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Jewish community in Syria"One day we’ll drive from Damascus to Jerusalem"
The fall of Assad has prompted the return of millions of Syrians, including a small Jewish minority. Under Henry Hamra, son of the country’s last chief rabbi, they are asking whether a lasting return is possible.
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Palestinians in EgyptTime to return to Gaza?
In Egypt, Palestinians displaced by war in Gaza face a painful dilemma: return to their families and a devastated homeland or remain in limbo without residency. Medical needs, financial hardship and border fears make the decision fraught.
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Syed Muhammad Naquib al-AttasA life rethinking the foundations of knowledge
Malaysian philosopher and polymath Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas has died aged 94. A lifelong critic of Western intellectual dominance, his work has shaped debates on modernity and education across the Muslim world.
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Ramadan TV specialsSyrian drama after Assad
Television dramas are a Ramadan staple in Syria. This year, for the first time, viewers watched series written in a post-Assad era, some confronting past trauma, others offering satirical critique, sparking fierce debate over how the country's stories should be told.
Politics
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Israeli activist Yuli Novak"The system is based on violence"
In this interview, the head of Israeli NGO B’Tselem discusses the increasingly boundless violence in the region and argues that defending Palestinian rights is defending human rights worldwide. She urges Germany to lead in upholding international law.
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Iran WarWill the Gulf states stand together?
Hard hit by Iranian attacks, the business model of the Gulf states is under attack. Yet they are far from defenceless: with coordination—and unity—they could establish themselves as powerful agents of change.
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Armenian Religious Service in TurkeyBreaking a Taboo in Akdamar
After almost 100 years, thousands of Armenians have flocked to the southern Anatolian city of Van to attend a religious service in the Church of the Holy Cross. The event marks a turning point in how Turkey treats its Christian minorities. By Susanne Güsten
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Fresh Dispute over Islam
Why the German Media are Courting the Anti-Islam Movement
If discussions on the cultural pages of German newspapers in spring 2010 were representative of German opinion, around half of the German population comprehend Islam as a threat. Is this evidence of vigilance or prejudice? By Stefan Weidner
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Iran and the West
Distrust Hindering Cooperation
The conflict between Iran and the West stretches back to the 19th century and has come to a head in the row over the Iranian nuclear programme. Yet by working together, both sides could profit from Iran's position as a force of order in the region. By Christian Horbach
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Interview with the Iraqi Vice President Adil Abdul Mahdi
"We Need Greater Respect for the Constitution"
Adil Abdul Mahdi is a major player in post-Saddam Iraqi politics. In an interview, the Iraqi vice President talks about the reasons for the deterioration in the security situation and why it is taking so long to form a government
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Religious Violence in Indonesia
Shattered Faith in a Peaceful Coexistence
In Indonesia, attacks by the extremist IDF against religious minorities are occurring with greater frequency. But despite religious freedoms enshrined in the constitution, authorities are responding with ambivalence and hesitantly. By Anett Keller
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UNESCO World Philosophy Day in Iran
Absurd Meeting of Scholars
Peaceful protests have been brutally crushed by the regime in Teheran. And yet UNESCO has chosen Iran of all places to host its "World Philosophy Day", a country whose thinkers and philosophers must fear for their freedom. A commentary by Katajun Amirpur
Society
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Culture in GermanyThe politics of neutrality
This year’s Berlinale highlighted the tensions between art and supposedly neutral institutions. But state-funded cultural bodies don't operate outside politics; they set the terms of debate. Greater transparency about how boundaries are drawn could strengthen trust.
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Damascus book fairA new benchmark for freedom
Syria has held its first book fair since the fall of Assad. The landmark event sets a new standard against which the government and its cultural policy will be judged.
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Islamic Revival in Kazakhstan
A Pragmatic Islam
Islam is enjoying increasing popularity in Kazakhstan. For many people this represents a return to Kazakh traditions, even if the impetus for the return to their roots has come from abroad. The Kazakh government continues however to promote religious freedom and diversity, and to protect itself against fundamentalist extremism. Edda Schlager reports
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Bosnian Grand Mufti Mustafa Ceric
A Bridge Builder or a Closet Fundamentalist?
Mustafa Ceric, the Grand Mufti of Bosnia-Herzegovina, is a committed proponent of inter-faith dialogue in the spirit of mutual recognition, recently honoured in Germany for his activities. In his home country, however, he is seen as a controversial and conservative religious leader. The German press have also questioned Ceric's suitability for the award. Zoran Arbutina on the case
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The Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie
Panties from the "Axis of Evil"
While visiting Syria, two London-based women of Arab origin became fascinated by the risqué lingerie openly on display in the souqs and shops of Damascus and Aleppo. The book they now produced is one of the most unusual publications you are likely to see on the Arab world, says Susannah Tarbush
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The Egyptian Center for Culture and Art
The Best Music in the "Place"
As is often the case in the Arab world, one almost has to search with a magnifying glass to find an independent art and cultural scene, even in Egypt. It is, however, increasingly showing signs of flourishing. The Egyptian Center for Culture and Art is one of the independent cultural centers to have emerged in recent years in the mega city Cairo. By Sebastian Blottner
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Cross-Cultural Competence in the Bundeswehr
Proper Conduct
In officer training, the German armed forces are increasingly concentrating on instilling cross-cultural competence. This is a crucial factor for foreign missions. But this theme also plays a role within the armed forces themselves – because there are some 1,000 Muslim and 200 Jewish soldiers in the service today. Uta Hempelmann reports
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Interview with Vanessa Steinmayer
"Islamic Financial System Is Not a Serious Alternative"
The current financial crash has wide-reaching consequences for the world's economy, many of which are yet to come. Élena-S. Eilmes spoke to the financial expert Vanessa Steinmayer on how the Islamic countries are affected, and whether an Islamic financial system would be less prone to crises
Culture
More about Culture-
Author Taleb AlrefaiA window into the Kuwaiti soul
Does the German literary scene have a blind spot when it comes to Arabic literature? Abdulrahman Afif makes the case for the works of Kuwaiti writer Taleb Alrefai, whose socially critical literature deftly side-steps orientalist expectations.
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Mukabela in Bosnia and HerzegovinaA distinctive and enduring Ramadan tradition
For Bosnian Muslims, mukabela, the daily communal recitation of the Qur'an, is an essential part of Ramadan. The tradition dates back to the Prophet Muhammad, was popularised under Ottoman rule and has survived dictatorship and war.
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Lebanese Diary
"A Day in the Souk Is Like a Night of Love"
In his Lebanese diary, German author Michael Kleeberg describes his impressions of the city of Tripoli. Read a preview excerpt from the book that will be published in early 2004.
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Silk Road Theatre Festival in the Ruhr
As part of the Silk Road project, four directors from the Maghrib were invited to work at Theater an der Ruhr. During a panel discussion, they explored the relationship between the Occident and the Orient in their work. Eva Schmidt was there.
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"A Book for a Book instead an Eye for an Eye"
The League of Arab Nations will be the guest of honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2004. In Frankfurt, leading Syrian intellectual Sadiq al-Azm now gave a speech concerning the implications of next year's event.
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From Peshawar to London Town
Michael Winterbottoms's "In this World" tells about a journey of two Afghan refugees who are trying to get to London. The docu-fiction won this year's "Golden Bear" award at the Berlin Film Festival. Review by Ariana Mirza
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Raising the Profile of German Literature
From January 2004 onwards, Literix will feature sample translations of German books on the Internet, with a particular focus on readers in Arab countries. Petra Tabeling enjoyed a sneak preview of this new service.
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Overcoming Gravity
The two German performance artists, Johan Lorbeer and Maren Strack, were the closing acts of the Beirut street festival. Syrian journalist Hussain Ben Hamza was just as fascinated by them as the rest of the audience.
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