Author: Roma Rajpal Weiss

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Eric Maddox addressing a gathering of people taking part in a Virtual Iftar Project dinner (photo: Lora Lucero)

The Virtual Iftar Project

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"It is harder to ignore, vilify or harm those with whom we have broken bread"

The Virtual Dinner Guest Project is an international multimedia initiative that brings people across various cultures together at the dinner table. Breaking bread and barriers in one go, this platform launched the Virtual Iftar Project across Europe during the month of Ramadan, which has just ended. Roma Rajpal Weiß spoke to the project founder, Eric Maddox, about the project and about cultural tension between Muslims and non-MuslimsMore

Facebook page of the Virtual Iftar ProjectInternational understanding through cuisine: Food for thoughtRamadan in Brazil: Maintaining the traditionMuslims in the German Armed Forces: Observing Ramadan in uniformThe Islamic month of Ramadan: A test of willpower
Women from the Christian community carry a sign during a protest after a suicide attack on a church in Lahore, 15 March 2015 (photo: Reuters/Mani Rana)

The Christian minority in Pakistan

Under increased threat of persecution

Weeks after the twin bombings on churches in Lahore, discrimination against the Christian minority in Pakistan seems to have taken a turn for worse. By Roma Rajpal WeißMore

Christian minorities in the Islamic World: No Arab Spring for ChristiansThe Taybeh Vinfest, West Bank: Turning water into wineConversion of Christians and Muslims in India: Homecoming or forced conversion?Syrian Christians and the Assad regime: "Assad is only protecting himself"Pope Francis in the Middle East: Gestures laden with symbolism
Mona Shaikh (photo: Ash Gupta/838 Media Group)

Interview with comedian Mona Shaikh

"Being able to create a dialogue is a very important step for me"

Mona Shaikh is a naughty Muslim comedian who does not shy away from breaking taboos. Shaikh deploys comedy as a weapon to criticise religious leaders and politicians who use Islam and the Koran as an excuse to impose restrictions on women. Roma Rajpal Weiß spoke to her on growing up a Muslim in the United States in the aftermath of 9/11 and her unusual choice of profession as a Pakistani womanMore

Radical comedian Serdar Somuncu: The right to give offenceInterview with Omid Djalili: Jokes about the Jewish–Muslim love-hate relationshipFemale genital mutilation in Egypt: Using comedy to combat a cruel traditionStand-up comedy in Dubai: Clean humour for the Arab world
Ronja von Wurmb-Seibel (photo: Niklas Schenck)

Interview with Ronja von Wurmb-Seibel

"My life in Afghanistan is more normal than people assume"

Ronja von Wurmb-Seibel is a German journalist and author of "Ausgerechnet Kabul" (Kabul, of all places). Her book is an account of her time in Afghanistan and provides an insider's perspective on the country, going beyond the subjects of burqa, Taliban and the role of the German Army in the country. Roma Rajpal Weiss spoke to her about the war-torn country and the situation for women in AfghanistanMore

Abortion in Afghanistan: Trying to break a major societal tabooWomen's rights in Afghanistan: New Afghan law curtails women's rightsForced marriage in Afghanistan: Suicide as a final resortInterview with Fawzia Koofi: ''It is not a matter of overnight change''Human rights in Afghanistan: The power of womenNoorjahan Akbar on women's rights in Afghanistan: ''Women are nobodies''
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena waves to supporters as he leaves the election secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 9 January 2015 (photo: picture-alliance/AP/Eranga Jayawardena)

Interview with Basil Fernando on the election in Sri Lanka

Nurturing a spirit of reconciliation

Maithripala Sirisena was the surprise winner of last week's presidential election in Sri Lanka. He was swept to power on a platform of political reform and an end to corruption. Sirisena has promised to transfer many of the president's executive powers to parliament. Only days after his election, he took steps to increase press freedom. Roma Rajpal Weiss spoke to Basil Fernando, Sri Lankan activist and former director of the Asian Human Rights Commission, about the significance of Sirisena's victoryMore

Anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar and Sri Lanka: Surge of radical Buddhism in South AsiaInterview with Asma Jahangir, winner of the Right Livelihood Award: "Every restriction is based on religion"Indian Muslims' attitudes to the election of Narendra Modi: Apprehension and hope
Asma Jahangir (photo: Wolfgang Schmidt/Right Livelihood Award Foundation)

Interview with Asma Jahangir, winner of the Right Livelihood Award

"Every restriction is based on religion"

This year, activist and human rights lawyer Asma Jahangir became the first woman from Pakistan to win the Right Livelihood Award (also known as the "alternative Nobel Prize"). She spoke to Roma Rajpal Weiss about the difficult circumstances facing human rights activists in PakistanMore

Asma Jahangir and Hina Jilani: Two sisters' courageous struggleHonour killings in Pakistan: Little hope of changeInterview with Pakistani media expert Fauzia Shaheen: How Pakistan's media is defending democracyWoman and social networks in Pakistan: Hostility on the Internet
A boy salvages belongings from a burned-down building in Htan Kone village in Myanmar's northern Sagaing region on 25 August 2013 (photo: Reuters)

Anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar and Sri Lanka

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Surge of radical Buddhism in South Asia

Nationalist Buddhist monks in Myanmar and Sri Lanka are playing a key role in instigating hatred and provoking violence towards the Muslim minorities in both countries, claiming that such action is necessary in order to protect Buddhist race and culture. By Roma Rajpal WeißMore

The Muslim Rohingya in Myanmar: In the shadow of an iconRohingya Muslims in Myanmar: The spectre of ethnic violence reappears Islam in Sri Lanka: Peaceful prospects for the Moors
Dr. Mads Gilbert tends to a child in al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza, 2009 (photo Getty Images)

Interview with Norwegian doctor Mads Gilbert

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"Nobody is safe in Gaza"

Professor of Medicine at the University of Tromso, Norway, Mads Gilbert is currently working at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. He has been volunteering in Gaza on and off for the last 17 years and recently submitted a report to the UN on the state of the health sector in Gaza. In this interview with Roma Rajpal Weiss, Gilbert describes the present situation at the hospital and in GazaMore

Israeli military offensive in Gaza: Israel cannot winEscalation in the Middle East: Provocation and violenceInterview with Raji Sourani in Gaza: "We are just soft targets: we are very cheap"

In brief

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Protesters call for justice: tens of thousands of protesters make their way to Istanbul. The march is in response to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ongoing purges following last year's failed coup and was sparked when opposition party MP Enis Berberoglu was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The march kicked off three weeks ago in Turkey's capital Ankara and is headed to the prison in Istanbul where Berberoglu is held

On the road with Turkey's march for justice

Ongoing purges and the jailing of elected officials recently spurred tens of thousands to march hundreds of kilometres from the Turkish capital Ankara to Istanbul. Diego Cupolo caught up with protesters on Highway D100