«Тахиййат»: Сборник статей в честь Н. Н. Дьякова

Wadi Halfa: Bride of the Nile m 39 n between the people and their environment. The birth of these new relationships will benefit from Wardi’s view on the role of the artist in society. The arts will be a powerful tool for enabling the social development of Wadi Halfa. Wardi has contributed several important notions that may facilitate the so- cial development of Wadi Halfa. In his thesis on the role of the artist in society, he suggests that art wields the power to do justice, promote peace and bring progress in society. This may perhaps be Wardi’s most important message and the epitome of a vision for the future of Wadi Halfa. Furthermore, Wardi also advocated multiethnic unity, as in his memorable 1994 performance in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Wadi Halfa is a Nubian town, but it also includes other ethnic communities. He would certainly have accepted a goal of wider identity with enthusiasm. St. Petersburg State University has a long and distinguished association with the Middle East and Africa, as Professor Dyakov has demonstrated in the case of Professor at-Tantawi. Early in his career Professor Dmitri A. Ol- derogge of St Petersburg published observations on the Nubian language 1 . In 1960 he played a creative role in having the Africa section of the 25 th Interna- tional Congress of Orientalists adopt a resolution for an International Congress 1 Olderrogge (1929). P. 13 f. Ré Phillips at her début performance of singing at the Nubian Festival