FPA witness a ceremony marking the end of the tensions in Minia

& FPA Visit to Minia and Abu Fana

Dear colleagues,

The Cairo Foreign Press Association received through Member of Parliament Alaa Hassanein an invitation of H.H. Pope Shenouda III and H.E. Governor Ahmed Diaa el-Din of Minia to visit the Monastery of Abu Fana, the city of Mallawi and attend a ceremony marking the end of the tensions between the monastery and its neighbors on Tuesday September 9^th 2008 in Mallawi.

The FPA delegation will witness the beginning of building a wall around the monastery, attend an iftar in Mallawi followed by a ceremony and press conference with H.E. Governor Ahmed Dia el-Din of Minia, H.G. Bishop Dimitrius of Mallawi, Christian businessman Eid Labib and Member of Parliament Alaa Hassanein. The last two men played a major role in a final settlement between the monastery and its neighbors. The film of their meeting with the FPA delegation on August 6 can be seen on

www.enawu.org  http://www.enawu.org/ and

www.arabwestreport.info  http://www.arabwestreport.info/

It is expected that between 6 and 8,000 people will participate in the ceremony in the stadium of Mallawi on September 9^th. It is also expected that H.H. Pope Shenouda will speak to the audience through a telephone connection.

A bus will leave on September 9 at 9.00 am morning from the front of FPA office in Garden City. Return to Cairo is after the ceremony and press conference.

Governor Ahmed Dia el-Din assured that he will this time speak to the FPA (last time he did not since negotiations were still pending).

The costs for this visit are 50 EgP per person, including transportation, meals, tips, etc.

Please sign up as soon as possible with the FPA office.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

الزملاء الأعزاء:

بعد الزيارة الآخيرة لآعضاء جمعية المراسلين الآجانب بالقاهرة لمحافظة المنيا ودير أبو فانا لمتابعة تطورات الآحداث بملوى، وبعد لقاء مع الآستاذ/ علاء حسنين عضو مجلس الشعب عن دائرة المنيا فقد تفضل بتوجيه الدعوة لآعضاء جمعية المراسلين الآجانب بالآنابة عن قداسة البابا شنودة الثالث بابا الآسكندرية وبطريرك الكرازة المرقسية، ومعالى محافظ المنيا اللواء أحمد ضياء الدين لزيارة المنطقة مجدداً والآطلاع على التطورات الحادثة وأيضا لحضور الآحتفال بأعلان نهاية الآشتباكات بين طرفى النزاع من الرهبان فى دير القديس أبوفانا والعربان من القرى المجاورة للدير وذلك يوم الثلاثاء الموافق التاسع من سبتمبر لعام 2008

تتضمن زيارة الوفد مشاهدة للسور الفاصل بمنطقة النزاع (يتم بناؤه الآن) حول الدير، يعقبه حفل أفطار فى ملوى ثم مؤتمر صحفى مشترك مع اللواء أحمد ضياء الدين محافظ المنيا (سيتحدث فيه)، ونيافة الآنبا ديمتريوس، أسقف ملوى ,وايضا بحضور أعضاء اللجنة العليا لحل النزاع بين الطرفين الآستاذ/ عيد لبيب رجل الآعمال، والآستاذ/ علاء حسنين عضو مجلس الشعب عن دائرة المنيا واللذان كان لهما الفضل الآكبر فى تقريب وجهات النظر بين الآطراف المتنازعة، يمكن الآطلاع على لقاؤهم السابق خلال زيارة المراسلين للمنيا بهذا الرابط

www.enawu.org  http://www.enawu.org/ and

www.arabwestreport.info  http://www.arabwestreport.info/

نظراً للآهتمام الكبير بهذا الحدث والذى يتوقع حضوره ألآف من الشعب والقيادات والمسئولين يقام الآحتفال النهائى بأستاد المنيا الرياضى، ويتضمن كلمة مسجلة للحضور من قداسة البابا شنودة الثالث بابا الآسكندرية وبطريرك الكرازة المرقسية

التجمع سيكون أمام مكتب المراسلين الآجانب بجاردن سيتى، يوم الثلاثاء 9-9-2008 فى تمام الساعة 9 التاسعة صباحا ، ذهاب وعودة بالآتوبيس فى نفس اليوم، التكلفة الآجمالية 50 (خمسون جنيها للعضو) شاملة

برجاء سرعة تسجيل الآسماء بمكتب الجمعية أو برد الميل بالتأكيد بالحضور وأرسال القيمة المالية

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Colleagues,

Tensions around the monastery of Abu Fana in the governorate of Minia have been making headlines in Egyptian media in the past weeks. Governor Ahmed Dia el-Din of Minia is inviting members of the FPA to see the monastery and neighboring village for themselves. The governor proposed the following schedule:

Wednesday August 6, 2008

7.00 AM      train to Minia

11.00–12.30  Reception in the governor's office, briefing on tensions by governor

12.30 Noon,  Transfer to army hotel in Minia, getting lunch package for bus

1.00 PM       Leaving for the Monastery of Abu Fana

1.45 PM       Reception at monastery, visiting historical church of Abu Fana followed by a visit to the location the monastery was attacked on May 31 that initiated so many heated discussions. Please note the discussion: several monks the attack occurred only because they are Christian. The governor points to a history of land conflicts and insists this conflict started about land but over time obtained a sectarian character.

4.30 PM       Going to neighboring village

6.00 PM       Return to Minia

7.00 PM       Dinner at the Armed Forces Hotel

Thursday August 7, 2008

8.30 AM      Leaving hotel for Bahnassa

9.00–12.00   Seeing holy family location at Bahnassa and the well of the Saba'a Banat. The two traditions look very similar but the first one is Christian and the second one is Muslim. We'll see excavations of a historical church, obtain the explanation of an archeologist, and visit a church in a neighboring village.

1.00–2.00     Lunch at Armed Forces hotel in Minia

2.00–3.30    Guided tour in Minia museum (optional, others may take a rest)

4.00–5.00    Second meeting with governor who will respond to remaining questions

5.00–6.00    Tour to new Minia, enjoying beautiful view over the Nile

6.00–7.30    Dinner

8.00            Train returning to Cairo

The program is tentative, last minute changes might happen.

The costs for FPA members will be 100 LE/person,

(One Hundred Egyptian pounds)

That’s includes the train tickets Cairo-Minia, and return, local transportation, tips and other expenses.

The costs of the hotels, meals and drinks are for the governorate.

The FPA office will reserve some train tickets. Please book as soon as possible.

The Deadline to register Your Name ASAP

When tickets are finished you must buy your own tickets to and from Minia.