Society

FIFA Qatar 2022

Children in Syria's Idlib hold their own World Cup

More than 300 children in rebel-held northwest Syria kicked off their own football World Cup on Saturday, with organisers hoping to shine a light on communities battered by 11 years of war
Lamya Kaddor on the Qatar World Cup

"Address problems, but acknowledge progress"

Lamya Kaddor, MP for Germany’s Green Party, visited Qatar with a group of parliamentarians. In interview with Claudia Mende, she advocates a differentiated picture and urges that progress in human rights also be recognised
By Claudia Mende
Football in the Middle East

Freedom vs. oppression

"Rebel Game: The Power of Football in the Middle East and the Qatar World Cup", an anthology published by Middle East researchers Jan Busse and Rene Wildangel, takes the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar as its basis for grappling with the socio-political and historical relevance of football in the Middle East. By Mirjam Schmidt
By Mirjam Schmidt
Let's talk about sex, habibi!

Love and desire from Cairo to Casablanca

Berlin journalist Mohamed Amjahid writes humorously and very intimately about how people experience love and desire across North Africa. Melanie Christina Mohr read the book
By Melanie Christina Mohr
COP27 and the Middle East

Sinking Alexandria faces up to coming catastrophe

Alexandria, Egypt's fabled second city and its biggest port, is in danger of disappearing below the waves within decades.
Climate change and megacities

India's predicted urban boom

India is projected to see an explosion in its urban population in the coming decades, but its cities already cannot cope and climate change will make living conditions harsher still
Climate change and Middle East monuments

The most endangered on Earth

Thanks to climate change, the Middle East is heating up faster than any other part of the world, putting the region's ancient pyramids, castles, holy and other heritage sites at even greater risk. Cathrin Schaer reports
By Cathrin Schaer
Climate change in Egypt

Alexandria or the sea?

The next UN climate change conference will begin in Egypt this weekend. In Alexandria, the effects of climate change can already be seen. Karim El-Gawhary reports from the stricken coastal city
By Karim El-Gawhary
Mourning Mevlude Genc

A universal mother figure

A survivor of a neo-Nazi hate crime, Mevlude Genc's boundless compassion served as an inspiration to an entire generation. Sertan Sanderson explores how her death is a loss for Germany and Turkey
By Sertan Sanderson
COP27 and the Middle East

Millions at risk of climate displacement

In the run-up to the COP27 global climate summit, hosted by Egypt in November, it is worth noting that little rainfall, aggressive heatwaves and worsening drought make the Middle East the most water-stressed region in the world, with climate change threatening to displace millions of people
God's love for all

Sufism is not just Muslim

Sufism has fluid boundaries. Just like Islam, Sufism is inconceivable without its late antique roots. Then again, it has also exerted an influence on Hinduism. Moreover, the Sufic doctrine of divine love exists independently of Islam. By Stefan Weidner
By Stefan Weidner
"The Lionesses of Afghanistan"

No more 'white saviours', please

Journalist Waslat Hasrat-Nazimi was forced to flee Afghanistan with her family as a child and grew up in Germany. To mark the publication of her book "The Lionesses of Afghanistan", she spoke to Qantara.de about growing up between two cultures, her focus on Afghan women and the media's distorted view of the country. Interview by Schayan Riaz
By Schayan Riaz