Author: Khaled al-Khamissi

rss-iconSubscribe to feed
French President Emmanuel Macron with the Lebanese singer Nouhad Haddad, known as Fairouz, Beirut, 1 September 2020 (photo: Soazig de la Moissonniere/Présidence de la République)

Culture and innovation in the Arab world

Where are the new Arab icons?

As the photo of Fairouz talking to French President Emmanuel Macron spread around the world, many asked if Arabs today had any contemporary stars of Fairouz's standing. In this essay for Qantara.de, Khaled Al-Khamissi answers this question and asks whether there is a place for up-and-coming stars in a world that is so hostile to creativity and originalityMore

Lebanese singer Fairouz: The "grande dame" of Arab music turns 85Interview with Lebanese writer Amin Maalouf: Petrodollars proved stronger in the Middle East than cultural traditionMoscow's cultural policy in the Middle East: Arab ambassadors for Russian interestsRemembering Naguib Mahfouz: "A wave of light on an infinite ocean of darkness"
Journalists protest against censorship in Tunis, January 2019 (photo: picture-alliance/abaca/N. Fauque)

Freedom of speech in the Middle East

Arabs follow fake news, while the dream of progress dies

In the Arab world, freedom of opinion collides with a societal juggernaut that silences imagination with remarkable efficiency. Egyptian author and novelist Khaled al-Khamissi describes the mechanisms of repression in Arab societyMore

Press freedom under attack: The Arab world's new wave of media repressionSocietal repression in Egypt: The tentacles of autocracyInterview with Egyptian writer Khaled Alkhamissi: ''We are living in a vibrant social era in Egypt''
Demonstration against racism in Tunisia (photo: Getty Images/AFP/F. Belaid)

Black Lives Matter in Egypt

The controversy surrounding racism – are Arabs racist?

The Arab world suffers from a system in which people are intolerant of "the other". This racist environment contributes to the growth of hostility and antagonism towards anyone who differs from our sense of what is "normal" or "conventional". By Khaled al-KhamissiMore

Human rights and civil society in North Africa: Tunisia joins George Floyd protests to say 'no' to racismEmancipation and music: Black Tunisiansʹ bitter heritageInterview with Bakary Sambe: ''In the Arab World, we Africans are viewed as inferior Muslims''
Symbolic image of rays of sunshine bursting through a blanket of cloud (photo: picture-alliance/Hinrich Basemann)

COVID-19 on the Nile

Egyptians create their own silver lining to coronavirus

Given the numerous civil society initiatives that have emerged during coronavirus, Egyptian writer and journalist Khaled al-Khamissi finds his faith in his fellow Egyptians restored – there is hope for the country after allMore

COVID-19 on the Nile: How coronavirus snuffed out my bookseller's lifeCOVID-19 on the Nile: Where is the justice in corona-plagued Egypt?COVID-19 in Egypt: Safely through corona crisis? Go on, take my used mask
The streets of Cairo are mostly empty at the moment. Were Hassouna still alive, he would be hard pressed to make a living (photo: Getty Images/AFP/Samer Abdallah)

COVID-19 on the Nile

How coronavirus snuffed out my bookseller's life

Hassouna, the street vendor from whom our author always purchased his newspapers, has died in the pandemic, not yet 50 years old. He was a legend among Cairo's newsagents. By Khaled el-KhamissiMore

COVID-19 on the Nile: Where is the justice in corona-plagued Egypt?COVID-19 on the Nile: One Egyptian's dream of a brave, new, post-coronavirus worldCOVID-19 on the Nile: The curse of coronavirus – Egypt, a nation gripped by fear
A man flying a kite in Cairo (photo: dpa)

COVID-19 on the Nile

Where is the justice in corona-plagued Egypt?

An actor falls ill and receives preferential treatment; a well-known contract killer is pardoned: the corona pandemic draws back the veil on social inequality in Egypt. By Khaled el-KhamissiMore

COVID-19 in Egypt: Safely through corona crisis? Go on, take my used maskCOVID-19 on the Nile: One Egyptian's dream of a brave, new, post-coronavirus worldCOVID-19 on the Nile: The curse of coronavirus – Egypt, a nation gripped by fear
Men wearing face masks against coronavirus in Cairo (photo: picture-alliance/Nur Photo/I. Safwat)

COVID-19 in Egypt

Safely through corona crisis? Go on, take my used mask

Even now, during the coronavirus pandemic, risk awareness in Egypt is disturbingly low. What lies behind this phenomenon? By Khaled el-KhamissiMore

COVID-19 on the Nile: One Egyptian's dream of a brave, new, post-coronavirus worldCOVID-19 on the Nile: The curse of coronavirus – Egypt, a nation gripped by fearCOVID-19 in North Africa: Corona proactivity in Tunisia, trivialisation in Egypt
Egypt's pyramids and the Sphinx spectacularly floodlit (photo: DW)

COVID-19 on the Nile

One Egyptian's dream of a brave, new, post-coronavirus world

For decades, Egypt's successive governments have neglected to provide adequate support for science and culture. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the coronavirus crisis were to lead to a change of heart and policy, asks Khaled al-KhamissiMore

COVID-19 on the Nile: The curse of coronavirus – Egypt, a nation gripped by fearCOVID-19 in North Africa: Corona proactivity in Tunisia, trivialisation in EgyptIn Dialogue: Khaled Al-Khamissi – Stefan Weidner: The Arab Spring
Pyramids at Giza illuminated with the message "Stay safe" (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/Xinhua)

COVID-19 on the Nile

The curse of coronavirus – Egypt, a nation gripped by fear

After a prolonged slump, tourist numbers in Hurghada had been expected to rise this year. Now there are quite literally no foreign visitors at all in the Red Sea resort. But all is not lost; a healthy baby born to a mother with coronavirus is giving people there some hope. By Khaled al-KhamissiMore

COVID-19 in North Africa: Corona proactivity in Tunisia, trivialisation in EgyptEgypt deep cleans pyramids site emptied of touristsCOVID-19 pandemic :A golden opportunity for Middle East autocrats?