Exhibitions:
Berlin: Kreuzbergmuseum, Opening 15th June, 6pm. 15th June to 28th August
Istanbul: Caddebostan Kültür Merkezi, Opening 21st June, 7pm. 21st June to 17th July
Cairo: Sawy Center (Organised by Goethe Institute), Opening 25th June, 7pm. 25th June to 5th July.

The exhibition will be shown as well by the Goethe Institutes in Upper Egypt, Algiers, Khartoum, Ramallah, Beirut, Amman, Damascus and maybe other places. Exact dates need to be confirmed.

Judges noted a number of strong portraits in this year’s selection of work, and a few in particular were the centre of much debate. One such work, ‘Lonely Butterfly’ by Claudia Wiens, was Mark Power’s personal choice:

“I think this is an outstanding single image – the criteria we were judging against. It works on many levels. Firstly, it speaks about a clash of cultures, and suggests why Turkey’s aspirations to join the European Union meet such vehement opposition in certain circles. It’s also a picture about tourism, and how it appropriates a place for it’s own ends, but at some cost to the existing culture. Finally, it’s visually quite confusing; the vignetting, which suggests it’s taken on a cheap, possibly plastic camera, has caused a strange flattening of the surface, so the woman seems to be standing in front of a backdrop. In other words, the camera has transformed the reality of the situation into a picture which is not, on first viewing, what it seems.”

Whole article can be found here http://www.foto8.com/new/online/blog/1246-judging-the-summershow

A young Egyptian woman working at the reception of a small hotel in Cairo Downtown

Abdullah, also a cured leper, helps to distribute the food to the patients.        Abdullah also helps with cleaning.

      Jehad does not only take care of the garden she also visits those patients who suffered so much from leprosy that thy have to spend their lives in bed.  Sheikh Sayed, 88, suffered from leprosy since he was six years old. But only when he had an eye operation at the age of 18 the doctor diagnosed him with leprosy.       For 63 years he lives now in Abu Zaabal, blind, with disfigured mouth and nose and limps. But he listens to the radio every day and is up to date with world news.           Despite his tough destiny he still likes to joke. “Hagiblik gateau?” “Can I get you some cake?” he said and giggled about his own joke when I was talking to him.       Gohari ,18, is the youngest male patient at Abu Zaabal. He finished his MDT treatment and now receives physiotherapy for his hands. Effective treatment for leprosy appeared in the late 1930s with the introduction of dapsone and its derivatives. However, leprosy bacilli resistant to dapsone gradually evolved and became widespread, and it was not until the introduction of Multi Drug therapy (MDT) in the early 1980s that the disease could be diagnosed and treated successfully.Belonging to the younger generation Gohari dose not want to spend his life in the colony but wishes to go return to Kafr El Sheikh, his home town, and continue school.      The older patients, who live 30, 40 years or even longer in the colony don’t want to return to their often rural villages.       In the past they were often stigmatized and had to live the lives of pariah. So they got married in Abu Zaabal, moved to the neighbouring village and made their homes here. Also nowadays the living conditions in Abu Zaabal itself are much better than in a rural poor Egyptian village where most patients come from.       He is visiting his grandmother and shows off some of his religious tattoos.       Many patients have old fashioned cookers and brew their own tea.       Cooking together comes often with little arguments about taste and ingredients. It reminded me very much of some of my own flat share experiences and arguments about who should cut the damn onions.            His father had just his second leg amputated. He was another case where leprosy was way too late in being diagnosed.       The about 55 nurses sometimes have exhausting days. Although many of those I talked said that they enjoy their work at Abu Zaabal.       About 120 women patients are living at Abu Zaabal, and about another 130 come here fror treatment.         Saneya (85) lives here for more than 50 years.        Although she has deformed feet and hands she manages to walk around and prepare her own food. I had many funny conversations with here and couldn’t believe how lucid she is. She loves to sing, tease other younger patients and has a wicked houmor. She kept nagging me to bring along my boyfriend to check him out.       The women also have their communal kitchen where they can cook together while others opt to cook on a small stove beside their beds.              He and his wife come in daily to sell vegetables to the patients.         Warda (80) lives there for 35 years and loves to listen to soap operas and music on her radio.       Sister Laura is the only Egyptian nun at the colony and works here for five years as a nurse.       Every morning she visits all women, gives injections,…         ….cleans wounds,…              ….combs hair…..            and consoles, laughs and jokes with them.        Everybody who is strong enough does washing, cleaning, cooking and helps those who aren’t. Life here is like in a big community, but somehow totally detached from the outside world.      As one of Abu Zaabal’s biggest donors Caritas Egypt founded in 1982 a socio-medical centre in adjoining Abdel Moneim Riad village. In their preschool/kindergarden they serve about 120 children of lepers and ex-lepers. The children learn reading and writing,…        ….get one healthy meal including fresh milk.            And get to play in their new playground.       Dr Mona, the dermatologist of Abu Zaabal for more than 30 years comes three times a week to the Caritas Centre to treat children free of charge.          Italian Sister Lina (88), as old as the oldest patients, is the coordinator of the Caritas Centre. It is more and more difficult to find young women who would serve as nuns for the poor.         The centre also provides women with courses in sewing. Some of products are later on sold at the center.       The one kilometre between Abu Zaabal and Abdel Moneim Riad village people walk or take pick-ups and microbuses.       Nobody knows exact numbers but approximately 650 families live in this village.       Zeinab from Upper Egypt, is an ex-patient of Abu Zaabal where she met her husband. They settled down here, had three healthy children. Now Zeinab sells vegetables in the street in front of her house. Here she doesn’t have to fear from stigma and horrible comments.       Fresh milk for four Egyptian Pounds per litre (80 dollar cents) is unaffordable for many people.       Many of the villagers remain dependent on the colony because of their deformations and receive necessary medications and support from it.       Doaa, 30, cured, also met her husband in the hospital and they decided to settle here after her husband worked in a cheese factory but got fired when they found out that he had suffered from leprosy. Now they have built a little house and she opened a grocery shop and is very proud that she can contribute to their living. The ultimate goal for leprosy patients in Egypt is to live a normal life in their communities, receive treatment there and go on with their lives. 

                   Mazaher playing “Zar” music.

            And the Sudanese band VIP makes the girls go gooogoooo and gaga..

         Nothing wrong with being political!

                    GRACE!

                    more GRACE!

                 and eternal beauty!

                The ultimate Mercedes add.

Curious….. Street Fashion Blog CAIRO LOOKS http://blog.goethe.de/cairolooks/

  It all starts with buying a “Fanouz”, a Ramadan lantern

    Then buying food, food, food. In Ramadan the food consumption encreases by 30%. This is a “Atayef” baker, a pancake type of thing.

     A “Kounafa” baker, a typical Ramadan sweet.

    Kounafa is sold by weight, and then turned into a sweet at home.

    Ramadan is family time. A family in Fayoum, Egypt’s largest oasis, is sitting together, waiting for the time to pass till Iftar, the breaking of the fast at sunset.

    While the mother is cooking.

    Before sunset all farmers go home with their animals at the same time.

                  Being hungry (and the presence of my camera, too) makes carefree.

    Finally, Iftar! The whole country is eating now and …

    ….watching the same soap operas. Many soaps and comedies are especially produced for Ramadan.

    Traffic jam in Cairo every day before Iftar time.

    But even in worst traffic jam people still manage to smile. Sometimes at least.

    In Ramadan people should be generous. Many people are donating food, their are public Iftars for the poor. This Iftar is beside Torgman bus station, an extremely poor area in Cairo.

    Tired eyes!

    But Ramadan is also a time to go out, meet friends, eat a lot at night, go to music concerts, smoke shisha (water pipe), drink tea and eat sweets. Khan Al Kalili, Cairo’s biggest bazaar area, is packed with people every night.

    The restaurants offer special Iftar and Sohour, the meal before sunrise, dishes.

    Urban Iftar!

               Another public Iftar for poor people. This one is in Zamalek, a nice neighbourhood in Cairo.

    In the morning after the last day of Ramadan everybody goes praying at sunrise. Women are gathewring and waiting for the call to prayer.

     Men are praying separately.

    Maybe not everybody is praying.

    Ramadan is over, time to celebrate the three days long Eid Al Fitr. People go out with family and friends. Al Azhar park in Cairo is one of the favourite destinations.

    It is tradition to buy new clothes for Eid Al Fitr and then to show them off of course. Colours colours colours!

                    Did I mention colours?

    Eid Al Fitr is also a good occasion to show some love to your beloved one. Buy a heart!