Dialogue of Cultures | Intercultural Dialogue
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New album "Ajdad" by Amir Amiri EnsembleEchoes of a shared past
On the album "Ajdad", Montreal-based Iranian composer and santur master Amir Amiri seeks to reunite Arabic and Persian musical traditions, historically divided by repression and conflict.
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Kurdish singer Hani MojtahediMyths re-imagined
Kurdish singer Hani Mojtahedi and German electro legend Andi Toma of Mouse On Mars have collaborated on an album that also pays homage to Mojtahedi’s grandfather, a Sufi master
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The universal language of musicMusic dossier: Tuning in to the unfamiliar
An independent, modern music scene has long since developed in the Islamic world and Europe. Breaking with convention, it is a far cry from belly dance and folklore cliches. In this dossier, we present some of its leading protagonists, genres and events
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Desert X AlUla 2024"The desert is demanding new ways of seeing"
Over the past three years, there has been a shift in perception around the Saudi Arabian art scene, and at this year's DesertX, artists benefitted from freer expression
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Islam's holy monthWhy more non-Muslims are taking part in Ramadan
Ramadan's observance is widespread in the Middle East, often involving non-Muslims in the region's celebrations. In Christian-majority countries, participation has been less common, but this trend is starting to shift
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Turkish literature in translationHakan Bicakci's disintegrating self
At the heart of Hakan Bicakci's novel "Schlaftrunken" – literally 'half-asleep' – lies an Istanbul torn apart by the gentrifying diggers and a protagonist plagued by sleeplessness and nightmares, watching his life slip through his fingers
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Promoting Jewish-Palestinian dialogue"Agitators can't be allowed to dominate the debate"
Jouanna Hassoun and Shai Hoffmann talk to young people about the war in Gaza. The first step is to listen, says the Jewish-Palestinian duo
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Culture unites where politics divideBollywood – bringing India and Pakistan closer together
Indian movie stars, especially from Bollywood, have huge fan bases in Pakistan – despite the bitter political rivalry between the neighbouring nations. What's driving this popularity?
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Best of Qantara.de 2023The top ten most-read articles on Qantara.de
As 2023 draws to a close, the team at Qantara.de once again takes a look at the stories that really stood out over the past year. Here is a list of the ten articles published in 2023 that piqued your interest most over the past twelve months. Happy New Year to all our readers!
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Iranian musicMitra Sumara's "Dream": Seventies retro
Recalling pre-Islamic revolution Iran, Mitra Sumara's second album offers a collection of jazz-infused retro Persian hits that will get everyone on the dance floor
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Turkey's "Noel Baba"Questions and answers about St. Nicholas
The Feast of Saint Nicholas, observed on 6 December in Western Christian countries falls within the season of Advent. But who was this bringer of gifts?
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Cultural boycott of Germany?The German anti-Semitism debate is increasingly off-key
These days, anyone opposing both anti-Semitism and racism faces a difficult choice, as numerous recent cases show. Where must we start in order to change this?