February 2011

To my shame I am again late with my blog. Snce the last blog we had the wonderful Reception to mark our 20th Anniversary on the Terrace of the House of Lords and then the 3rd Sir Michael Weir Annual Lecture in early december. This was delivered by Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles (who is a mmeber of the British Egyptian Society) and was quite brilliant. Sir Sherard has been HBM's Ambassador to Israel, to Saudi Arabia and to Afghanistan. Recently he stepped down as the Foreign Secretary's Advisor on Pakistan and Afghanistan. His speech was thought provoking and his audience, included a former Chief of the Defence Staff and HBM's Ambassador to the United Nations, gave it an enthusiastic reception. It was a memorable evening.

Since the start of 2011 such a lot has happened in Egypt (and, indeed, throughout the Middle East). As a Charity, the British Egyptian Society cannot comment on political issues but we applaud the incredible bravery of Egyptians in Cairo and Alexandria and hope the future is a bright one.

Our first event in 2011 will be a Reception for the new British Ambassador to Egypt, Mr. James Watt and Mrs. Amal Watt. He will succeed Mr. Dominic Asquith in early April. We are celebrating his appointment with a reception in the Waterloo Room of the Institute of Directors in Pall Mallon 24th March at 6pm. At the same event we will launch the UK edition of "the Copts of Egypt" by Dr. Vivian Ibrahim. Our guests of honour will include Dr. Muhammad A. S. Abdel Haleem, OBE, (Professor of Islamic Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studie sand editor of the Journal of Quar'anic Studies) and Bishop Angaelos,(Patriarchal Exarch for the Youth Ministry at the Patriarchal Center and the Coptic Orthodox Theological College at Stevenage, United Kingdom).

Later in the year we will be organising a visit to Highclere, the home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, to see the Tutankhamun collection; Highclere was used in the ITV series, Downton Abbey. We plan excursions in London plus other events but these will be advised nearer the time.

Again, my apologies for this late blog, for which there is little excuse. I do promise to be more up-to-date in future.

Noel Rands
21.2.11