From East to West: a Dance for Peace

[From the Italian language press]:

E' iniziata il 28 luglio e proseguirà fino al 5 agosto la quinta edizione della manifestazione "Da Oriente a Occidente: una danza per la pace" organizzata dall'Associazione Culturale Maeva e dal Centro Asani di Porto d'Ascoli.

Sambenedetto Oggi, Italy - mercoledì 25 luglio 2007 - di Cinzia Rosati

The fifth edition of the manifestation “From East to West: a dance for peace" began on July the 28th and will continue til August the 5th; it is organized by the Cultural Association Maeva and the Center Asani of Porto d'Ascoli (Ancona).

Workshops of dance will be held, during the days of the event, by the two Egyptian dance' masters Ashraf Hassan and Wael Mansour, introducing to various styles of Oriental dances, like Saaidi, Andalusian and Tannoura (the dance of the Egyptian sufis).

Ms. Najma Asani, founder of the Asani Center of Porto d'Ascoli, says that the culture of Oriental dance holds a place in its own right among the performing arts in most European countries, but it is still widely misunderstood in Italy.

[picture: U.S. Ambassador in Cairo, Mr Francis J. Ricciardone, attended evening moulid festivities on November 16 in Tanta. The famous moulid of Al-Sayyad Al-Badawi is attended by millions annually. Pictured here, the Ambassador listens to Sheikh Hassan Al-Shanawi, the Head of Egypt's Sufi order. Also pictured (left to right) are: Dr. Mahmoud Abuzaid, Minister of Irrigation; Sheikh Al-Shanawi; Dr. Ali Saman, Head of Al-Azhar's Committee on Interfaith Dialogue; and Gharbiya Governor Al-Dakrouri; cairo.usembassy.gov/ambassador/tr111605.htm]