Society

Mr. Erbil Gentlemanʹs Club

The Kurdish hipsters are in town

The fashion bloggers of "Mr. Erbil Gentlemenʹs Club" from Kurdistan are a worldwide success. They wish to tell the true story of life in their homeland. At the invitation of the German Foreign Office, they came to Berlin for a visit. By Annette Walter
By Annette Walter
More humanity post-Chemnitz

#WirSindMehr: "Hostility is the failure of identity"

Insults, violence, attacks on refugee centres. Is this the answer of an enlightened, democratic society, shaped by human and humane values? Fereshta Ludin, high school teacher and former refugee, calls us all to account
By Fereshta Ludin
Bushra al-Maqtariʹs "Voices from a forgotten war-torn country"

Yemenʹs chronicles of death and destruction untold

Bushra al-Maqtariʹs "What you left behind? Voices from a forgotten war-torn country" is a poignant record of the ongoing war in Yemen, woven with excruciatingly painful accounts of its hapless victims. By Muhammed Nafih Wafy
By Muhammed Nafih Wafy
Egyptʹs generation gap

Not following in their parentsʹ footsteps!

Egyptian young people are rebelling not only against their parents, but against centuries-old social norms. That's perfectly normal. Education today should be based on mutual respect and empathy, says 20-year-old student Engy Ashraf from Alexandria
By Engy Ashraf
Aicha 'Lella Saida' Manoubiya

Tunisia's feminist icon

A free spirit who did not abide by the constraints imposed on women in the thirteenth century, Sufi saint Aicha Manoubiya, known as Saida or Lella Saida, holds a special place in the memories and hearts of the people of Tunis. By Safa Belghith
By Safa Belghith
The annual pilgrimage to Mecca

High summer hajj

Millions of believers, heat and loud prayers: the hajj in Mecca. Once a year, the Saudi city becomes a pilgrimage hot spot and the site of the largest gathering of people in the world. Nermin Ismail was in Mecca
By Nermin Ismail
Fighting forced marriage in Kyrgyzstan

Bride abduction is not cool

"Ala kachuu" is Kyrgyz and translates as "Grab her and run". What sounds like an entertaining popular sport is actually the widespread practice of kidnapping women and forcing them into marriage. With her initiative "Ala kachuu is no cool!" Kyrgyz Svetlana Dzardanova is taking a stand against the alleged custom. By Wolfgang Kuhnle
By Wolfgang Kuhnle
Interview with Islam scholar Riem Spielhaus

#MeTwo: "Itʹs a topic for German textbooks"

Mesut Ozil's withdrawal from the German national football team sparked a wide-ranging debate on racism. In an interview with Yalda Zarbakhch, Islam scholar Riem Spielhaus explains where discrimination comes from and how to combat it
By Yalda Zarbakhch
Civil society in Africa

Sudan′s young people roll up their sleeves

Sudan′s younger generation has already faced all manner of crises, from the conflicts and struggles of a country in the process of breaking apart, economic crises, to problems in health and education. It′s a generation that anticipates the worst and has no concept of peace. But idle? Hardly. By Abdul Salam al-Haj
By Abdul Salam al-Haj
Racism debate in Germany

Integration – a process of give and take

Thousands of Germans with a migration background have been sharing their experiences of racial discrimination using the hashtag #MeTwo. Successful integration is not a one-sided process, says Armin Langer, the majority must also be prepared to address the issues
By Armin Langer
Mesut Ozil and #MeTwo

When are you German enough?

Michel Abdollahi, Idil Baydar and Y'Akoto have all experienced racism and xenophobia – despite calling Germany their home. The artists hope that the #MeTwo debate will change hearts and minds when it comes to identity. By Yalda Zarbakhch
By Yalda Zarbakhch
Interview with Mauritanian artist Saleh Lo

"If I can restore some of their dignity, my work will have been a success"

Self-taught artist Saleh Lo grew up in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott, playing with children from different ethnic communities, among them "Haratin" kids – the children of modern-day slaves in Mauritania. Today, the visual artist portrays freed slaves and anti-slavery activists. Interview by Siri Gogelmann and Wolfgang Kuhnle
By Siri Gögelmann, Wolfgang Kuhnle