Tag: Arabian World Records

ALGERIA: From Militants to Student Activists: The Women who Fought for Algeria

Throughout history, Algerian women have fought injustice at work, in the home and on the battlefields, yet their contributions are relatively uncelebrated.

Throughout Algeria’s history under French colonialism, women played a vital role in the quest for self-determination, as well as in protecting and developing the country’s culture and traditions.  

This was particularly apparent during the War of Independence (1954-1962), when Algerians fought to free the North African country from 132 years of French rule in a battle that would come to represent the epitome of fierce revolutionary resistance.

Driven by the resolve to liberate Algeria at all costs, women took to combat in an expansive range of roles including as paramilitary fighters, transporters, fundraisers, nurses, cooks and communicators.

One of the many tactics often adopted by female agents during the war was to act as communicators between the Algerian soldiers and the population as a whole, in order to raise funds and propagate news about the revolution. Ironically, by taking part in such high-risk operations, Algerian women strategically subverted the colonial stereotype of the tepid and submissive native woman afforded to them by the unsuspecting French army.

On 5 July 1962, the revolution ended in liberation for Algeria. But while one battle ended, others would soon begin for the country’s female population.

Algerian women would continue to actively engage in national politics in the years following independence, fighting patriarchy, misogyny and political alienation by ex-fellow combatants who were dismissive of their seat at the governing table of the new state.

Despite the many obstacles Algerian women have faced, they have remained socially and politically active. This can be seen by the return of women to the political forefront at the launch of the popular movement, known as Hirak, as well as the Revolution of Smiles.

The protests were triggered by former-president Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s announcement on 10 February 2019 that he would seek a fifth term in office. The Hirak succeeded in ousting Bouteflika, but the struggle to bring the structure of the entire regime down continues.

Despite their enormous historical contributions, Algeria’s iconic women remain somehow uncelebrated outside of the Grand Maghreb and the Arab world.

Here are eight revolutionary Algerian women whose defiance of social and gender norms has cemented their place in history.

Lalla Fadhma N’Soumer (1830-1863)

Lalla Fatma N’Soumer is renowned as an icon of female armed militancy (Wikicommons/ean Geiser/pd-us)

Born into a family of religious marabouts in 1830 (during the fall of Algeria to French colonisation) in a town called Soumer in the Kabylie region, Lalla Fadhma N’Soumer is renowned as an icon of female armed militancy and an Islamic religious authority of her time. 

Known for her intellect and ferocity, she led the first wave of resistance (1850-1857) against the French after the death of Cherif Boubaghla in a battle on 26 December 1854.

While her enemies called her the Joan of Arc of the Djurdjura mountains for her military campaigns, she was also referred to as “lalla” or “lady” to signify her honour and sanctity. 

In her article about Lalla N’Soumer, author Samia Touati recounts that on the day she was captured by the French army, Marshal Jacques Louis Cesar Alexandre Randon (1795- 1871) asked Lalla N’Soumer why her men violently resisted the French troops.

She replied: “God wanted it. It is neither your fault, nor mine. Your soldiers went out of their ranks to penetrate my village. Mine defended themselves. I’m now your captive. I have no reproach to you. You shouldn’t have any reproach to me. It was written this way!”

Zoulikha Oudai (1911-1957)

Zoulikha Oudai is known in Algeria as “mother of martyrs” (Creative commons/memoria)

Born Yamina Echaib in 1911 to an educated family in Hadjout, Zoulikha’s commitment to freedom fighting began as a mediator between the National Liberation Front (FLN) and the Algerian population.

A nationalist party formed in 1954 and which went on to rule Algeria after independence, the FLN initially resisted French colonialism through paramilitary guerrilla warfare.

The secrecy of Algerian independence operations warranted the need for mediators such as Oudai to contact Algerian families individually and confidentially to raise funds for the FLN.  

In October 1957, the French army arrested Oudai and tortured her for ten days.

After refusing to divulge secret information, French soldiers pushed her from a helicopter, earning her the title of “mother of martyrs”.

Algerian writer Assia Djebar evokes the figure of Zoulikha Oudai in her 1977 film, La nouba des femmes du Mont Chenoua (The Nouba of the Women of Mount Chenoua) and her 2002 novel, La femme sans sepulture (The Woman Without a Tomb).

Djamila Bouhired (1935-present)

Djamila Bouhired was a militant during the war (AFP)

Born in 1935 in the historic neighbourhood of Al-Casbah in Algiers, militant Djamila Bouhired showed signs of political leadership in the early years of her childhood. As a pupil in a French school, Bouhired once rebelliously sang “Algeria is our mother” instead of “France is our mother.”

At the age of 20, Bouhired enthusiastically joined the FLN and later on the Fedayeen (armed militants) to take part in guerrilla warfare against the French colonists.

After she was arrested in 1957, Bouhired was tortured by being beaten, burnt and electrocuted at the Rheims prison where she was incarcerated.

Worldwide, activists marched to demand the release of Bouhired. Renowned Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani, Egyptian filmmaker Youssef Chahine, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser all called for her release.

She was honoured by key personalities in the region: Nasser once received her in Egypt, Qabbani wrote a poem about her, the Lebanese musician Fairuz dedicated a song to her, and Chahine directed the 1958 film, Jamila, the Algerian, about her life. Bouhired was also featured in the 1966 Italian-Algerian production, The Battle of Algiers.

But after independence she was deliberately alienated from the political scene by fellow male FLN combatants. Bouhired decided to fight yet another battle against Bouteflika’s election when she marched alongside young student activists last year.

Exasperated by the injustice of patriarchy, Bouhired asserted women’s role in liberating Algeria by announcing during protests last year: “Our blood is the same as men’s. Our blood is not water. Our blood is blood.”

Louisette Ighilahriz 

Louisette Ighilahriz’s memoire released in 2000 ignited a conversation in France on torture (AFP)

Born in 1936, militant and author Louisette Ighilahriz devoted her youth to helping the Algerian revolution by working as a courier to transport the FLN’s documents and weapons.

Ighlahriz documented her incarceration and torment at the hands of the French army in her autobiography, Algerienne. This account not only testifies to women’s active engagement during the Algerian war, but it also highlights the widespread use of torture committed by the French, which was finally acknowledged in 2018.

It was decades before Ighilahriz was finally ready to speak about the horrors she faced. In her book she gives a painful account of the dehumanising treatment, the beating and rape at the hands of French army captain Jean Graziani, while in prison.

In addition to the physical torment, Ighilahriz was forced to live in her own excrement: “My urine leaked through the sheet covering the bed, my excrement mixed with my menstrual blood and formed a stinking crust” which pushed her to the edge of insanity.

This account of torture is similar to other narratives on the experiences of other activists, including the biography, Pour Djamila Bouhired, by Jacques Verges (1957) La question by Henri Alleg (1961) and Djamila Boupacha (1962) by Gisele Halimi. Ighilahriz was, however, the first Algerian woman to speak out about rape in a personal autobiography.

Today, the 83-year-old remains active, talking about the betrayal of the revolution by its own militants after independence and participating in today’s revolution. 

Zohra Drif (1934-present)

Born into an upper-class family in 1934, it was retired lawyer and politician Zohra Drif’s education that led her to develop staunch feminist and anti-colonial positions that propelled her active engagement with the FLN.

In her memoir, Inside the Battle of Algiers, Drif recounts the joys of having access to information on resistance while at university:

“We finally had access to the publications of the many parties and associations comprising our national movement: the UDMA’s La Republique Algerienne, the PPA-MTLD’s L’Algerie Libre; and El Bassair, published by the oulema. The press brought us information, opinion pieces, and analyses from various perspectives, while lectures by the very individuals engaged in the early struggle gave us the means to separate the wheat from the chaff.” 

After independence, Drif continued her political engagement both as a lawyer and as a member of the Algerian Council of the Nation. Her autobiography Memoirs of a combattant of the ALN: Autonomous zone of Algiers is a testimony of her struggle during the Algerian revolution. Her feminist activism continued after independence as a critic of some of the government’s policies. 

When a new Islamic family code was proposed in 1981 that would ultimately limit women’s rights within the household, Drif joined fellow feminists as they swarmed the streets of Algiers calling it “the infamy code”.

Drif also joined the masses that marched against former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for a fifth term in Algeria last year, calling for the president’s resignation and opposing having a military state.

Salima Ghezali (1958-present)

Salima Ghezali fought against fundamentalism during the 1990’s civil war in Algeria (Creative Commons/Claude TRUONG-NGOC)

A founding member of the group Women in Europe and the Maghreb and president of the Association for the Advancement of Women, in Algiers, Salima Ghezali is known for her active role in fighting against fundamentalism during the 1990s civil war in Algeria. 

The rise of Islamist patriarchy in Algeria was demarcated, on the political scene, by the proposition of a new family code in 1981 which designated the male patriarch as the head of each family, thus giving him authority over women.

Working as the editor of Algerian French-language weekly La Nation put Ghezali’s life in great danger because of her unyielding political opposition to the government of ex-president Chadli Bendjedid and the Islamist party (FIS). Her dissent against censorship infuriated both the Islamists and government officials.

Ghezali’s bravery as a journalist and a feminist was acknowledged worldwide; she received accolades from the World Press Review and the European parliament.

Nour El houda Dahmani and Nour El houda Oggadi

Today’s revolution is built on the back of the struggles of the past. The young students Nour El houda Dahmani and Nour El houda Oggadi are two women who joined the anti-corruption marches last year to demand long-overdue democratic reforms and a political system representative of its young population.

Law student and activist Nour El Houda Dahmani, 22, was arrested in September 2019 while marching in the Hirak student-led protests against the militarily imposed presidential elections.

Dhamani, who was holding a poster at the time of her arrest, reading: “All of the corrupt shall be held accountable”, soon became one of the many iconic faces of the Revolution of Smiles.

Although Dahmani stated that she was not mistreated in prison, the experience of incarceration was traumatic. She was supported by vast numbers of people, as she explained in an interview with Berbere Television: “When I read the articles written about me, and I heard that people marching in the Hirak were asking for my release, even my incarceration did not seem cruelly bad anymore.”

Upon her release, Dhamani only had one goal: to return to university despite missing an entire term.

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Like Dhamani, Nour El houda Oggadi is a student and activist who was arrested a couple of months later, on 19 December. She was charged with “demoralising the army” because of her social media posts and signs she carried while marching, which were part of demands calling for Algeria to function as a civilian, not a military state. Oggadi served 45 days in prison.

Prison did not deter Oggadi; after her release, she stated her pride in her role in this Hirak, which she describes as “the birth of a new generation.”

The two students became powerful symbols of female resistance in Algeria, just two in a long line of women fighting tyranny and injustice.

This article is available in French on Middle East Eye French edition.

source/content: middleeasteye.net (headline edited)

JORDAN: 4th Amman International Film Festival reveals Winners of Black Iris Awards

Algerian period drama The Last Queen and Iraqi film Hanging Gardens were among those recognised.

Films from Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt were among the top winners of this year’s Amman International Film Festival.

The Black Iris Awards ceremony was held on Tuesday at the Royal Film Commission in Amman. The event marked the conclusion of the fourth run of the festival. This year, the festival screened 56 films from 19 countries, including feature narratives, documentaries and short works. The films all marked their Jordanian premiere, with some making their worldwide or regional debut.

Hafreiat by Spanish filmmaker Alex Sarda was the winner of the Black Iris Audience Award for best foreign film. The documentary revolves around a Spanish archeological mission in northern Jordan where local workers excavate the land, working long hours for minute wages. At the centre of the story is Abo Dya, a Palestinian-Jordanian, working tirelessly to provide for his family, hoping to better their lives despite the criminal record that undermines his ambitions.

The Palestinian film Lyd, directed by Rami Younis and Sarah Ema Friedland, was named winner of two awards, including the Jury Award for best Arab feature documentary and the Fipresci Award, held in conjunction with the International Federation of Film Critics.

The film puts a spotlight on Lyd. A city with a 5,000-year history, Lyd was once a Palestinian capital and in the early 20th century was a thriving metropolis. Lyd highlights this rich history while also highlighting the bloodier aspects of its past, namely the massacres and expulsion of Palestinians by Israeli forces in 1948, after which the state of Israel was created and the city became known as Lod.

The documentary interviews survivors of the Nakba, Palestinians living in Lyd, as well as those in exile. The film juxtaposes the real-life footage with animation that treads into sci-fi territory, imagining what Lyd could have been like if not for the bloody events of the Nakba.

The Jury Award for Arab short film was given to two films – Hamza: A Ghost Chasing Me by Palestinian director Ward Kayyaland Trinou by Tunisian filmmaker Nejib Kthiri. The Black Iris for best Arab short, meanwhile, was granted to My Girlfriend by Egyptian filmmaker Kawthar Younis.

The Special Mention prize for first-time documentary editor was awarded to Zakaria Jaber, director and editor of Anxious in Beirut. The documentary explores the trauma endured by denizens of the Lebanese capital in a film that aims to find a semblance of coherence within the tumultuous effects that have gripped Beirut.

Fragments from Heavenby Moroccan filmmaker Adnane Baraka was named winner of the Black Iris Award for best Arab feature documentary. The film follows a group of Amazigh nomads in Morocco as they search for bits of a Martian meteorite that landed in the desert in 2013, hoping it would better their lives.

The Special Mention prize for first-time lead actor/actress was awarded to two talents. Lebanese actress Marilyn Naaman was awarded for her lead role in Mother Valley. The film, set in the Lebanese mountains in the mid-20th century, follows a young wife as she faces the pressures of patriarchal society.

Egyptian actress Rana Khattab was also awarded for her role in the film Rat Hole. The feature, directed by Egyptian filmmaker Mohamed El Samman, follows a telemarketer working for a non-profit organisation trying to convince people to donate to various causes. The film pulls the curtain on the darker side of the Egyptian non-governmental organisations that scam people on the pretence of charity donations.

The Special Mention prize for first-time scriptwriter was awarded to Algerian filmmaker Adila Bendimerad, the director of the period drama The Last Queen. Bendimerad wrote the script for the acclaimed film with Algerian director Damien Ounouri.

The Iraqi film Hanging Gardenswon the Jury Award for Arab feature narrative. Directed by Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji, the film revolves around a 12-year-old boy who scavenges a landfill for sellable metal and plastic. He comes across a human-size doll, presumably brought and left behind by US soldiers. The boy names the doll Salwa and decides to keep and care for it; bathing it and trying to keep it from prying eyes. Soon, however, his secret is revealed, and he is in the crossfire of those who want to take Salwa for themselves, those who seek to commercialise from it, as well as those who want to obliterate it.

Finally, the Black Iris prize for best Arab feature was awarded to Ashkal. Directed by Youssef Chebbi, the crime thriller is set in Tunis and follows two police officers as they try to unravel the mystery behind a series of self-immolation cases.

source/content: thenationalnews.com (headline edited)

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pix: aiff.jo

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JORDAN

ARAB-AMERICAN: Meet the Arab-American Women Tech Leaders shaping the future

Three entrepreneurs share their stories as well as tips to succeed, regardless of background

Steve Jobs, Tony Fadell of iPod and Nest thermostat fame, and Taher Elgamal, the father of SSL technology, may be some of the most successful Arab Americans the global tech world has seen – but bit by bit, that picture is starting to change.

An emerging group of Arab-American women is increasingly taking up the tech mantle in a host of diverse fields.

A year spent in Kansas as a cultural exchange student at the age of 17 led to Morocco native Yasmine El Baggari feeling a profound need to help people connect.

“Most people [in Kansas] had never met someone from Morocco before. It felt like I was a cultural ambassador for Morocco at every opportunity,” she says.

The experience morphed into something more: a road trip to all 50 US states, during which she stayed with families and taught French and Arabic to get by, and later, a career that has seen her visit more than 45 countries – while securing a degree from Harvard University along the way.

All this led Ms El Baggari to found Voyaj, an online platform that fosters connections between people from diverse backgrounds in all corners of the globe.

“Once you build a human connection with someone, they’re more open to considering different perspectives … which is the basis of the work I continue to do: building and facilitating connections with people around the world,” she says.

Voyaj has collaborated with organisations to bring dozens of students from Africa to California for cultural exchange trips.

In March, Ms El Baggari raised more than $50,000 through a crowdfunding campaign involving more than 260 people from 40 countries to help fund the app.

Recently, Voyaj started working with non-profit Alight to help connect Afghan refugees recently arrived in Minnesota with local residents.

With the number of immigrants from the Middle East and North Africa in the US doubling over the past 20 years to 1.2 million, Arab-American women are set to play an increasing role in the tech and entrepreneurial landscape.

But getting to the top is not easy – just ask serial achiever Sherien Youssef.

Born and raised in Cairo, she emigrated to the US aged 11.

“My parents gave up a lot in Egypt to come here. They were comfortable there, but wanted a better life for their children,” she says.

Now living in a suburb of Washington, Ms Youssef is a senior executive and vice president at CGI, a major IT and consulting multinational that employs more than 90,000 people in about 40 countries.

It has taken serious determination to get to where she is.

“Growing up, being Arab American and being a Muslim, it wasn’t easy to find a person that looked like me [in this industry],” she says.

“It wasn’t very prevalent in my field. When you come as an immigrant, you have a desire to be constantly working harder and proving yourself over and over again.”

Today, her professional life consists of speaking at conferences, working closely with chief executives at partner companies and mentoring staff.

Having raised a family, grown her career and secured an MBA, she says there is still room for change.

“This is still a male-dominated field. We don’t see as many women in the C suites in the IT field,” she says.

Health and wellness is another area Arab-American women are making inroads.

For 12 years, Megan Moslimani was a dedicated public servant, working as a lawyer for the city of Detroit and serving as a board member of the Detroit Bar Association.

But a trip to Los Angeles in 2016 made her realise health care and wellness were industries on the up, and that IV drip therapy could be a game-changer.

“We visited different medical spas for fun and to enjoy the luxury experience. I was impressed with the way you could feel instantly better and hydrated [from using the drips],” she says.

Last spring, Ms Moslimani, whose family arrived in the US from Lebanon in the early 19th century, and her colleague, Biane Bazzy, dove headfirst into their passion, opening the House of Drip & Wellness in Dearborn, Michigan.

American designer brings hijabs to the high street

Made popular by celebrities such as the Kardashians and Hailey Bieber, and appearing in popular TV shows such as Billions, restorative IV drip therapy is a way to get vitamins, electrolytes and other nutrients into the bloodstream quickly.

It is believed to help people recover more quickly from illnesses, jet lag, fatigue and other ailments.

“Clients feel results instantaneously as the drip directly enters the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive tract,” she says.

“People love instant gratification, and I knew all could benefit – athletes, tired mums, overworked professionals.”

Restorative IV drip therapy spas or “drip bars” are springing up in strip malls and neighbourhoods across the US. With the global wellness industry estimated to be worth about $1.5 trillion and expected to grow by 5 per cent to 10 per cent per year, IV drip therapy is set to become an important health recovery tool.

For Arab-American women thinking about starting out in the tech and entrepreneurial worlds, the trio have tips to share.

Ms Moslimani says it is important to be prepared to spend money on the right things to grow your business.

“Look for attorneys offering pro bono hours and get real business law advice,” she says.

Ms El Baggari says getting past the stigma of asking for help is essential to succeeding as an entrepreneur.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need – if people say no, that’s OK,” she says. “You want a clear sense of mission. Understand your ‘why?’”

For Ms Youssef, investing in yourself is key, “whether it’s in degrees and certificates, or in networks”.

“Oftentimes it’s the relationships and connections that you make will be the reason that you get to the next step in your career,” she says.

source/content: thenationalnews.com (headline edited)

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Last spring, Megan Moslimani and a colleague launched the House of Drip & Wellness in Dearborn, Michigan. Photo: Megan Moslimani

Yasmine El Baggari is the founder of Voyaj, an online platform that fosters connections between people from diverse backgrounds. Photo: Yasmine El Baggari

For Sherien Youssef, investing in yourself is key, ‘whether it’s in degrees and certificates, or in networks’. Photo: Sherien Youssef

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AMERICAN / ARAB / EGYPT / LEBANON / MOROCCO

EGYPTIAN-AMERICAN: An interview with Sarah Shendi, the First Female Muslim Egyptian-American Police Sergeant

A few days ago, Egyptian-American Sarah Shendi took an important step by becoming the first Egyptian Muslim police sergeant to serve in the US police service, setting an example for others like her.

Shendi on May 24 took the constitutional oath with the Case Western Reserve University Police Department, Ohio, US.

Ohio has approximately 3,200 officers. Shendi joined them as the first Arab Muslim woman to hold the position of sergeant.

She had previously served with the Copley Township Police, and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine appointed her as the first director of the law enforcement and employment office in the state of Egyptian-Muslim descent.

The decision was warmly welcomed by the Arab community in the US, which in turn suffered for decades from marginalization due to the terrorist attack of September 11.

Shendi’s new rank marks a step forward.

She was born in Saudi Arabia and lived between Saudi Arabia and Egypt until she reached the age of six, and her family moved to the US in 1991.

Q: Why did you choose to be a policewoman?

A: Since we moved to the US in 1991, I have always been fascinated by law enforcement here in this country, especially because it’s so different from anywhere else in the world. I also fell in love with the uniform, and I always wanted to help others.

From my point of view I think it is the best job on the planet.

Q: What are the biggest issues that you faced on your way to becoming a policewoman?

A: I have learned that your greatest enemy is yourself and what goes on in your mind. I wish I had believed earlier in my life in this wise saying, then I would not have wasted so much time, doubting my decision, or trying to please others.

This is the secret of happiness and success in life.

Q: How difficult is it to be a Muslim woman in Western society?

A: Being a Muslim woman is difficult anywhere whether in a Western or Middle Eastern society. Women face special and unique challenges. Everywhere we go. I like to say pressure is a privilege. I’ll take a good challenge any day of the week. I believe in leading by example and doing the right thing. The rest is up to God. Always be confident, wise, honest and honorable.

Q: Usually, Arabs living in a foreign country face an identity crisis – did you?

A: I don’t really have an identity crisis because I’ve been living here for almost 30 years, I feel at home here in the US, and when I go to Egypt I feel at home there too.

I just love being around good people, I preferred being in the Middle East when I went on vacation last October because I love seeing mosques everywhere and hearing the call to prayer when it’s time to pray.

But I can’t say I’ve had an identity crisis. I am who I am, no matter where I live.

Q: Being a policewoman is risky. How did your family deal with your decision?

A: My family has been supportive of anything I choose to do since day one. They may not have welcomed my decision at first, but they still supported me. Then they saw how good I am at my job, and how much of a difference I make to the lives of the people around me. They started to understand why I love what I do.

Thank God I have the most amazing family and they have been so supportive in all my good and bad days.

Q: Did your family make sure that you speak Arabic since you speak the language well?

A: I think speaking Arabic is very important. My dad wouldn’t let us speak English at home growing up here in the US. At the time I didn’t know why, and I used to get resentful sometimes, but now as an adult, and being in law enforcement, I appreciate it so much because it allowed me to help so many people.

Q: Are there Egyptian customs that you adhere to in your family?

A: Although we have lived in the US for more than 30 years, we adhere to many cultural practices and do our best with our religion. I am proud to be Egyptian, proud to be Muslim, and also proud to be American. I love Egyptian culture and the Islamic religion and in my opinion this is what makes me a good policewoman.

Q: Have you ever been to Egypt on a visit with family?

A: The last time I went to Egypt with my family was about ten years ago or more. My sister chose to have her wedding in Egypt and it was a wonderful time with my family. We haven’t traveled together as a family since then, but I do go on vacations sometimes.

Q: What do you like most when visiting Egypt?

A: I love being around people who speak my language and have the same religion as mine. I feel at home when I visit Egypt. I also love hearing and speaking Arabic, seeing nice and kind people everywhere you go, I also love Egyptian food and landscapes. I am very proud of Egypt because it is where my parents were born and raised and they are the real reason I am where I am now.

Q: Are there specific Egyptian foods that you like very much?

A: I love my mom’s cooking the most. I love beans a lot and I also love koshari. I think Egyptian food is the best middle eastern food there is, and of course my mom is the best cook in the world.

Q: Do you follow any dramas in Egypt or about Egypt?

A: I don’t watch any Egyptian TV. But I listen to Egyptian singers like Amr Diab and Tamer Hosni.

Q: From your experience, what advice you would like to give to women in general?

A: Be yourself, be confident, and don’t give in to the pure pressures around you. We are surrounded by so much fakery on social media, on TV and in the entertainment industry, everyone wants to tell you what to wear, what to eat and drink, and how you are supposed to look. I would never listen to any of that because it’s not real advice, and it’s not healthy.

You will never find happiness through others. True happiness comes from within, knowing you are good enough. I will tell everyone in general to always work with pure intentions.

Religion is also very important to me and I always tell young people not to miss prayers for any reason. We get the chance to talk to God at least five times a day and this is not something we should take for granted. It’s a privilege.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

source: http://www.egyptindependent.com / Egypt Independent / Home> Features-Interviews> Main Slider / b Al-Masry Al-Youm / June 05th, 2023

source/content: egyptindependent.com (headline edited)

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AMERICAN / EGYPTIAN

ARAB CULTURE IN SPAIN: 5 Marvels of Arab Culture to see in Spain

.When you hear of Al-Andalus, you might think of Andalusia. And yet, from 711 to 1492, until the famous Fall of Granada, the Future Andalusia was only a small part of this vast Arab territory, whose influence can be seen everywhere in Spain. Let us take a tour.

Al-Andalus, a long series of powerful people

In the early 8th century, the Iberian Peninsula belonged to the Visigoth Empire, when the commanders of the Umayyad Caliphate (with a territory extending from the Arabian Peninsula to the Maghreb) set out to conquer the lands on the other side of the Mediterranean.

The Umayyad dynasty ruled in Al-Andalus (what would become Spain) for more than 300 years. It was suceeded by Taifas (independent kingdoms). The Abbasids, then the Almoravids, rose to power. In 1147, it was the Almohads who took over the empire. This proved to be a prosperous period, with great scholars, such as Averroes, a doctor, lawyer, and advisor to the Caliph. These scholars helped to make Al-Andalus a grand dominion. But the Christian reconquest gained ground. From 1238 to 1492, the Reconquista blazed on, and soon only the Emirate of Granada remained in southern Spain, the last vestige of the great Muslim empire.

From the north to the south of Spain, the Arab-Andalusian influence can be seen everywhere

One after the other, Cordoba, Seville and Granada became the capitals of the kingdom of Al-Andalus during the Middle Ages. Arab culture has permeated everything from traditional Andalusian music to the names of localities, and the Spanish language. But the most visible influence can of course be seen directly in the architecture of buildings and streets. Numerous vestiges, sometimes intact, sometimes remodelled, remain in the cities’ maze of streets, and this period of Spanish history has left prodigious monuments of Arab origin and fabulous examples of Islamic art. Many of these monuments bear a unique blend of cultural influences as they were renovated or repurposed over the centuries.

The most beautiful Arab monuments in Spain

The Arab Baths of Ronda, a magnificent ruin site

The hammam tradition was a cornerstone of Arab culture for centuries. From the 13th to the 15th century, several such baths were built in Spain. The baths of Ronda, in Andalusia, are one of the best examples, with their three magnificent barrel-vaulted rooms and visible heating and water circulation systems. The Guadalevín river, which often floods, has prevented these baths from being used, but excavations have been carried out, and now you can visit and admire some of the best-preserved Arab bathhouses in the country.

pix: P. Escudero / hemis.fr

Baños Árabes
C. Molino de Alarcón
29400 Ronda
Málaga
+34 951 15 42 97
turismoderonda.es

The Alhambra of Granada, an extraordinary castle

On the Sabika hill, opposite the Albaicín district, stands the Alhambra of Granada, a majestic conglomeration of several buildings built in the early 12th century. The grandeur of the last Nasrid rulers is at its peak. Not to mention the sublime, breathtaking view over the plain of Granada!

pix: KellyISP / Getty Images Plus

Alhambra de Granada
C. Real de la Alhambra
18009 Granada
+34 958 02 79 71
www.alhambra-patronato.es

The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, from Islam to Christianity

Another Muslim building, the Cordoba mosque is a symbol of Arab influence at its most grandiose. From the 8th century to 29 June 1236, the building served as a mosque, before becoming a church again following the Reconquista. Representative of the art of the Umayyads of Cordoba, it is a monumental structure, and it covers over 1.5 hectares. The building is a splendid example of Islamic architecture: the “forest of columns” in the main hall – 1,300 marble, jasper and granite columns – highlights the gargantuan size of the place.

pix: kasto80 / Getty Images Plus

Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba
C. Cardenal Herrero, 1
14003 Córdoba
+ 34 957 47 05 12
mezquita-catedraldecordoba.es

The Aljaferia Palace in Zaragoza, a seat of power

The Mudejar art of Aragon, in the north of Spain, has been declared part of UNESCO’s World Heritage, and the Aljaferia in Zaragoza is one of its most flamboyant masterpieces. When it was built in the second half of the 11th century, this palace clearly displayed the magnificence of the Taifa of Zaragoza. It served as a residence, a fortified enclosure and a barracks. It currently houses the Parliament of Aragon. The palace’s interior decoration is gorgeous, with a series of delicate, refined arches.

pix: kasto80 / Getty Images Plus

Palacio de la Aljafería
Calle de los Diputados
50003 Zaragoza
+34 976 28 96 83
www.turismodearagon.com

The Seville Giralda, a perfect example of mixed construction

The architectural marriage of the Giralda, the bell tower of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the See in Seville, is immediately evident. The lower parts were built in the 12th century, when the city was the capital of the Arab-Andalusian empire, under the rule of the Almohads. Four centuries later the upper floor was added, and the mosque’s minaret became a bell tower. It is now an unspoken rule that no building should be higher than this symbol of Seville.

pix: marinzolich / Getty Images Plus

Catedral de Santa María de la Sede de Sevilla – Giralda
Av. de la Constitución
41004 Sevilla
+34 902 09 96 92
www.catedraldesevilla.es

source/content: en-vols.com / ENVOLS (headline edited)

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pic: Alhambra / Wikipedia

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SPAIN

SAUDI ARABIA: Lamya Al-Nahdi, the First Saudi International Referee in Basketball History

  • Al-Nahdi has been accredited as the first Saudi international referee in the history of basketball in the Kingdom
  • FIBA also accredited three other Saudi international basketball referees

For most teens, picking a sport to play in school relies on passion and love for a particular game; for others, choosing is a tough decision. For Lamya Al-Nahdi, opting to play basketball was not something she knew she wanted, as she had played a few different sports, but basketball resonated with her the most.

“I have been playing basketball since I was 13 years old; it is one of the unique sports that relies on speed, intelligence and teamwork. Those three elements combined really got my attention in this beautiful sport,” Al-Nahdi said.

“Basketball is not only about being healthy and sporty and all of that, it gives you so many values when it comes to teamwork, when it comes to the decision-making phase in the court, it is so much more than just a sport,” she said.

After more than ten years of devotion to the sport, Al-Nahdi has been accredited as the first Saudi international referee in the history of basketball in the Kingdom, having passed the test for becoming an international basketball referee set by the international basketball federation FIBA.

FIBA also accredited three other Saudi international basketball referees: Ahmed Hassan Al-Khamis, Abdullah Marzouq Al-Hujaili and Razen Ahmed Al-Awfi. The accreditation of the three Saudi referees follows them successfully passing the FIBA theoretical and practical exams.

“I had to go through a lot of preparation and training in basketball in the field, and also with the legislation and laws,” Al-Nahdi said.

Al-Nahdi said that becoming the first Saudi international basketball referee was both an honor and a huge responsibility.

“I am not only representing myself but also representing a beautiful sport that I grew up playing for more than ten years, so it represents the love and passion for that sport,” she said.

“And it also represents my country, religion and lots of values that I took along with me.”

While playing basketball, Al-Nahdi graduated from Dar Al-Hekma University with a human resources management degree. After graduating, Al-Nahdi worked in human resources for five years before joining her family business as a business development manager of Blooming, a female clothing brand founded by Saudi women.

Al-Nahdi being accredited as the first Saudi International referee in basketball follows the efforts made by the Saudi Sport Federation to empower Saudi women in the sport sector, particularly Saudi female referees, and to support Saudi women locally and internationally.

“Now is the time for anything, particularly in the Saudi sports industry, with the support system we have,” Al-Nahdi said.

“I am loving the focus on females playing sports, specifically basketball,” she said. “I do believe it is the number one sport when it comes to female sport, gaining much attention among Saudi females compared to other sports.”

Encouraging women to take up sport and providing job opportunities in several sports fields, including football and basketball, has allowed Saudi women to excel in professional and recreational sports.

“In my early years of playing basketball, we actually used to do it not secretly, but no one knew about us back then, compared to the attention, support and the number of basketball coaches available to train Saudi women,” Al-Nahdi said.

“Now is the time. The support structure is there, all you need to do is to believe in yourself and work hard toward your goal.”

Al-Nahdi said that believing in yourself was the first and most important step in achieving anything, the second was surrounding yourself with supportive people to help you along the way.

Her elevation as the first Saudi international referee for basketball has been welcomed enthusiastically.

The Saudi Embassy in the US tweeted: “The @FIBA has approved Lamia Fawzi Al-Nahdi as the first Saudi international referee in the history of Saudi basketball. This is the result of the efforts of the @sbfksa to empower Saudi female referees and support them locally and internationally.”

Saudi Arabia’s first female international referee for football was appointed by the FIFA in January this year, when Anoud Al-Asmari was awarded the international badge, less than a year after the Kingdom’s national women’s team made their debut.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Lamya Al Nahdi, is the first Saudi international referee in the history of basketball in the Kingdom

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SAUDI ARABIA

EGYPT: Award-Winning Architecture Firm ‘Innovation Design Studio’ designs more than 400 Projects in 10 years

Innovation Design Studio, an award-winning architecture and design firm, has designed more than 400 projects in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Oman over the past 10 years. The company was recently awarded the A’ Design Golden Award for its design of a business district in Egypt.

Mahmoud Farouk, chief of design and co-founder of Innovation Design Studio, said the company started in 2014 with one project worth $4m. In 2023, the company is working on a project worth $400m.

Farouk added, “Our work encompasses the local market to include key regional projects in Oman and Saudi Arabia with an envisioned global expansion plan.”

Alaa Abdel Hameed, CEO and co-founder of Innovation Design Studio said the company is committed to using local materials and products.

“We believe that designers play a crucial role in directing developers’ projects towards more reliance on materials localization,” Abdel Hameed said. “This is in line with the Egyptian government’s direction of limiting importation and preserving foreign currency.”

Abdel Hameed also praised the efforts of Egyptian manufacturers in developing solutions and products that meet international standards.

“The local producers are becoming the preferred option and partner for developers and designers,” he said.

source/content: dailynewsegypt.com (headline edited)

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EGYPT

SAUDI ARABIA: Dr. Abdullah Al-Thiabi Invents Device to Relieve a potentially Life-threatening Health Condition ‘ Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)’

Dr. Abdullah Al-Thiabi claims to have developed a way of controlling the condition, known as gastroesophageal reflux disease.

A Saudi consultant specializing in the digestive system has invented a device that could provide relief for millions of people suffering with acid reflux, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Thiabi claims to have developed a way of controlling the condition, known as gastroesophageal reflux disease.

GERD is a temporary disorder that occurs when stomach acid repeatedly flows back into the tube (esophagus) connecting the mouth and stomach. This backwash, often referred to as acid reflux, can irritate the lining of the esophagus. If left untreated it can develop into a chronic condition with severe and life-threatening implications.

Also an expert in liver conditions and endoscopy, Al-Thiabi’s procedure involves placing a specialized device underneath the esophagus — using upper gastrointestinal endoscopy — which acts as a valve, preventing the backflow of stomach fluids and acids.

The device regulates medication levels and prevents side effects, while also monitoring esophageal tissue to lower the risk of cancer of the esophagus. In addition, it allows for easy sample collection and initial evaluation before laboratory analysis.

Installation time can be as quick as 15 minutes, and the technology reduces reliance on acidity drugs, surgical procedures, and healthcare costs for both institutions and patients.

After four years of rigorous scientific work following approved standards and methodology, the King Abdullah International Medical Research Center at the Ministry of National Guard has officially registered the device with the relevant authorities.

The next step will be to obtain rights and a local patent certificate from the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, and globally from the US Office of Innovation and Intellectual Property.

To then bring the product to market, funding from the public and private sectors will be required to support largescale commercial production, manufacturing, storage, shipping, sales, promotion, and marketing.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Dr. Abdullah Al-Thiabi claims to have developed a way of controlling acid reflux, known as gastroesophageal reflux disease. (SPA)

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SAUDI ARABIA

MOROCCAN-BRITISH: Westminster’s First Arab Lord Mayor lauds community support. Hamza Taouzzale at 22, Creates History : Westminster City Council’s First Arab and Muslim, and Youngest, Lord Mayor.

  • Hamza Taouzzale, 22, became the youngest person to hold the office 
  • Serving as councilor offers chance to connect with people left behind by politics, he tells Arab News

At London’s Westminster City Hall, 22-year-old Hamza Taouzzale warmly welcomes us into his dynamic working environment.

The councilor made history in the political heart of the UK last year when he became Westminster City Council’s first Arab and Muslim, and youngest, lord mayor.

He introduced us to his realm of responsibilities, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of his duties. With a passionate demeanor, he delved into the rich history of Westminster and its surrounding boroughs, painting a vivid picture of inspiring local stories.

Taouzzale described his emotions upon learning of the news of his election as a mixture of nerves and excitement. Calling his mother, he recalled her shock, as well as the astonishment of his entire family.

“But for me, it was that pride and that representation to understand that I was going to be the first Muslim, the first person from a minority ethnicity and the youngest ever at the age of 22 to become lord mayor of Westminster,” Taouzzale added.

The role, which he held until earlier this year, involves acting as a community representative, offering a chance to connect with those who may feel disconnected from local politics and decision-making.

Taouzzale emphasized his commitment to engaging with various segments of the community, including schools, youth clubs and care homes, highlighting the need to meet the demands of locals.

Growing up on the nearby Lisson Green Estate, the 22-year-old acknowledged the importance of community support in his journey.

He recalled his initiation into politics at the age of 16, when a youth leader, Tariq, encouraged him to join the local Youth Council.

From there, Taouzzale was elected as a youth MP. That position paved the way for him to later become a Westminster City councilor.

The journey, guided by mentors and a desire to make a positive change, led to his eventual appointment as lord mayor of Westminster in May 2022.

As the first Muslim and Arab in the position, Taouzzale described his background as having provided representation to local communities. He underestimated the impact he would have globally, but gradually realized the importance of his role as a symbol of empowerment and inspiration, especially for young people.

He said: “I had people in my first week from countries I’ve never been to in the Middle East message me on Facebook: ‘I’m so, so proud of you,’ ‘This is brilliant,’ ‘Masha Allah.’

“That sort of pushed me to understand who I was representing. I wasn’t representing just Westminster; I wasn’t representing just my community. I was representing all those people who had never done something that I had been able to do, as a present in the Arab world, the Muslim world,” Taouzzale added.

Through his work, the councilor hopes to encourage others, especially young people, to see the possibilities that lie ahead. He wants to leave a legacy that motivates people to believe that, like him, they too can overcome challenges.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Hamza Taouzzale, describing his political journey to Arab News at Westminster City Hall in London, United Kingdom. (AN Photo)

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BRITISH / MOROCCAN

ARABS ORAL HISTORY: Oral History, Which Records Once-Silenced Voices, Gains Ground in the Arab World

Oral history, which is gradually taking hold as an academic discipline, captures potentially hidden corners of the historical record by listening to those whose voices might otherwise have been ignored.

“Oral history provides a big challenge to the people who are powerful, including historians, who think that they should get to decide whose stories are being told and what counts as evidence,” says Wesley Hogan, director of the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, in the United States, perhaps the best-established academic institute in the discipline.

In the Arab world, where official histories often reflect political viewpoints, oral history has taken on an increasingly important role, scholars say. Rosemary Sayigh, a retired faculty member at the American University of Beirut who has used oral history to record the stories of dispossessed Palestinians, says oral history has particular value in recording the status and experiences of women, agricultural and industrial workers, linguistic minorities, colonized societies, immigrants, refugees, and gypsies.

“The most powerful thing oral history does is force the researcher to look the subject in the eye—forcing the historian to be an ethnographer, actually sitting face to face with the narrator, listening to their voice and sensing their emotions and body language,” says Hana Sleiman, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Cambridge and manager of a Palestinian Oral History Archive at the American University of Beirut. “It puts you in contact with the entire life narrative.”

The U.S.-based Oral History Association describes the field as gathering, preserving, and interpreting the narratives of people, communities, and participants in past events. The discipline is the oldest form of documenting history, dating back to times when sharing stories was the only form of creating a historical record. At the same time, it is one of the most modern means of documenting history, expanding with the use of tape recorders.

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“The most powerful thing oral history does is force the researcher to look the subject in the eye—forcing the historian to be an ethnographer, actually sitting face to face with the narrator, listening to their voice and sensing their emotions.”Hana Sleiman
Manager of the Palestinian Oral History Archive at the American University of Beirut

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Oral history as an academic sub-discipline was first established in the mid-1960s. “For a long time in the 1940s and 1950s, there was just not enough access to equipment,” says Hogan, at Duke. “We did not have access to portable tape recorders until 1963.”

One of the earliest uses of oral history by scholars was at Spelman College, a historically black institution for women in Atlanta, Georgia. Academics would take portable tape recorders to civil-rights movement meetings in the mid-1960s to record discussions and interview participants. Despite the clear value of having such on-the-spot recordings, many historians at the time viewed them with suspicion.

“Even though historians started to use [portable tape recorders] in the early ’60s, most history departments only started to admit oral history as evidence in the late 1970s, so it took a very long time for historians to be willing to accept oral history as evidence, comparable to evidence material, such as journals or written documentation,” added Hogan.

Oral History and Palestinians

Perhaps the event that has been the most documented by oral historians in the Arab world is the Palestinian Nakba. The 1948 Palestinian exodus, also known as the Nakba, occurred when more than 700,000 Palestinians—which was then more than half of the Palestinian population—were displaced from their homeland by the creation of Israel.

Much of that work has been collected by the Palestinian Oral History Archive, launched in June at the American University of Beirut. The archive contains more than 1,000 hours of video and tape-recorded interviews with Palestinians, made available to the public through a digital archive. Some of the interviews are available on the Internet.

Sleiman, the archive manager, says it “offers a push back in the face of the destruction of the villages and the attempts at erasing the records, and captures an entirely different layer of history that is not captured by written archives, including the most intimate texture of human life.” The collection includes folktales, songs, and the stories of the Palestinian refugees who fled to Lebanon.

Even Palestinian national cultural institutions have been slow to record Nakba experiences, but individual scholars and activists have moved in to fill the gap, says Sayigh.

“History is often written by the victors, and the story of the Nakba has been presented through the accounts of the Zionists and the colonial regimes,” said Lena Jayyusi, a professor emeritus at Zayed University.

“The details of the massacres and how civilians were forced out of their homes [during the Nakba] are very important to understand what happened; a general idea is not enough to build a foundation for the continuity and the remembrance of a certain community,” added Jayyusi.

Jayyusi also said oral history was important to “reconstruct Palestinian life before the Nakba: the social life, the religious life, the relationships between the people.”

Rising Respect for Oral History

Technological advances in managing sound and video files have made oral historians’ lives easier lately and increased the power of the discipline. Scholars can now more easily archive and index sound and video files, search files for particular speakers, and label emotions, as pointed out on the Oral History and Technology website.

Also, the average citizen now has easy access to powerful oral-history tools. “In a world where many people have access to a smartphone and an app that can record, and where data storage is cheap, we have increasing access to creating oral history archives,” says Hogan. “The more information we have from everyday people, people who are on the margins, the more we can understand societies, especially the ones in rapid transition.”

Many resources on the web, such as the International Oral History Organization, are also increasingly providing instructions and encouraging people to start their own oral history projects, filling a gap because universities do not often offer such courses. Archiving social media history is an important complement to oral history, scholars say, especially in societies where governments might delete what is now online.

Oral History and Academia

Oral history, just like any other qualitative research methodology, must be conducted with a critical eye, scholars say. Much of oral history relies on memory and a lot of subjectivity comes into play.

“People’s ideas and perceptions are reflected in oral history, and researchers should be aware of that,” explained Jayyusi.

Jayyusi said that no methodology is straightforward and objective, and researchers must be critical even when dealing with numbers. Methodologies must be triangulated, compared, and assessed, before producing a final report.

If oral history catches on with younger scholars, who fan out and capture the stories of today’s refugees and others whose stories are not being chronicled well in official channels, those scholars will be creating an evidence-rich gift for future historians.

source/content: al-fanarmedia.org (headline edited)

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An old man and a young girl were made refugees by the Arab-Israeli war of 1948. Experiences like theirs are being recorded by oral historians, so the story is not told only by the victors (Photo: Creative Commons).

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ARABS