Distinguished for holds tremendous promise for Egypt their professional and the region.” accomplishments in the Eltoukhy serves as treasurer of the areas of business, law, board of directors at the International education, philanthropy House, a program center and campus Maritz Eltoukhy and scholarship, members residence at the University of coupled with a deep passion for of AUC’s Board of Trustees are all California, Berkeley. Formerly, he was philanthropy, Atef is a wonderful volunteers who dedicate their time a professor at the University of addition to AUC’s Board of Trustees.” and resources to supporting the Southern California in Los Angeles, a Maritz held positions at AT&T, University.