Born in 1911, Mahfouz is the grand old man of Arabic fiction, enjoying the affection and reverence of both critics and a vast readership.
His first novel was published in 1939 and since that date he has written thirty-two novels and thirteen collections of short stories. In his old age, he has maintained his prolific output, producing a novel every year.
The novel genre, which can be traced back to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Europe, has no prototypes in classical Arabic literature. Although this abounded in all kinds of narrative, none of them could be described as we understand the term "novel" today. Arab scholars usually attribute the first serious attempt of writing a novel in Arabic to the Egyptian author Muhammad Hussein Haykal. The novel, called "Zaynab" after the name of its heroine, and published in 1913, told in highly romanticized terms the story of a peasant girl, victim of social conventions. Soon after, writers like Taha Hussein, Abbas Al-Aqqad, Ibrahim Al-Mazini and Tawfiq Al-Hakim were to venture into the unknown realm of fiction.
The Arabic novel, however, was to wait for another generation for the advent of the man who was to make it his sole mission. Mahfouz, who was born to a middle-class family in one of the oldest quarters in Cairo, was to give expression in powerful metaphors, over a period of half a century, to the hopes and frustrations of his nation. Readers have so often identified themselves with his work, a great deal of which has been adapted for the cinema, theater and television, that many of his characters become household names in Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab world. On the other hand, his work, though deeply steeped in local reality, appeals to universal and permanent part in human nature. In English and other languages, since the appearance in 1966 of his first translated novel Midag Alley, he has been widely read.
That Mahfouz has always been a socially committed writer with a deep concern for the problem of social injustice is an incontestable fact. To him, individual morality is inseparable from social morality. In other words, according to Mahfouz's moral code, those who only seek their own individual salvation are damned; to him nirvana is, as it were, a distinctly collective state. On the other hand, characters who are saved in Mahfouz's work are only those with altruistic motives, those who show concern for others and demonstrate a kind of awareness of their particular predicament being part of a more general one.
How he pictures the world
The picture of the world as it emerges from the bulk of Mahfouz's work is very gloomy indeed, though not completely despondent. It shows that the author's social utopia is far from being realized. Mahfouz seems to conceive time as a metaphysical force of oppression. His novels have consistently shown time as the bringer of change, and change as a very painful process, and very often time is not content until it has dealt his heroes the final blow of death. To sum up, in Mahfouz's dark tapestry of the world there are only two bright spots, man's continuing struggle for equality on one hand, and the promise of scientific progress on the other.

Abdel-Rahman Al-Sharqawi was a leading multi-talented intellectual. During the late forties, he was one of the leading pioneers of the innovative movement in Arabic poetry, as well as a major exponent of the social realistic trend in literary criticism. In poetry, he was a pioneer of a new trend of Arabic poetry. He also introduced a totally new social, moral, ideological and critical approach to biographies of major Islamic figures.
Above all, Al-Sharqawi was a prominent press writer and political activist, mainly involved in the defence of democracy, social justice, religious tolerance and true faith. Born in a village in Menoufia governorate, he graduated in the Faculty of Law in 1943.
When Al-Sharqawi composed his long poem "Message of an Egyptian Father to President Truman" in 1951, leaders of poetry had not realised that a total revolution in Arabic poetry had been in the making. This epic poem with its political and emotional content had a far-reaching impact on the modern Arabic poetry, not only in terms of its vibrating and fluctuating rhythm, but also its structure and texture as well as the poet's concerns.
Al-Sharqawi's first novel "The Earth", published in book form in 1954 (after being serialized in 'Al Masri" daily during 1953), had a similar resounding impact. The novel was the first embodiment of literary "Realism" and a departure from Al-Hakeem's symbolism reflected in "Restoration of the Soul" and "Journals of a Prosecutor in the Countryside". The novel expressed the social struggle between feudalism and Egyptian peasants prior to the 1952 Revolution.
Al-Sharqawi's pioneering role further extended to poetic drama, when he first wrote his premiere poetic play "Tragedy of Jamila" in 1962, highlighting the struggle of the Algerian nationalist heroine against French occupation. The artistic merit of the play rested not only on its being the first drama in modern poetry, but also on its epic-like semi-narrative style. However, Al-Sharqawi's epic style tended towards popular folkloric biographies of ancient Arab heroes such as Antara , the most renowned Arab knight-poet. The play had a strong stimulating effect on the dramatic movement in Egypt and Arab countries, looking forward for a special nationalist dramatic (norm).
His outstanding book "Muhammad: the Messenger of Freedom", published in 1962, was also a real breakthrough in writing biographies of Muslim leaders. In this book as well his other published works on the lives of the well-guided Caliphs (Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman and Ali) and major leaders of jurisprudence and Sunna, he was not concerned with detailed account of their biographies. He was, rather, interested in those incidents and works that expressed the values of freedom, justice, reasoning, tolerance and indivisible association between faith and knowledge rather than ignorance.
Al-Sharqawi often contributed to leftist publications, although he has never joined any leftist organisation. His tendencies were rather nationalist and purely democratic. In the press he was once Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editor-in Chief of the famous Egyptian Rose El Youssef magazine.
He also occupied important positions at the Secretariat of the Afro-Asian Peoples Solidarity Organization and the Supreme Council of Arts and Letters (now: the Supreme Council of Culture)
Awards
* State Merit Prize for Literature (1974) * The Order of Letters and Arts of the First Class
Major Works
"Al- Hussein, a Revolutionary and Martyr", "Red Eagle, Orabi, Leader of Peasants," "Muhammad: the Messenger of Freedom", "Al- Farouq Omar", "Ali, Leader of the Pious", "Al- Saddeeq, the First Caliph", among others.

Kamel Keilany was an eminent figure of modern Arabic literature whose marvellous works left a mark inthe literary history genuinely qualifying him to be "the pioneer of child literature".
Childhood and Education
Kamel Keilany was born in Al-Kala'a district, a popular quarter of Cairo, near Muqu'tam Mountain; and growing up in such ambience redolent of legends and songs, he was accustomed to an early solitude, which gave him the opportunity to read, assimilate and memorize more than 20 thousands of elite verses of Arabic poetry. Keilany also memorized the Holy Qu'ran at the Kuttab (the pre school religious classes).
Keilany later joined the primary and then secondary education to finally obtain the high school certificate. He immersed himself in studying English literature and memorizing English poetry; he likewise studied French.
Keilany then joined the old Egyptian University where he was distinguished. He planned to study Arabic, English and French literatures, and decided at the same time to join the school of Dante Alighioni to study Italian literature. He was the schoolmate of prominent Egyptian men of letters such as Drs. Zaki Mubarak, Abdel-Wahab Azzam, Hassan Ibrahim and others.
Professional Career:
He worked as teacher of English and translation in a preparatory school. Keilany then worked in the Ministry of Awqaf (Islamic endowments), to finally assume the post of "Secretary of the Higher AwqafCouncil in 1954.
Meanwhile, he worked in journalism and art. He assumed the post of "Chairman of Modern Actors' Club in 1918, then Editor-in-chief of El-Ragaa newspaper founded in 1922, later he became Secretary of the Arabic Liteature Society from 1922 to 1932.
Keilany: the man of letters:
Keilany was influenced by his uncle who fostered him while he was young. He was a rich source of tales and a good narrator. His uncle used to tell kamel, the child, an abundance of bedtime stories.
That was due to the glamour and splendour he found in foreign child stories, hence was his specific trend towards child literature. He wrote his first story of the kind, "Sindibad, the Sailor" in 1927. It wasfollowed by more than books.
By the outbreak of the Egyptian Revolution, Keilany composed new enthusiastic poetry, giving proof of his sincere patriotism.
Keilany's literary works
He made his first attempt in writing during his primary education in 1908. Later, he translated Andolusian literature and verified "Resalat El-Ghofran" or (Treatise on Forgiveness, written by the blind Arab poet Abu-al-Alaa AI-Maari). Some scholars assert that the Treatise on Forgive-ness influenced Dante in his composition of the Divine Comedy, and that many of its quatrains had a strong influence upon the poetry of Omar Khayyam. Keilany also explicated Ibn El-Roumi's poetry. Numerous books were published on different topics such as literature, religion, morals, grammar, criticism, comedy, the Prophet Mohammed (God's blessing and peace upon him) and his companions. Keilany also composed poetry, but he focused more on the pedagogics of children, he established a school for the literature of child tales.
Keilany faced all sorts of obstacles, but he could pave the way for the establishment of child literature; consequently he was honoured by the State and appreciated by writers and prominent figures of letters from Arab and Oriental countries.
Kamel Keilany died on Oct. 10, 1959, leaving behind a valuable heritage of publications on arabic literature in general and children's literature in particular.

Dr. Gamal Hemdan was not merely an eminent geographer, but indeed a unique example of the serious and fully dedicated academician and scholar.
For almost forty years, Dr. Hemdan willingly withdrew from public life, and dedicated himself, in almost hermit-like, but positive seclusion, to intensive meditation, research and prolific writing.
An encyclopedic intellectual of a rare caliber, Dr. Hemdan managed to invest his wealth of knowledge in the service of a broad spectrum of social sciences, alonge with his major specialty: geography.
His works had a far-reaching impact on the entire field of social sciences that was almost tantamount to a revolution in geography. With a unique literary style of his own, Dr. Hemdan turned the science of geography into a universal, encyclopedic social science. Taking geography as an access road to other branches, he skillfully used this multi-disciplinary approach to study Egypt’s location, history, culture and future.
Birth: Hemdan was born in the Qalyoubia Governarate on Feb. 2, 1928. His father, a teacher of Arabic, had been discharged from Al Azhar educational institution on charges of participating in demonstrations of the Egyptian Revolution of 1919.
At the age of eight, he joined the primary school. He then moved to the prestigious Tawfiqiyya secondary school, which had a nationwide fame for its high educational standard and sports facilities. There, he became aware of his love and innate talent for geography.
Having completed his secondary education in 1944, with distinction, ranking sixth on the list of graduates nationwide, he joined the Department of Geography at the Cairo University, Faculty of Arts. At the age of twenty, he obtained his B.A with Distinction.He was soon appointed a staff member at the Faculty of Arts, where he was granted a scholarship in the UK to obtain his MA and PhD degrees .There, he was a student of the eminent Enghlish geographer, Professor Austen Miller.
Hemdan’s M.A thesis entitled “Population of the Nile Mid Delta; Past and Present" was highly commended by his professor. He believed that the thesis was eligible to a PhD. In 1951, Hemdan returned to Egypt to collect his scientific data.
In 1953, he obtained his PhD . Back to Cairo, he was appointed a teacher at the Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, Cairo University. Upon his return, Hemdan found out that many changes were taking place in the Egyptian society, following the 1952 Revolution.
He was looking forward to positively contribute, through his intellectual and scientific efforts, to the development of the Egyptian society.
However, with his rare, high sensitivity, Hemdan found out he was unable to cope with some negative social aspects affecting his academic career.
He preferred to withdraw, in silence from public life and willingly abandoned his academic career. Although Hemdan lived, physically, in voluntary almost hermit-like seclusion, yet he was most productive as a thinker and scholar. Apparently, this self-imposed positive solitude provided him with the right atmosphere for unceasing, uninterrupted and free meditation, research and innovation.
The works produced during his solitude vividly show his exceptional talent, not only as a geographer but also as a social scientist. To Hemdan, geography was a tool whereby to induce and take inspiration from the spirit of place to reach an accurate scientific definition of its characteristic.
He thought of geography both as a science, art and philosophy. He advocated what he called “Living Geography”; i.e. every day geography. If adequately defined, the pattern, nature, conditions and laws relating to life in that place will be thoroughly identified.
Hemdan’s natural talent for painting and calligraphy and his liking of music and singing were instrumental to his exceptional excellence in geography.
Hemdan’s outstanding intellectual and geographical achievements constituted the most important accomplishment of the Egyptian geographical school, that stresses Egypt’s uniqueness in terms of time and place, of geography and history. In his works, he adopted a multi-disciplinary approach, encompassing geography, history, sociology, politics and culture.
Hemdan left behind a rich legacy of writings in both Arabic and English, including seventeen books in Arabic and eight in English, in addition to several articles in Arabic, published in newspapers, magazines and other publications .
He had a futuristic outlook in his writings. He predicted several events, which, he thought, were compatible or incompatible with the facts of geography. Chief of these was his prediction of the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
His encyclopedic work: "The Personality of Egypt", the most outstanding of his intellectual achievements, was the product of ten years of dedicated efforts, during which time he used 245 Arabic and 691 foreign reference books in several languages.
In this prestigious book, he elaborately expounded the constituent factors making-up the Egyptian personality since the early days of the Pharaohs. To him, Egypt was the central chapter of the book of geography, which turned into the opening chapter of the book of history, maintaining all through a coherent civilization across history. Egypt, to Hemdan was a unique non-repetitive geographical phenomenon. Apart from the “Description of Egypt”, which appeared in print during the French Expedition to Egypt , Hemdan’s book "The Personality of Egypt" remains an unprecedented scientific masterpiece on Egypt.
Awards: State Incentive Prize in Arts and Letters, 1959 State Prize of Meritin Social Science, 1986 Scientific Criticism Award , by the State of Kuwait, 1986 Order of Merit of the First Class for Science and Arts, 1988
In line with his full dedication to science and his almost ascetic attitude to formalities, he refused to break away from his self-imposed solitude. Apart from the first prize awarded to him in 1959, he would not to receive any other prize.
In April 17, 1993, Dr. Gamal Hemdan died, leaving behind a huge scientific legacy, that would rightly place him as an outstanding landmark in the modern Egyptian enlightening movement .
Arabic Books: Studies on the Arab World; Cairo, 1958 Patterns of the Environment, Cairo, 1958 Study on Urban Geography; Cairo, 1958 The Arab City, Cairo, 1964 Arab Oil, Cairo, 1964 Colonization and Liberation in the Arab World, Cairo, 1964 Anthropology of Jews, Cairo, 1967 Personality of Egypt, Dar el-Helal Publications, Cairo, 1967 The Strategy of Colonization and Liberation, Cairo, 1978 Introduction to "Cairo" " by Desmond Stewart, translated by Yehya Haqqi, 1969 The Contemporary Islamic World, Cairo, 1971 Between Europe and Asia: A Study in the Geographic Counterparts, Cairo, 1972 The Arab Republic of Libya: A Study in Geopolitics, Cairo 1973 6th of October War in the International Strategy, Cairo, 1974. The Suez Canal, Cairo, 1975 New Africa, Cairo, 1975 Personality of Egypt: A Study in the Genius of the Place, four volumes, Cairo, 1975-84
English Books: Population of the Nile Mid-Delta, Past and Present, Reading University, June 1953, 2 volumes Khartoum : Study of a City, Geog. Review, 1956 Studies in Egyptian Ubranism, Cairo, 1960 Evolution of Irrigation and Agriculture in Egypt A History of Land Use in Arid Regions, Ed . L. Dubley Stamp UNESCO, Paris, 1961 Egypt: The Land and the People, A Guide Book to Geology, 1962 Pattern of Medieval Urbanism in Arab World, Geog. Review, April 1962 A Political Map of the New Africa, Geog. Review October 1963 The Four Dimensions of Egypt

Engineer, mathematician, and scientist. Mahmud Al-Falaki was born in the village of al-Hissa (Gharbiyya province); his father died early, and he was brought up by a brother and sent to Muhummad Ali's Polytechnic School in the Citadel, He later taught mathematics and astronomy at that school.
Chosen to be a part of 'ABBAS I's student scholorship to Europe in 1851, he spent nine years in Paris. Upon his return to Cairo, Khedive SA'ID entrusted him with drawing maps, among them the first complete topographic map of Egypt .
He held several important government posts, including public works minister, and the president of the Khedivial Geographic Society.
He represented Egypt at the International Congress of Geographer in Venice in 1881 and in Paris in 1885.
As minister of education (1884-1885) he introduced several important educational reforms, one of which was to require that the foreign schools receiving subsidies from the Egyptian government undergo regular inspections.
In his published writings, he tried to prove that the Giza Pyramids were built for astronomical purposes; he also established the exact birth and death dates of probhet Muhammad.
He directed the Education Ministry and the Geographical Society until his death in Cairo.

Dr. Farouk al-Baz, originally an Egyptian to the core, is a world scientist who has contributed over four decades a great deal of scientific research that has changed our concepts and visions about the cosmos and the planets, the depths of the earth and the unlimited vistas of space.
Born in Egypt in 1938, Baz completed his education and obtained B.SC in chemistry and geology from Ein Shams university in 1958. In the same year, he left for the United States where he got M.S in geology, Mioussuri University.
Then he obtained his PH.D in economic geology in 1964 and gained honorary membership of several national and international societies as well as fellowships of the U.S geological societies, the American Union for the progress of sciences, the Explorers Club in New York, University Club of Boston and Cosmos Club in Washington.
Dr. Baz has complied more than 200 scientific research and wrote 12 books, mainly about the moon, Astronauts and Apollo space shuttles.
He is appointed a visiting professor in several American and Arab universities, supervising post-graduate studies and giving lectures in several technical institutes worldwide.
Farouk al-Baz lives with his American wife and four daughters in the United States. Currently, he is occupying the post of Director of the Space Research Institution at Boston University.

• Mohamed Naguib Youssef was born on February 20, 1901, Khartoum, Sudan. He was the eldest of nine children to an Egyptian father and a Sudanese mother. He lived with his father, an officer in the Egyptian army, till he obtained the secondary school certificate in 1917.
• Graduated from Military college, Infantry, in 1921.
• Obtained law degree in 1927, PH.D. in political economy in 1931.
• Participated in fighting against German troops in 1943.
• Participated in Palestine War 1948.
• Injured in Palestine War.
• Nominated as War Minister in El-Hilali government but the royal palace opposed this step.
• Elected as chairman of Officers Club in July 1952.
• Free Officers selected Mohamed Naguib to be July Revolution Commander .
• First President of the Republic following the outbreak of July 23 Revolution.
• Formed the first government of revolution in September 1952.
• Announced the Republic on June 18, 1953.
• Dismissed from presidency in February 1954.
• Died on August 28, 1984.

He was born in Meit Abul Kom village in Menoufeya Govornorate.
He was graduated from the Military Academy in 1938 and was appointed in the Signal Corps.
When the revolution took place, he was assigned to take over the Radio and TV networks and announce the outbreak of the revolution to the Egyptian people.
He was appointed Minister of State in 1954 and then Secretary to the National Union in 1959.
He was elected the Speaker of the People’s Assembly from 1960 to 1968.
He was appointed Vice-President of the Republic and a member of the Presidential Council in 1964.
He was elected in the higher executive committee of the Arab Socialist Union (ASU) and as secretariat of the National Political Committee in September 1986.
He was reappointed Vice-President of the Republic in December 1969.
He was elected President of the Republic in October 1970 after the death of Gamal Abd El-Nasser and was reelected in October 1976.
He led and planned the 1973 war and the crossing of the Suez Canal which resulted in the victory of the Egyptian army.
He led the peace process to re-obtain Sinai.
He wrote various books: “The Full Story of the Revolution”, “Unknown Pages of the Revolution”, “Son, This Is Your Uncle Gamal”, “In Search of Identity”.
He was assassinated by a group of fundamentalists on October 6, 1981.

Date and Place of Birth:
May 4, 1928, Menoufeya Governorate
Qualifications:
•Bachelor of Military Sciences (1948)
•BA in Aviation Sciences (1950)
Posts:
•Chairman of the G-15 (1998&2000)
•Re-elected for a fourth term of office (1999)
•Chairman of the Arab Summit since June (1996)
•Chairman of the Organization of African Unity "OAU"(1993 - 1994)
•Re-elected for a third term of office (1993)
•Chairman of the Organization of African Unity "OAU"(1989 - 1990)
•Re-elected for a second term of office (1987)
•Chairman of the National Democratic Party (1982)
•President of the Republic (1981)
•Deputy Chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP) (1979)
•Vice-President of the Arab Republic of Egypt (1975)
•Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General (1974)
•Commander of the Air Force (1972)
•Chief of Staff of the Air Force (1969)
•Director of the Air Force Academy (1968)
•Commander of Cairo West Air Base (1964)
•Joined FROUNZ Military Academy, USSR (1964)
•Lecturer in Air Force Academy (1952 - 1959)
Marital Status:
Married with two sons
International Prizes and Medals Awarded to President Mubarak
International Prizes

UN Prize of Population1994
Prize of Democratic Human Rights, by the Social and Political Studies Center, Paris (1990)
Decoration from Comptutense University of Madrid (1989)
Emeritus Certificate of Protection - equivalent to 4 medals, by Mr. Laslo Nagui, Secretary General of the World Organization of the Scouts(1987)
The Medal of the Astrolab, by His Royal Highness Prince Sultan Ben Salman, first Arab astronaut, on behalf of the Saudi government(1987)
Prize of "Man of the Year 1984" by the Indian Solidarity Council(1985)
Prize of "Man of the Year", by an international institution, Paris(1983)
The Armour of the “Man of Peace” by Mr. Charles Rayen, President of the World Peace Cente(1983)
Foreign medals
Tunisia :Supreme Medal of the 7th of September of the Republic of Tunisia1990
Kuwait :Medal of Grand Mubarak 1989
Sudan :The Grand Order of Honour1989
Republic of Columbia :Medal of the Order (Del Congresso) of the Great Extraordinary Cross1989
Yemen :The Medal of the Republic1988
DenmarkThe Sash of Fint1986
Sweden :Medal of Sara Fim1986
Federal Germany :The Great Cross of the German Medal of Merit (Excellent Order)1985
Spain :The Grand Sash of Isabelle the Catholic1985
Greece :The Grand Sash of the Medal of Saviour1984
Zaire :The Grand Sash of the National Medal “La Panthere”1984
Mali :The Grand Sash of the National Medal of Mali1984
Central Africa :The Grand Order of the Republic of Central Africa1984
Brunei :Medal of the Sultan of Brunei (Dar El Salam)1984
Portugal :The Medal of Henry the Child1983
Japan :The Grand Sash of the Medal of the Supreme Chrysantheme1983
Democratic Korea :The Medal of the National Flag (First Order)1983
Niger :The Grand Sash of the National Medal of the Niger1983
Italy :The Grand Sash of the Medal of the Great Cross1982
France :The Grand Sash of the Medal of “Legion d’Honneur”1982
Nepal :The Medal of Terichaki Pata of the First Order1981
Spain :The Grand Sash of the Medal of Isabelle the Catholic1977
Togo :The Great Sash of the Medal of National Merit1977
Indonesia :The Medal of Indonesia ADIBRADANA1977
Greece :The Great Decoration of the Medal of Honour1976
Yemen :The Medal of Ma'areb (Second Class)1976
Oman : The Medal of Oman (Second Order)1976
Oman :The Military Medal of Oman (First Order)1976
Syria :The Medal of Omayad1976
Kuwait : Medal of Kuwait (Excellent Order)1975
Austria :The Great Sash of the Golden Order of Honour1975
France :The Great Sash of the Medal of National Merit1975
Hungary :The Great Golden Order of Honour1975
Mexico :Medal PANDA1975
Saudi Arabia :Medal of King Abdel Aziz of the Excellent Order1974
Iran :Medal of Hemayone (Second order)1974
Tunisia : Medal of the Republic of the First Order1972
National Military and Civilian Decorations and Medals
Military Decorations and Medals
•Medal of the Star of Sinai of the First Order (1983)
•Order of the Star of Honour (1964 and 1974)
•Military Star Medal
•Military Badge of the Republic of the First Order
•Military Badge of Courage of the First Order
•Military Badge of Duty of the First Order
Civilian Decorations and Medals
Egyptian Civilian and Military Decorations awarded to President Mubarak, under the Republican Decree No. 223/1983:
•The Grand Order of the Nile
•Medal of the Republic (1975)
•Sash of the Nile
•Medal of the Republic of the First Order
•Medal for Merit of the First Order
•Medal of Work of the First Order
•Medal of Sciences and Arts of the First Order
•Medal of Sports of the First Order
•Badge of Merit of the First Order
•Badge of Excellence of the First Order
Honorary Degrees
•Honorary doctorate from George Washington University - 1999
•Honorary doctorate from St. Johns University - 1999
•Honorary doctorate from Beijing University-1999
•Honorary doctorate in acknowledgement of his regional, global role ( Bulgaria )- 1998
•Membership and Decoration "Honoris Causa" for International Law, by the Mexican Academic Council for International Law-1991