The introductory speaker, Dr Iman Negm, complained that the cultural establishment in Egypt does not consider Arabic calligraphy an example of pictorial art. By Emad AyshaThe first speaker, Muhammad Baghdadi, a distinguished literary figure, echoed similar complaints, noting that calligraphy was on its last legs in Egypt not long ago. ROOTS OF PROGRESS: Dr. Ola Elaboudy [right] at the event talking about the Sinai linguistic overlap between Arabic and ancient Egyptian. (Ancient Egypt did adopt foreign words during its imperial reign, and desert Arabs have continually migrated there and to Sudan.) The Arabic language teacher has been a joke ever since.