About 1000 audiences experienced a state of nostalgia and harmony at the ceremony held by the Embassy of Egypt in France in celebration of the Egyptian National Day and the centenary of the diplomatic relations between Egypt and France.
A concert was tailor-made to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Umm Kulthum's artistic beginnings, held at "La salle Gaveau" which has a rich artistic and cultural history, with the participation of Marwa Nagy, Reham Abd El-Hakim, and the world-renowned soprano Amira Selim.
The attendees included government officials and representatives of the French Parliament.
His Excellency the Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to France, Alaa Youssef, stated, "The celebration highlighted the strong diplomatic ties between Egypt and France, which started in 1924, along with the bilateral relations between both countries. These relations include all fields; economy, education, technology, culture, and art.
The relations between the two countries are mainly based on mutual respect, extend across history, and aim at achieving peace on the regional and international levels. Furthermore, the celebration comes along with the seventy-second anniversary of the glorious July 23 Revolution which marked a turning point in the history of modern Egypt through its lofty principles and national achievements. It is the most prominent revolution in the twentieth century, for its influence went beyond Egypt. Indeed, it has become a model of liberty for many countries worldwide".
His Excellency added, "This occasion's celebration sheds light on the struggle of the great Egyptian people for their firm principles and values which led to correcting the country's course on the national stage of the June 30 Revolution, 2013. These principles and values founded the New Republic, shedding light on development, citizenship, freedom promotion, and the rule of law".
At the beginning of the ceremony, world-renowned soprano Amira Selim performed the Egyptian and French national anthems amid praise from the audiences. Selim expressed her gladness for being a part of such a fabulous celebration, held under the auspices of the Embassy of Egypt in France.
Furthermore, Selim noted that she didn't think twice when the Embassy of Egypt in France invited her to represent her country.
Additionally, a celebration was held for the 100th anniversary of one of the iconic Egyptian singers, Umm Kulthum; the Planet of the East. Reham Abd El-Hakim and Marwa Nagy presented several songs for this unique singer. Reham expressed her gladness at returning to France after a long absence to take part in such an outstanding celebration, as well as to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Egyptian-French diplomatic relations and the Egyptian National Day, in line with the centenary of the Planet of the East. Additionally, Reham extended her thanks to the Embassy of Egypt in France.
Furthermore, Marwa Nagy emphasized her pride in participating in the fabulous celebration of Umm Kulthum and the 100th anniversary of Egyptian-French relations. Marwa also highlighted the historical correlation of the return of Umm Kulthum's songs to France after performing at one of the most prominent theaters in Paris; Olympia, in November 1967, within the framework of her project for the benefit of war efforts, which started after the Defeat of June 5th, 1967. Back then, the concerts achieved sound success. Umm Kulthum received notable official, popular, and media attention in France more than once. It was one of the most influential experiences for her as the Lady of Arab Singing. Marwa said, "I'm proud to be part of such a fabulous concert. I'd like to thank the Egyptian Embassy for focusing on continuous communication between generations so that they get to know the history of that Lady. Thanks for inviting me to take part in it".
The ceremony included the launch of a unique book entitled "Egypt and France: the Centenary of Diplomatic Relations". The book tackles the historical ties between the two countries which extend for 100 years of bilateral relations. They also witness unprecedented development at multiple levels; economically, scientifically, culturally, and touristically. Additionally, the book sheds light on the distinguished strategic partnership between the two countries. The book is distributed in several places in Egypt and France.
The ceremony was organized by Mir'a for Culture and Arts. Its preparations lasted for about 5 months to make sure all details were accurate. One of the co-founders, Omar El-Sharkawy, stated, "We are pleased to cooperate with the Embassy of our country in organizing this ceremony. We are also proud to present the songs of Umm Kulthum in the heart of Paris. In Mir'a, our objective is to reflect the true identity of the Arab region in the world through art. That's what we have achieved in such a fabulous celebration".
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