Watani Sunday Published by Watani Printing and Publishing Corporation 25 January 2015 27, Abdel-Khaleq Tharwat St. 17 Amsheer (Mesheer) 1731 - 5 Rabie al-Thani 1436 202-23936051 Tel Fax 202-23935946 Editor-in-chief Managing Editor Issue 728 Website: www.wataninet.com Year 14 Email: [email protected] Youssef Sidhom Samia Sidhom

Editorial Problems on hold 60 years on the Institute of Coptic Studies in Cairo Parties preparing for elections Cramming ahead of the finals Youssef Sidhom Our own Coptic institute Now and only now do the players on the political field appear to have awakened to the momentous challenge of the upcoming parliamentary elections. No sooner had the Supreme Electoral Commission (SEC) announced earlier this month the timeline of the election process, than a state of high alert appeared to swamp the political arena; political parties made a rush to draw up their candidate lists to have them ready on time. I had repeatedly warned that the procrastination of the parties and their faltering efforts to form strong coalitions would hinder them from successfully contesting the upcoming crucial race. I expressed my fears—even condemnation—of the dubious bargaining between the top political parties and the consequent chaotic, wobbly convergence and divergence; agreement and disagreement; announcement of a coalition then its break up. Time and again I forewarned that, come election day, the top political parties will not be any readier to run the contest. In an attempt to save the day they will rush hysterically, and agree to arrangements they had arrogantly It has been 60 years since the Coptic Orthodox Church’s Institute of Coptic Studies (ICS) first Mary Mansour and representatives of several bishoprics and monasteries. rejected at first. saw light. The scholastic centre was established in 1954, upon a written request presented to the The scene today reminds me of a then patriarch, Pope Yusab II, by a number of Coptic laity who sensed the importance of having an In Coptic careless student who takes it easy on Egyptian centre of learning and research that would focus on Coptology. Among the principal founders was The ceremony opened with the arrival of the Pope’s procession to the accompaniment of Coptic praises sung to his studies until just before the finals, the first president of the institute, Professor Aziz Surial Attiya, who also founded the Middle East Centre at melodies that go back to pharaonic times and which were used by the ancient Egyptians as their king entered the believing that cramming should get the University of Utah. Other prominent Coptologists and Egyptologists who contributed to its establishment temple, The National Anthem followed, and the Pope opened the conference. He spoke of the vital role played by the him through. Fate is then master of were Professor Pahor Labib, Director of the Coptic Museum in Old Cairo from 1951 to 1965; as well as the Institute, describing it as “a storehouse of treasured knowledge and preserver of culture, history and heritage”. Pope the game, it would either be kind to professors Murad Kamel, Samy Gabra, and Zaher Riyadh. The institute opened in a building on the grounds of Tawadros underlined the importance of the creation of a bridge between the Institute and other counterpart institutes him and grant him success he never Anba Rweiss in Abassiya, Cairo, where it remains to this day. in the world. worked for, or let him reap the just Some 81 research papers were presented in the conference, among them one by Anba Demitrius, Bishop of result of his sloppiness and fail. State-of-the-art Mallawi, on the Coptic language. Anba Demitrius delivered his presentation in Coptic with accompanying translation Today, we await the announcement The current Dean of the Institute of Coptic Studies Dr Samy Sabry told Watani that, to mark the 60th anniversary in and English. of the final electoral coalitions, their of the institute, the building housing the institute has been refurbished, and three lecture halls have been renovated and agendas and candidates. But the last- upgraded to state-of-the-art standard. The institute’s library is being digitised, he said, in order to make it accessible Prayers for the River Nile minute arrangements will surely online to researchers the world over. Dr Sabry said that among the most important future projects is the establishment In the field of Coptic history, the Institute’s Deputy Director Adel Fakhry delivered his paper on the life and culture of leave a lot to be desired; we must of a remote learning programme, the expansion of the exchange of research with counterpart institutes or research the Assiuti poet Dioscorus, who lived in Aphrodito in Assiut from 520 to 585 AD. Dioscorus’s sixth-century papyrus not fantasise about serious strong centres in the world, and the publication of books that include the most prominent research works done at the institute. manuscripts, with revisions and corrections, were discovered in 1905 beneath the village of Kom Ashqaw, the modern name coalitions among which we can There are also plans, he said, to set up a department of Coptic political studies that should look into the political role for the site of ancient Aphrodito. These manuscripts are now held in museums and libraries around the world. Although choose who to represent us. We can of the Copts in Egypt in the past and present, and to activate the organisation of more seminars and international Dioscorus was Egyptian he composed his poetry in Greek, the cultural language of the Byzantine era. only imagine that within the same conferences on Coptic culture, heritage and issues. A centre for the restoration and renovation of churches, he said, is Dr Ashraf Sadek, an Egyptologist and Coptologist who resides in Paris, reviewed his research on the Hebrews coalition there would be conflicting in the works. in Egypt in the second millennium BC. This writer introduced a study on the Coptic icon as tackled by the media agendas and platforms, and possibly in Egypt; and yet another, the Archdeacon Rushdy Wassef presented the prayers in the Coptic Orthodox liturgical bitter rivalries among different Rich history tradition to bless the Nile waters. leaders and candidates. How can we The ICS has a rich history behind its back. It was born with the mission of promoting research and advancing expect such coalitions to succeed knowledge of Egypt’s Coptic heritage, as well as doing valuable work on the documentation and protection of this Watani’s role in rallying voters or in winning heritage in all its intellectual, spiritual and physical forms and carrying out needed physical repairs and registration. Youssef Sidhom, editor-in-chief of Watani, gave a talk on “Watani and the Copts, a testimony of the times”, which parliamentary seats? Weary of the The institute includes nine departments concerned with: Theology; Coptic Language; Hymns and Music; Coptic centred on how Watani had been a witness of the time since it was founded in 1958 by the late Antoun Sidhom. [well-publicised] internal squabbles History; Sociology and Psychology; African Studies; Coptic Architecture; Coptic Art and Coptic Antiquities. Other The paper, he said, not only focused on Coptic heritage, culture, and contribution to Egyptian public life, but also among coalitions, voters now feel departments are the Pope Shenouda Centre for Languages, the Dr Ragheb Moftah Centre for Hymns, and a free chronicled the marginalisation and suffering of the Copts on account of their faith during the second half of the 20th exhausted and deceived. They are studies section. century and through to the Arab Spring in Egypt in January 2011. It highlighted the status of the Copts in Egypt poorly informed about the candidates The years from 1985 to 2013 saw 1,528 men and women graduate from the ICS, and 71 dissertations including following the Arab Spring and the consequent rise of Islamist power until the massive revolution that overthrew the and have lost confidence in the 32 PhD and 39 Masters degrees. The ICS Secretary-General, Professor Ishaq Agban, mentioned the many foreign Islamist Muslim Brotherhood regime in June/July 2013. All through, Watani demanded full citizenship rights for parties. This means they will either students who came to study from Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Senegal, Kenya, the United Kingdom, Germany, Copts and an end to discrimination against them. walk out on the elections—which South Korea, India, Jamaica, Syria and Armenia. Some 15 Coptic scholars gained fellowships from the ICS, and would spell political disaster—or try another 12 from the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, the Vatican City and Sweden. Music, books, icons, and honours to play it safe by sticking to ‘ready- The ICS helped found the International Association for Coptic Studies (IACS) in Münster, Germany. Since its Alongside the conference the Institute held an exhibition of Coptic icons at the St Athanasius Gallery. A book fair made answers’, meaning they would foundation in 1976 the IACS has held several international conferences jointly with the ICS, among them conferences showcased works published by several scientific associations, including the ministries of antiquities and culture, the vote for the candidates that enjoy a in Cairo, Rome, Warsaw, Paris, Leuven University in Belgium, Münster University in Germany, and Leiden General Authority for Books and National Documents, the Egyptian General Books Authority, the Clerical College good reputation whether or not this University in Holland. It has also had close ties with the French Institute for Oriental Archaeology in Cairo; as well as and a number of publishing houses. reputation is well-deserved. the Dutch, Italian, Polish, and the Franciscan institutes in Cairo. Coptic hymns were sung by the Institute’s choir conducted by Michel Abdel-Malek, while Ethiopian deacons sung Amid this chaos, we remain more hymns in their native language and music. deeply worried about the outcome Ongoing work The ensemble of the Coptic Theatre in Mallawi performed a play in Coptic about St Mark the Apostle. of the elections that should bring in Jointly with the American University in Cairo (AUC), the ICS has written down Coptic hymns in musical notation. Pope Tawadros honoured the names of figures of previous generations who are considered pillars of the Institute, the first parliament after the 30 June AUC Press had already published the musical notation of the Bassily Mass in 1998. In 2009, in cooperation with and also the researchers who presented distinguished papers at the conference. Among the honourees were Aziz Revolution which rid Egypt of the Hanover University, the ICS digitally recorded Coptic hymns under the supervision of Dr Michel Abdel-Malek, head Suryal Atia (1898 - 1988); Samy Gabra (1893 - 1979); Pope Shenouda III in his capacity as Bishop of Education Islamists, and after the establishment of the Hymns section at the ICS. From October 2010 to May 2011 before he became patriarch in 1971; Anba Gregorius, Bishop of of the new Constitution. This the ICS completed a project to write down the musical notation Scientific Research and Theological Studies from 1967 till his parliament should bear the brunt of 88 Coptic hymns as part of the European Union’s international death in 2001; Anba Bishoi, Bishop of Damietta; the current Dean of substantial legislative reform. European and Mediterranean heritages project. The choir of the of the institute Samy Sabry; and Watani’s Youssef Sidhom. His Will the parliamentary elections ICS and the Clerical College also presented Coptic hymns in Holiness also praised all the researchers for their distinguished lead to a reassuring majority and a balanced formation that would various countries including France, Germany, Spain and Italy. studies. ensure political stability for Egypt ICS Dean Samy Sabry said that the institute has a vital role at this critical phase? Or to a meagre to play in exploring and registering Coptic monuments, and has Local accreditation- majority unable to achieve the published several references by prominent scholars on monuments The final resolutions of the conference cited a demand to aspired legislative reform? I fear in general and specifically Coptic monuments. the education authorities in Egypt to grant accreditation to that the result would be a scattering In 1999 the ICS helped carry out an icon restoration project the Institute of Coptic Studies as a specialised higher studies of parliamentary seats among in conjunction with the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the institute, to merge Coptic heritage and culture into the Egyptian dissonant minorities that would American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE). It also conducted a education curriculum as part and parcel of Egypt’s history and swamp the country in conflict and comprehensive survey of icons in need of restoration in Egyptian culture, and to promote Coptic art and heritage in the media to power struggle. These minorities churches and monasteries. raise public awareness of them. It was recommended that Coptic will then scramble to form some sort For all its achievements, however, Dr Sabry deplored the fact that icons should be used as illustrations and gifts in Sunday schools, of majority, but it would be a fragile the ICS was internationally accredited but was not accredited locally. and that prominent Coptic figures should be promoted as role one rife with internal discord. models among the Coptic young. As far as the Institute itself The biggest fear is the possibility Grand celebration is concerned, the resolutions recommended the setting up of a that the smallest yet most organised A few weeks ago, the Institute of Coptic Studies celebrated database of Coptologists and researchers in the field and their of the political forces, the Islamists, 60 years since its foundation. To mark the occasion, the institute works, and establishing a programme for distant learning. would exploit the fragmentation hosted a three-day international conference at its headquarters of the seculars and sneak into in the grounds of the St Mark Cathedral in Abassiya, Cairo. The Guardians of Egyptian culture parliament. The incompetence conference ran on the theme of “Coptic studies: future aspirations” The closing ceremony of the conference was graced by the and disunity of the secular forces and was sponsored by Pope Tawadros II. It was attended by a large Egyptian Muslim writer Fatma Naout, who expressed her can allow the fundamentalists and number of archbishops, bishops, priests and heads of Churches in appreciation of the Institute that was preserving the heritage of the extremists to make a comeback Egypt, along with a number of former and current State ministers. Coptic language. Ms Naout referred to one of her previous articles through parliament. This would Participating were 81 Coptologists from Egypt, France, Germany, in which she wrote that Egypt’s Copts should be commended definitely impede the path of Italy, Libya, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Switzerland for being the last bastion of authentic Egyptian culture in our legislative reform and hinder the who presented research papers and lectures. Egyptian researchers present times. Egypt’s Christians, she said, had over the ages executive authority. in Coptic studies also took part; they came from the universities of closely guarded their Egyptian identity; they maintained their I have constantly warned of this Cairo, Ain Shams, Alexandria, Helwan, Fayoum, Kafr al-Sheikh, denomination as ‘Copts’ and that of their Church as ‘Coptic’, the hazard, but my warning fell on Assiut and Sohag. former term for ‘Egyptian’. They also continued to use the Coptic deaf ears. Now, with the timeline Participating institutions included the International language, the last form of the ancient Egyptian language, in all for the elections announced, the Association for Coptic Studies, the AUC, the Franciscan their rituals; and unadulterated Egyptian music in their liturgy, dawdling secular parties scramble Institute, the French Institute for Eastern Studies, the Italian hymns and praises. to make up for lost time. But will Institute, the Coptic Orthodox Clerical College, the Coptic “They prevented our native Egyptian, aka Coptic, culture from last minute cramming save the day? Museum, the Egyptian Antiquities Authority, the Coptic vanishing under pressure from the many foreign cultures which This remains to be seen during the Orthodox Cultural Centre, the Society of Coptic Archaeology, invaded Egypt,” she noted. coming three months.

أزرقأزرق أحمرأح��م��ر أصفرأص��ف��ر أسودأس���ود 2 Watani International 25 January 2015

Faten Hamama (1931 - 2015) Lady of the Screen fades into eternity

She was the dream woman of every Egyptian man and the inspiration Madeleine Nader many social ills in Egypt and the Middle East, and won the Best TV of every Egyptian woman. She was the soft, tender beauty who exuded Series Award in the Egyptian Radio and TV Festival that year. Hamama kindness, gentleness and good humour; but who also displayed the of grief, hate, bitterness and pain, persistence to see justice served, and was awarded the Best TV Actor of the Year. integrity and strength of character that could pull through difficult times. the unannounced and unexpected emergence of love in Amna’s life Labelled the ‘Lady of the Arab Screen’, Faten Hamama was a lady in make for a complex tragedy which unfolds with Hamama’s masterful, Honours well earned the full sense of the word. passionate acting. During her long career on the screen, Hamama won numerous prizes Hamama died last week after a brief spell of ill health. She was 83 and After this film, Hamama is said to have picked her roles very carefully. and awards. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the American her appearances on the screen had been sporadic and too far apart during In 1960, she starred in Nahr al-Hob (River of Love) which was based on University in Cairo in 1999, and in 2001 was decorated with the al- her late years, yet Egyptians in their entirety mourned her loss. ’s . And in 1961, she played the lead role in Arz Medal (Lebanon Cedar) in Lebanon. That same year she was also the filmLa Tutfi’ al-Shams (Don’t Turn Off the Sun), based on a novel by awarded the Decoration of Competence and Creativity in Morocco. “Angel of mercy” Ihsan Abdel-Quddous, another prominent Egyptian novelist and writer. Hamama was chosen the Star of the Century in the 2001 Alexandria Faten Hamama was born in 1931 to a family that lived in the Delta International Film Festival, honouring her lifetime achievement in town of Mansoura. Her father worked with the Egyptian Ministry of Oppressed women Egyptian cinema. Education and her mother was a homemaker. The second of six siblings, Hamama grew to play more memorable roles in Egyptian cinema, The cinema committee of the Supreme Council for Culture chose 18 her interest in acting started at the early age of six when, for the first time many of them reflecting controversial social issues. In Imbraturiyat of Hamama’s 106 films to be among the best 150 films in the history of in her life, she was taken by her father to a cinema theatre to see a film. Meem (The ‘M’ Empire) she plays the widowed, doting mother of six Egyptian Cinema. When she was eight, she won a child beauty pageant in Cairo. Her teenage and pre-teenage sons and daughters, all of whose names begin Last May, during a gathering which President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi father, seeing her fascination with acting, sent her picture to film director with the letter M, and her struggle to come to an understanding with held with Egypt’s cultural and artistic figureheads, the President left the Muhammad Karim who was incidentally looking for a young girl to each of them. podium and headed to the table where Hamama sat to greet her. It was play a role in a film he was then directing. So it was that Hamama was Hamama’s 1975 Uridu Hallan (I Demand a Solution) had a one of Hamama’s last public appearances, and the President’s gesture initiated into the world of the silver screen; her first role was against bombshell effect on the Egyptian community. To a novel by the reflected the respect and honour that all Egyptians held for the beloved the iconic film star and music composer Muhammad Abdel-Wahab in feminist Husn Shah, Hamama played a woman who sustained a star. Youm Saeed (Happy Day). miserable marriage till her children were grown, and then demands The last interview Hamama gave to the media was printed in Al- Four years later, she was chosen by Karim for another role with Abdel- a divorce. But her husband refuses. In Islamic sharia, divorce can Ahram al-Massa’i the day she died, 17 January 2015. She expressed Wahab in the film Russassa Fil-Qalb (Bullet in the Heart). Her third only be through the husband’s unilateral decision; the woman has optimism for the future of Egypt, saying that she cannot conceal the film,Dunia (A World) (1946), secured her reputation as a film actress to to comply to his wish even if by force. The film depicts the woman fact that the last few years had given rise to a lot of worry on her part be reckoned with. The family moved to Cairo in 1946 and she enrolled literally fleeing the police who were called upon to implement the and on the part of most Egyptians on that score. “But now,” Hamama in the High Institute of Acting. law and lead her to her husband’s home. So powerfully did she said, “I feel happy about what Egypt has achieved and look forward to That same year, Youssef Wahbi, the leading star of the 1930s and play the leading role that years later the law was made to include a good future. Such great projects as the one taking place in the Suez 1940s and one of the most prominent Arab theatre and film actors, the Islamic principle of khula, the right of a wife to have a divorce Canal are very promising.” She said she wished she could visit the site recognised the young actress’s talent and offered her the role of his provided she gives up all her legal and financial rights. but laughed gently as she added: “It is so cold and my health is not so daughter in the filmMalaak al-Rahma (Angel of Mercy). She starred in In 1988, Hamama played another widow, this time alone struggling good”. three other films with Wahbi, all of which were huge successes. uncomplainingly with heavy burdens and controversial issues yet never losing hope that good days lie ahead. The name of the film:Youm Hilw… Three marriages Honour killing Youm Murr (Sweet Day…Bitter Day), directed by Khairy Bishara. Hamama married three times. Her first marriage in 1947 was to The 1950s saw Hamama bloom into a young woman in her own right. director Ezzedin Zulfiqar with whom she had her daughter Nadia. The She outgrew the roles of the sweet, gentle girl and stepped into roles of Uncompromising integrity marriage lasted seven years and ended in divorce. women of substance. In the 1952 production Ustaza Fatma (Lawyer It took till 1992 for Hamama to act in TV drama, when her role as the In 1955, Hamama married Omar al-Sharif with whom she had made Fatma) she played the young female lawyer who, despite her show principled headmistress Abla Hikmat in the mini series Dhameer Abla several films. He was then a local star, but he later rose to international of strength, falls desperately in love with her rival male lawyer and Hikmat (Miss Hikmat’s Conscience) earned her wide public acclaim. stardom. They had a son, Tarek. The couple divorced in 1974, but Sharif marries him. The film depicted the then raging social conflict of whether These were times when Egypt made the full circle from a socialist to a described her as the only love in his life. women should have successful careers or stick to their eternal role as free economy and many of the firmly established Egyptian social norms Hamama later married the Egyptian physician Muhammad Abdel- homemakers. were shaken. Consumerism rose to alarming levels, and social climbers Wahab Mahmoud who survives her together with Nadia Zulfiqar and But the widely held view is that Hamama reached full artistic maturity rose to new heights. Abla Hikmat was the woman who, because of her Tarek Sharif. with her epic role in the 1959 production Duaa’ al-Karawan (The uncompromising effort to guard her school against unethical practices Egyptian Culture Minister mourned Hamama, describing her as “an Nightingale’s Prayer). Based on a novel by the writer and figurehead and compassionately guide her students through a path of honour and artist who wrote in light an important part of the history of Egyptian of the modern Egyptian Renaissance enlightenment movement Taha integrity, is cruelly targeted by those who wish the school to use another cinema”. He declared a two-day halt in all artistic activity and shows Hussein, the film broached the thorny issue of honour killings. Hamama compromising path. in mourning for the Lady of the Arab Screen. She will be forever played the village girl Amna from Upper Egypt, and her quest to avenge Another TV mini series, Wagh al-Qamar (Face of the Moon), saw remembered by the Egyptians whose typical lives she so truthfully her only sister who had lost her life to an honour killing. The interplay Hamama’s last screen appearance in 2000. The mini series criticised depicted.

Above: Hamama as Amna in The Nightingale's Prayer; Left: in various stages in her life; Right: stills from her films, and honoured by President Sisi

Watani International.... Watani International.... Watani International.... Watani International....Watani International

Editor-in-chief Youssef Sidhom Editorial team International staff Senior editors Subscriptions and Advertising Or pay by credit card Saad Michael Saad, (Los Angeles) Subscription rates for one year (52 issues): Name on the card: Christine Alphonse North America US$ 125 Card #: Cairo staff Executive editor Magdi Khalil (NY) Contributing editor Europe, Africa US$ 110 Expiry Date: Dalia Victor Tel/Fax 443 292 8327 Adel Guindy (France) Australia, Far East US$ 150 Card Type: E-mail: [email protected] Donia Wagdy Fax (33) 147012600 Kindly complete the form below, and send it along  Master Card Managing editor Samia Sidhom Lydia Farid Contributing editor Mahfouz Doss (LA) with your payment in US$ or equivalent, payable to  Visa Copy editor Jenny Jobbins E-mail: [email protected] Watani International  American Express Nivert Rizkallah Tel (1) 310 8263388, Fax (1) 310 8208480 Laila Shafik Farid (U.K) 1627 New Windsor Ct., Address: Layout editor Heba Adel Sherine Nader E-mail: madoss@ worldnet.att.net Contributing editor Crofton, MD 21114, Tel/Fax 443 292 8327 Tel: Washington office: 1627 New Windsor CT., Crofton, MD 21114;Los Angeles office: P.O.Box 2442, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274

أزرقأزرق أحمرأح��م��ر أصفرأص��ف��ر أسودأس���ود