Arab culture
All topics-
Jordan's natural heritage
Jordan's mission to save its ancient olive trees
Many of Jordan's olive trees are an integral part of the country's identity and culture. Having survived thousands of years, they are now under threat from a series of very modern phenomena
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Cinema showcase in Morocco
Arab women filmmakers challenge Western preconceptions
Female filmmakers from across the Middle East are increasingly being recognised and celebrated. But the challenges they face are not always what you might expect
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Fikra culture magazine
Showcasing Palestinian perspectives
Fikra culture magazine publishes literature and art by Palestinians from all over the world. The editors hope it will serve as a platform for the dispersed community to debate and dream – and defend itself against censorship from all sides
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Sofia Alaoui's film "Animalia"
Aliens land in Morocco
Moroccan terrain has long proved a popular backdrop for American film productions. In "Animalia", director Sofia Alaoui highlights Morocco's scenery from a local and personal perspective, focusing in particular on the Atlas Mountains
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Palestine's cultural heritage
The first digital Palestinian embroidery database
Award-winning entrepreneur Zain Masri has so far digitised about 1,000 traditional Palestinian cross-stitch patterns, now available for download from her platform, Tirazain
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Bahla: 'City of djinns'
Magical myths haunt ancient Omani oasis
Deep in Oman's parched interior, the ancient oasis town of Bahla abounds with myths of camel-eating, fire-mouthed hyenas and men turning into donkeys – a reputation for magic and mystery that persists to this day
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'Assassin's Creed Mirage' goes Baghdad
Back to the era of the Caliphs
The "Assassin's Creed" franchise is among the world's most popular video game series. The new release is set in 9th-century Baghdad during the Golden Age of the Abbasid caliphs. By Kristina Reymann-Schneider
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Middle Eastern and North African art in Europe
MENA Art Gallery – haven for Arab art
The MENA Art Gallery in downtown Berlin is the brainchild of Italian researcher Enrico De Angelis and Syrian visual artist Zena El Abdalla. One transliteration of the colloquial Arabic for 'port' is 'mena', reflecting the intention to provide a haven for works by Arab artists, as Rama Jarmakani reports
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Life in Iraq
No politics, no religion, no sex
Hella Mewis refuses to give in. The head of a cultural centre in Baghdad has already been kidnapped once, but Baghdad is her home, and she’s staying. Lena Bopp finds out why
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Arab-Andalucian music
Musical "Romances" between Muslims and Christians
On 19 August, the Accademia del Piacere ensemble from Seville will celebrate the marriage of Muslim and Christian musical culture in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries at the Cologne Philharmonic. Tunisian singer Ghalia Benali will join the musicians on stage as their special guest. By Stefan Franzen
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Lebanon explosion 3 years on
Rebuilding Beirut's cultural life
Three years after a massive explosion devastated Beirut, cultural institutions in the city are still struggling to pick up the pieces. But restored and planned new museums offer hope. Stefan Dege reports
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Tunisian films about the Arab Spring
Rage, hope and desperation
Tunisian filmmakers are addressing the subject of the Arab Spring and its failure in Tunisia in their films. Shady Lewis Botros watched three of them for Qantara.de