A methodology for enabling the sustainable development of Therapeutic tourism in the Egyptian desert – An applied study on the hamra ecolodge resort in Wadi El- Natroun –: منهجية تمكين التنمية المستدامة للسياحة العلاجية لصحراء مصر

Despite the importance of therapeutic tourism, it faces great obstacles that limit the growth of the sustainability of its development, among the main obstacles that stand in the way of sustaining the development of therapeutic tourism in Wadi El- Natroun is the existence of an urban phenomenon that did not follow sustainable development in its design, with the absence of coordination between the ministries and relevant bodies. It is the absence of specific mechanisms and methodology for how to choose the most important criteria and sustainable planning indicators to assess the sustainability of therapeutic resorts, as it is considered one of the most important pillars of development for the sustainability of therapeutic tourism, in order to preserve the therapeutic area's resources from pollution resulting from human use, both in construction and operation In this way. The research provides a clearer picture for enabling the sustainable development of therapeutic tourism in Wadi El- Natroun through the preparation of a methodology and guidebook to enhance the sustainability of therapeutic tourism resorts in the region and their application in way that enables development decision- makers in the region to make rational and logical decisions regarding enabling sustainable development for therapeutic tourism development in it. And through both parts of theoretical research and analysis of the current situation in the study area, the most important results were reached the conclusion of a methodology and a guideline of the most important controls, determinants and sustainability indicators. It contains three criteria with eighteen basic determinants and eighty- one main indicators with the value of indicative relative weights divided as follows: Indicators of planning and design standards with a value of (40%)- Environmental standards indicators with a value of (35%)- Administrative and societal standards indicators with a value of (25%) , that are Serve as a checklist for developers and investors when preparing therapeutic tourism resorts in the design, management and operation processes to enable the sustainability of the development of desert therapeutic tourism on the site.The research ends with a set of recommendations, the most important of which is the need to apply the methodology and guidebook to therapeutic tourism resorts that are being prepared for in the region, it is considered one of the most important decision- making tools when planning to develop sustainable therapeutic tourism in the study area.

Caves as geoheritage resource in remote desert areas: a preliminary evaluation of Djara Cave in the Western Desert of Egypt

Caves are rare in northeast Africa and, thus, deserve attention as potential geoheritage objects (geosites). Assessment of Djara Cave and its vicinity (Western Desert, Egypt) has permitted to document unique features, such as the cave itself as a peculiar subsurface landform, speleothems providing data for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, rock art demonstrating elements of past landscapes, siliceous nodules weathered from Eocene limestones and a network of dry drainage channels indicative of wetter palaeoenvironments. These features are assigned to geomorphological, sedimentological and palaeogeographical types of geoheritage. Djara Cave and its vicinity are proposed as a geosite of national rank; it is vulnerable to anthropogenic stress and needs geoconservation measures and instalment of interpretative signs. This geosite is already popular among tourists, and can be used for further tourism development. More generally, the presence of caves in Egyptian desert areas makes possible the recognition of national speleological heritage that requires special country-level strategies of management.

The Normativity of Measure in Gregory Nazianzus’ and Gregory of Nyssa’s Orations on Love for the Destitute Poor

Gregory Nazianzus and Gregory of Nyssa between them composed three orations on love of the destitute poor: Nazianzen's Oration 14, Peri philoptōchias and Nyssen's On love of the poor 1 and 2 (De beneficentia and In illud: quatenus uni ex his fecistis mihi fecistis). All three situate leprosy as the most extreme, and therefore paradigmatic, form of poverty as a basis for exhorting Christians to the practice of love. Those suffering from leprosy were stigmatised and excluded from society even by Christians, yet the Gregories exhort them to serve Christ by serving them, supporting pastoral entreaty with theological argument. This paper aims to introduce these orations to those unfamiliar with them and contribute new insights to those who already know them. After situating them in their historical context I summarise each then comment on their content, highlighting Nazianzen's reconfiguration of classical motifs in the service of a revisionist social policy and Christian anthropology rooted in the imago Dei and Nyssen's recourse to ascetic theory with marked similarities to that of Egyptian desert asceticism as taught by Evagrius. This paper's discussion of these prophetic orations will contribute to knowledge of them and by extension of the two Gregories.

Le jeûne chez l’ancien : les privations volontaires de nourriture chez les moines coptes de l’Antiquité tardive

The presentation of monasticism given by Evagrius Ponticus corresponds essentially to the description – found in other sources of the time – of the approach actually followed by the first monks of Coptic Egypt. This article seeks to more systematically study the characteristics of this approach as described in these sources. This will include a study of what is called the “monastic armor”, of which one of the elements is fasting. In this article, we focus on the practices concerning fasting: its calendar and its timetables, its influence on the visit of hosts, the extreme practices. We conclude, here as elsewhere, that moderation is advocated as necessary by most monks of the Egyptian desert.

Development of a Spatial Model for Soil Quality Assessment under Arid and Semi-Arid Conditions

Food security has become a global concern for humanity with rapid population growth, requiring a sustainable assessment of natural resources. Soil is one of the most important sources that can help to bridge the food demand gap to achieve food security if well assessed and managed. The aim of this study was to determine the soil quality index (SQI) for El Fayoum depression in the Western Egyptian Desert using spatial modeling for soil physical, chemical, and biological properties based on the MEDALUS methodology. For this purpose, a spatial model was developed to evaluate the soil quality of the El Fayoum depression in the Western Egyptian Desert. The integration between Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and Sentinel-2 satellite image was used to produce landforms and digital soil mapping for the study area. Results showed that the study area located under six classes of soil quality, e.g., very high-quality class represents an area of 387.12 km2 (22.7%), high-quality class occupies 441.72 km2 (25.87%), the moderate-quality class represents 208.57 km2 (12.21%), slightly moderate-quality class represents 231.10 km2 (13.5%), as well as, a low-quality class covering an area of 233 km2 (13.60%), and very low-quality class occupies about 206 km2 (12%). The Agricultural Land Evaluation System for arid and semi-arid regions (ALESarid) was used to estimate land capability. Land capability classes were non-agriculture class (C6), poor (C4), fair (C3), and good (C2) with an area 231.87 km2 (13.50%), 291.94 km2 (17%), 767.39 km2 (44.94%), and 416.07 km2 (24.4%), respectively. Land capability along with the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) used for validation of the proposed model of soil quality. The spatially-explicit soil quality index (SQI) shows a strong significant positive correlation with the land capability and a positive correlation with NDVI at R2 0.86 (p < 0.001) and 0.18 (p < 0.05), respectively. In arid regions, the strategy outlined here can easily be re-applied in similar environments, allowing decision-makers and regional governments to use the quantitative results achieved to ensure sustainable development.

The Imperial Granite Quarry of Domitianè-Kainé Latomia

The results of excavations carried out in 2002-2003 at the Imperial granite quarries of Domitianè-Kainé Latomia at Umm Balad, in the eastern Egyptian desert, are presented. The archaeological interventions affected both the extraction fronts and the associated enclave, made up of a fort and a settlement linked to the workers. These facilities, together with information from numerous documented ostraka, provide information on the organization and accounting of the quarry.