Revue culturelle N°89

This eighth edition is held from 17 to 21 October under the theme "The art of Malhoun, a collection of the civilisational aspects of Moroccans - Craftsmanship as an example". The festival is organised by the Cheikh Jilali Mtired association. It is part of the celebrations marking the 48th anniversary of the Green March.

This year's programme includes five evenings dedicated to Melhoun, with a host of artists taking part, including Mohamed El Ouali, Hajj Mhamed Malhouni, Mustapha Khalifi, Majda El Yahyaoui, Fatima Rahal, Saida Diaf, Chaimaa Erraddaf, Abdelali Briki, Abdelhadi Ben Ghanem, Ismail Bouabid, Abderrafii Benouna, Idriss Zaarouri and Aicha Doukkali. The festival also includes a symposium on Melhoun and the signing of books on Sufism.

The festival's activities are scheduled to take place in a number of venues in the Ochre City, including the Dar Attakafa theatre (Daoudiate cultural centre), the Arriha 2 Centre, the Meydene theatre, the conference room of the Cité des langues et des cultures at the Faculté de la langue arabe and Dar Al Hayat.

The event runs from 20 to 24 November, with Italy as guest of honour. Organised by the Zagora Documentary Film Association, the festival will feature films from Morocco, Cuba, Italy, Algeria, Egypt, Belgium, China, the United States and Spain. The competition jury, chaired by Moroccan artist Majida Benkirane, includes Nour Gharabi (Tunisia) and Desideria Rayner (Italy).

Alongside the official competition, the festival offers workshops in directing, scriptwriting and improvisation in schools, seminars on current cinematographic issues and film screenings.

The Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) unveiled a preview of its new "Forever Marrakech" global campaign at the plenary session of the World Bank and IMF General Assemblies. In addition to promoting the beauty and richness of the ochre city, the ONMT said the campaign aimed to embody Marrakech's resilience in the aftermath of the earthquake, and to reassure potential tourists of Morocco's ability to welcome them to the region. Singer Meryem Aboulouafa took part in the campaign with a song dedicated to her, which concluded with "Tant que le soleil se lèvera, Marrakech brillera" ("As long as the sun rises, Marrakech will shine").

This post will be held by the Kingdom of Morocco from 2023 to 2026.

The event runs from 18 to 22 October, organised by the Anmoggar N'Jazz association. A number of concerts and musical activities are scheduled over the four days, featuring both foreign musicians and young Gadiris talent. The line-up includes: Meryem Septet, Yazz Ahmed Quartet, Pierre Durand Quartet, Leila Olivesi Quintet, Chicas de la Habana, etc. Check out the full programme on the festival's Instagram account: here.

The awards ceremony took place at the Studio des Arts in Casablanca to honour the communication agencies that have worked to raise awareness of gender issues and parity among the Moroccan population through advertising spots.

The "Coup de Coeur" prize was awarded to the advertiser Inwi with the agency Shems, the "Prix d'Honneur" went to CIH Bank and the agency Rapp, while the Jury Prize was won by the brand Mia with Jawjab. At this 5th edition of the event, Tilila paid tribute to the Atlas Lionesses, who had a remarkable run at the 2023 Women's World Cup. The trophy was presented to them by world 3000m steeplechase champion Soufiane El Bekkali.

Supported by the 2m television channel, the Tilila Trophies are an initiative designed to contribute to an increasingly inclusive Moroccan society.

Initially scheduled for 15 to 24 September and cancelled following the earthquake, the L'Boulevard festival will now be held in the White City from 16 to 19 November.

On Friday 3 November at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech, a commemoration will be held in the name of the Green March, with the participation of Moroccan artists: Houda Saad, Fatima Tabaamrant, Saïd Naciri, Pinhas, El Batoul El Marwani, as well as DJ Key, Anas Machati and Siham Alhyane, ...

Organised by the United Painters Association, this event brings together the work of some forty Moroccan painters. Featuring murals and canvases, the exhibition is an opportunity to discover both established artists and new talent. The event is being held as part of the National Plastic Arts Forum. The participating artists are : Mustapha Bathaa, Ahmed Baid, Saliha Errakeb, Ali Debbab, Fouad Chouiba, Mohamed Mikou, Omar El Mrahi, Abd El Hay El Alami, Hicham El Mellouli, Fadoua El Haloui, Dounia El Hajjami, Fatima Zahra Lamrini, Khadija Essabri, Fartiha Bemezki, Zineb El Yermani, Samira Zentar, Siham Berrada, Hala El Ghorfi, Hind Lamrani, Hanane El Attar, Amal Boutaleb, Insaf Ezzouine, Ilham Ettlemcani, Amina Ighouaz, Mbarka Hidouch, Abd Elouahed Ghanimi, Mohamed El Koundi, Mohamed Hasti, Fouad Bendriss, Larbi El Madani, Nouhe Fkirouch, Mouhcine Ouidade, Noaufel Erraoui, Lahcen Boukhlifi, Omar Echnnaii, Mohamed Karam Tahiri, Saad Eddine El Hafidi El Idrissi.

A poetic encyclopaedia devoted to the history of Moroccan poetry from 1953 to 2023 has been published in two volumes on the initiative of Moroccan poet Fatima Bouhraka. The works of 350 poets are studied in this work, from different generations and representative of the diversity of the Moroccan people. Fatima Bouhraka edited this encyclopaedia herself, on a self-publishing basis, the cost of printing having put off many publishing houses.

The gastronomic fair takes place from 22 to 25 April 2024 in the Spanish capital. "The Moroccan pavilion, which will be set up by Morocco Foodex (autonomous export control and coordination establishment), will occupy a 300 m² space and will present, in various forms, the Kingdom's ancestral culinary tradition to the more than 100,000 professional visitors who come each year from the four corners of the world." - extract from the press release.

The fair is considered to be Europe's biggest event devoted to fine foods for professionals.

This award ceremony was held to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the Ajdir Royal Speech and the creation of the Royal Institute for Amazigh Culture (IRCAM).

The National Prize for Amazigh Literary Creativity was awarded to Fadma Feras for her novel "Nafatat", while the National Prize for Amazigh Literary Creativity (poetry) was awarded to Mohammed Ziadi for his collection of poems entitled "Jamarat Wa Jalid", and the National Prize for Studies and Research (history) went to Benlahcen Ali for his work "Ait Ouriaghel, une approche historique et sociale à travers de nouveaux documents".

The National Prize for Studies and Research (Political Science) went to Rachid Sayeh for his work entitled "L'Amazighité sur la scène politique au Maroc: Analyse des perspectives des acteurs politiques sur l'Amazighe", while the National Prize for Digital Applications and Resources (Applications) went to Mohammed Abourat for his work entitled "Assanabil Al Mohamassa".

The National Prize for Media and Communication (visual press) went to Ghizlane Issami for his work entitled "Santé", while the National Prize for Media and Communication (audio press) went to Said Houssni for his programme "Limada dahaba al Kalam".

The National Amazigh Song Prize (traditional song) was won by Fateh Aarab for his song "Mon pays est mon sang" and Ihssain Chiban for his song "Qu'est-ce qui t'arrive, mon cœur? "The National Amazigh Song Prize (modern song) went to Nouh El Otmani for her song "Al-Zawal", while the National Theatre Prize was awarded to the play "Sfoumato" by the Amazigh Professional Dramatic Research Troupe - Tiznit.

The national prize for collective dance went to a show by the Gnaoua Khamlia troupe and the Ahidous troupe from the Oriental region (Debdou, Taourirt).

"Indivision", produced in 2023, tells the story of a family who meet at Mansouria, the old undivided family estate on a hill in Tangier. The opportunity to sell a huge parcel of the estate to a property developer will make them millionaires, but the transaction turns out to be more complicated than expected.

The Audience Award also went to Moroccan director Sofia Alaoui for her film Animalia. The film tells the story of Itto, a young Moroccan woman of modest origins, who has adapted to the opulence of her husband's family, with whom she lives.

The Fameck - Val de Fensch Arab Film Festival is one of the major cultural events in the Grand Est region. The programme includes over 110 screenings from countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon.

The African art fair, founded by Touria El Galoui, is being held at Somerset House in the English capital from 12 to 15 October, welcoming over 60 exhibitors and 170 artists.

Moroccan artist Amine El Gotaibi is presenting his work "Illuminate the Light" in collaboration with the MCC gallery in Marrakech, especially for the event. It consists of twelve geometric sculptures inspired by the pomegranate, and seeks to represent the diversity and abundance of the African continent.

Through the art fair's partnership with Artsy, visitors will also be able to explore, connect with and collect all the galleries and artists online from 12 to 29 October at artsy.net/1-54. artsy.net/1-54.

From 20 October to 20 November, Ghizlane Sahli's solo exhibition will be on show at the Christophe Person gallery. In this series, Ghizlane Sahli evokes the female body, its intimacy and its struggles, notably through the stories of women she met during her residencies in Ouagadougou, Dakar and Porto Novo.

Her work is presented on embroidered paper, playing with shades of red, a colour that conveys both the power of feelings and the physiological symptoms of the female body.

The JCC has unveiled a selection of twelve Arab and African films to be screened in the official competition for feature-length documentaries. Tunisia is represented by two new productions, "La capitaine" by Houssem Sansa and "Mouvma" by Ines Ben Othman; Morocco by "Bayt Al Hejba" by Jamila Annab; Lebanon by "Beyrouth à Anxieux" by Jaber Zakaria and "Le retour d'Aïda" by Carol Mansour; Egypt by "Hollywoodgate" by Ibrahim Nash'at; and finally Palestine by "Jenin" by Mohammad Bakri.

Here is the list of Arab films selected for the short documentary competition:

• "Tassaloul" by Imène Salah (Algeria)
• "Envie" by Hnine El Houssine (Morocco)
• "Submersion" by Amir El-Shenawy (Egypt)
• "Message d'Anonyme" by Loai Galal (Egypt)
• "Tissue" by Anis Tounsi (Tunisia)

This year's event is held in solidarity with the Palestinian people, and will feature films and documentaries about Palestine.

Tunisian publisher Habib Zoghbi, owner of the Dar Al-Kitab book publishing house, has announced that Dar Al-Kitab will take charge of all the works of Palestinian writer Adania Shibli, to ensure their publication and distribution in all countries of the world and at Arab and international fairs, as a sign of solidarity with the right of visibility for Palestinian voices.

This decision comes after the Frankfurt Book Fair cancelled the "LiBeraturpreis" award ceremony for Adania Shibli's novel "Minor Detail", scheduled for 20 October 2023. This prompted indignation from several bodies and institutions and prompted Arab publishing houses to boycott the 75th edition of the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany, led by the Union of Arab Publishers and the Union of Tunisian Writers.

The prize was awarded for the German translation of her novel Minor Detail, which tells the story of a Palestinian Bedouin woman raped by Israeli soldiers in 1949.

Photo: Palestinian author Adania Shibli. Photo Hartwig Klappert

Mohamed Attia's third feature film won the prize at the 34th edition of the French film festival, held from 5 to 15 October.

The main actors in this drama include Majd Mastoura, Samer Bisharat, Walid Bouchhioua, Selma Zeghidi, Helmi Dridi and Wissem Belgharek.

Synopsis: After being sentenced to 4 years in prison for ransacking his workplace, Rafik has only one thing on his mind: to find his wife and son and take them away to show them what he has discovered: his gift of flight. Faced with his wife's disbelief and his in-laws' resistance, Rafik bursts into the school and kidnaps his son. On the run, they meet a shepherd and take refuge in a house in the countryside. There, everything goes haywire.

Considered one of the major cultural events in the Grand Est region, the Fameck festival offers more than 40 films, including feature-length fiction films, documentaries and shorts, many of which are new or previews, with the aim of promoting emerging cinema. The programme includes over 110 screenings over ten days from countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon.

The winners of the 2023 edition:

• "Grand Prix for "Indivision" by Leila Kilani (Morocco, France, 2023)
• Press Prize: "Par-delà les Montagnes" by Mohamed Ben Attia (Tunisia, France, Belgium, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, 2023)
• Youth Jury Prize: "Nezouh" by Soudade Kaadan (Syria, Great Britain, France, 2023)
  Documentary Prize: "N'en parlons plus" by Cécile Khindria and Vittorio Moroni (France, Algeria, Italy, 2022)
• Audience Award: "Animalia" by Sofia Alaoui (Marco, France, 2023)

"Imagine a world where equality prevails for all, a world where its strength lies in the beauty of its union and humanism" is how the digital work "The Bridge of Equality" by young Tunisian artist Syrine Jemal is presented. The work is on show at the United Nations Office in Geneva as part of the international exhibition "The Art of Equality: A Journey towards Justice", which runs until 20 October 2023.

The selection of this work follows the call launched last May by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) for artists from around the world to take part in this international exhibition, which aims to create a unique and immersive experience to raise awareness and inspire action on equality and social justice through the prism of visual art and the 60 years of research by the Institute for Social Change.

This exhibition aims to present works that stimulate the mind and encourage the public to engage in deep reflection on these important issues in order to inspire positive change for more egalitarian, just and sustainable societies.

From 27 to 30 October, Beirut was supposed to be alive and colourful again, thanks to the initiative of event creator Mariana Wehbé and designer Samer el-Amine. Unfortunately, the tragic events that have shaken the region in recent days have forced the organisers of We Design Beirut to postpone the event until March 2024.

The tenth edition of the International Forum on the life and work of Kateb Yacine will be held from 27 to 30 October at the Boulouh-Moubarek Islamic Cultural Centre in Guelma. Under the theme "The Encounter", the forum will be attended by Algerian academics and specialists from universities in Italy, France, Tunisia and Senegal.

The forum, organised in partnership with the Coordination internationale des recherches et études brachylogiques (CIREB-Paris), coincides with the 34th anniversary of Kateb Yacine's death on 28 October 1989.

This collective photography exhibition features around a hundred works based on the cultural and architectural heritage of the city of Algiers. Held at the Baya gallery in the Palais de la Culture Moufdi-Zakaria until 23 October, the exhibition pays posthumous tribute to the photographers Firas Zagher, Lamine Bensaou, Chahir Amichi and Abdelaziz Mazouz.

This is a group show featuring works by visual artists Abderrahmane Kahlane, Samia Cheloufi and Ahmed Salah Bara. On view until 30 October at the Galerie Frantz-Fanon in the Office Riadh El Feth (OREF), "Confluence", or "The Chromatic Concerto" as it is known to the organisers, is a "comprehensive creation in which tones and time are harmonised", highlighting the creative imagination and celebrating the richness of Algeria's cultural heritage in both its ancestral and contemporary dimensions.

From 27 to 30 October, Beirut was supposed to be alive and colourful again, thanks to the initiative of event creator Mariana Wehbé and designer Samer el-Amine. Unfortunately, the tragic events that have shaken the region in recent days have forced the organisers of We Design Beirut to postpone the event until March 2024.

LIFE's charity gala, to be held in London on 10 November, will feature a 62-piece collection, "Liaisons créatives", bringing together works by Lebanese designers and craftspeople. The collection will be auctioned off by Almaz Collective Design and The Ready Hand. The online auction has already begunhereand closes on 10 November. The auction includes a chair by Zalpha and Shaha Raphaël. Mother and daughter have combined their talents, both in furniture design and knitting, to create a unique piece of furniture. The piece on sale for the LIFE gala is a very special chair, which The Ready Hand describes as a "piece dedicated to the craftsman, and therefore to the designer's mother. Shaha Raphaël grew up watching her mother crochet and knit unusual materials to create amazing bags. For this project, mother and daughter, craftswoman and architect collaborated to develop a herringbone-shaped hand-knitted fabric that will be used for the base of the chair attached to a steel frame, chosen to contrast the fibrous seat with a solid, natural texture coloured by rust."

Under the banner of freedom, this year's BAFF will take place in two phases. First, in Beirut, at the Béryte Theatre on Damascus Street, which will host film screenings, conferences and an exhibition from 7 to 17 November. Then, from January 2024, in the various regions of the country where, after a four-year hiatus, BAFF has decided to go "not only to meet all the schools in Lebanon, but also the local people", says the festival's founder, Alice Mogabgab.

Program of the festival: hereTo watch: Ribal Chedid's documentary "Talk to me", which analyses the tumultuous relationship between a father and son, and presents a family drama behind closed doors; or the film of Feyrouz Serhal, entitled "Elias Rahbani".

The Marcel Duchamp Prize has been awarded to Tarik Kiswanson, announced the organisers, Adiaf (Association pour la diffusion internationale de l'art français) and the Centre Pompidou. The prestigious €35,000 prize is awarded each year to a contemporary artist. It provides a springboard and can be awarded in all plastic and visual fields (installation, video, painting, photography, sculpture, etc.), encouraging new artistic forms.

Born in 1986 in Halmstad, Sweden, Tarik Kiswanson works and lives between Paris and Amman, Jordan. He comes from a Palestinian family who had to leave their country for North Africa and then Jordan, before arriving in Sweden in the early 1980s. His work encompasses sculpture, writing, drawing, performance, film and sound, exploring issues of memory and heritage, temporality and belonging, and transformation and metamorphosis more broadly.

In his new installation for the Marcel Duchamp Prize, he returns to his works entitled Nest, monumental cocoon-like sculptures that allude to states of transformation in nature (chrysalises, eggs or seeds), where he "explores forms and states derived from the experience of war, trauma and displacement", according to the organisers.

Photo: copyright Duchamp/Centre Pompidou.

Farewell to the people of Gaza, and farewell to the cultural heritage of the Palestinian enclave, which was brimming with exceptional archaeological sites, including vestiges of the Ottoman, Roman and Byzantine empires.

Today, the remains of a Byzantine church built in the second half of the 5th century in Jabaliya, just one kilometre from the border, are being crushed by Israeli army bombardments. The site is renowned for its 400 m2 of mosaic pavements with exceptionally fine animal and floral motifs and its 17 medallions, oval or rectangular, surrounding inscriptions written in ancient Greek. Names of bishops, priests, benefactors and prayers are written and dated. "These are the finest mosaic floors discovered in Gaza, both in terms of the quality of the graphic representation and the complexity of the geometry," French archaeologist René Elter told Reuters.

Photo: Byzantine-era mosaic discovered at Bureij, in the Gaza Strip. Photo AFP.

Held at the Art on 56th gallery in Gemmayzé until 21 October, Edgard Mazigi's exhibition features several paintings in which it is possible to detect influences from De Kooning and Titian. Somewhere between realism and abstraction, the artist offers us a glimpse of his 'in-between spaces', where tones and nuances meet, as well as past and present, with this canvas making a direct reference to Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 film 'The Man Who Knew Too Much'.

The Cheriff Tabet gallery is the venue for Agopian's solo exhibition, on show until 21 October. The exhibition is based on the axiom "Nothing is eternal, nothing is finished, nothing is perfect", giving rise to canvases with geometric, trompe-l'oeil shapes, always using cheerful colours and the artist's usual elements, namely strings, angles, rings, stripes and discs.

Photo: "Earth" or the personification, still fragmented, of the earth by Agopian (2020; 106 x 82 cm).

It is through art that Hala Mouzannar questions the paradoxes and contradictions of existence and sets off in search of the principle of duality. Beauty in ugliness, resistance in the face of pain, resilience in the face of trauma. Under the title "Si la matière pouvait parler", she presents a series of oil paintings on abstract canvases, on show at Galerie Agial until 18 November, with a four-part scenography.

Photo: "La Terre vue des étoiles IX", an oil on canvas by Hala Mouzannar, 2023, 120 x 100 cm.

The young designer, who launched her brand LK in 2010, saw her studio in ruins the day after the explosion on 4 August 2020. The brand's response was to produce an emergency sewing kit to create a festive outfit in just a few steps: the Secrets of Survival.

Now it is back with a collection, Resolute, which is an ode to determination and freedom.

"This collection is very precious because it contains pieces of my past, reused and reworked for more beautiful days. This one is for you and your courageous heart... wherever you are" - Lara Khoury for L'Orient-le-Jour.

Photo: Lara Khoury poses with her own creations. Photo Anthony Saroufim.

Joumana Jacob is known for its creative and colourful buffets, from mouhallabié shells to rainbow einab.

"When we came back to Paris in 2021, I threw myself into events and catering. It was a considerable challenge, because the space was already well taken up. With Maison Joumana, I represent brands at cocktail parties and inaugurations, adapting to their style, colours, themes, desires and textures, while retaining the Lebanese influence". - Joumana Jacob for l'Orient-le-Jour.

Surrounded by a team of four permanent employees, and "extras, regularly, only women", Joumana Jacob concocts her preparations in her laboratory in the 9th arrondissement.

"Recently, Longchamp presented its new autumn/winter collection, and I designed the dishes to illustrate this and highlight the green and white chequered pattern. The white was topped with labne toast, and the green with courgette cream with tahini. Last year, Chanel wanted to showcase its exceptional craftsmanship, so I emphasised the handmade aspect, with lots of colours, particularly purple, which was in vogue. I think this aesthetic sense comes from my father, who was an art collector" - Joumana Jacob for L'Orient-le-Jour.

Photo: An all-green checkerboard for the Longchamp brand. OLJ.

The new exhibition at the Misk Art Institute, entitled "Echoing the Land", brings together a collection of fifty-five works reflecting Saudi history through the eyes of twenty pioneering artists. The exhibition runs until 7 March at the Institute, and can also be viewed online.

The works on display have been inspired by the experiences of each artist, and reflect their views of their environment while highlighting the luminous diversity of the Kingdom's splendour. Among the exhibiting artists are Abdelsattar al-Moussa, Taha al-Sabban and Youssef Jaha.

Photo: "Landscape", 1959, Taha al-Sabban.

Iranian film director Dariush Mehrjui was stabbed to death on Saturday evening with his wife at their home near Tehran, after a long career that had helped bring international recognition to Iranian cinema.

Dariush Mehrjui, who was 83, was regarded as one of the greatest exponents of Iranian cinema, having worked as a director, producer and scriptwriter for six decades, during which time he faced censorship both before and after the Islamic revolution of 1979.

Karahantepe, excavated since 2019, belongs to the network of Neolithic sites identified around the hill of Göbekli Tepe, considered to be the 'capital' of this complex visible from all the other settlements studied by the Tas Tepe (Stone Hills) project.

On this site overlooking Mesopotamia, studied since 1997, archaeologists found a polychrome boar measuring 1.20 m long and 70 cm high. With red eyes and teeth and a black-and-white body, this 11,000-year-old wild pig is "the first coloured sculpture from this period to have been discovered to date", according to the statement by the team of archaeologists led by Professor Karul.

Photo: Ozan KOSE / AFP

Hundreds of leading artists, including Robert del Naja, Tai Shani, Lucy Skaer, Florence Peake, Paul Sepuya, Lawrence Abu Hamdan and Rosalind Nashashibi, are among the more than 2,000 leading actors, musicians, writers, film-makers and other creative artists calling for a ceasefirehere). in Gaza in an open letter. They claim that Palestinians are currently facing "collective punishment on an unimaginable scale" after Israel unleashed a "complete siege" on the area, launching air attacks and cutting off water, electricity, food and medical supplies to 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza.

Directors Michael Winterbottom, Mike Leigh and Asif Kapadia; authors Marina Warner, Jacqueline Rose, Gillian Slovo and Courttia Newland; and poets Hugh McFadden and Anthony Anaxagorou are among the thousands of others who have signed the Artists for Palestine letter.

For now, says the letter, "our obligation is to do everything we can to end the unprecedented cruelty being inflicted on Gaza".

Photo: Smoke rises following an Israeli air strike in the town of Khan Yunis in Gaza, 18 October 2023. Copyrights Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa/Alay Live News.

The Cairo International Film Festival has cancelled its 45th edition, due to start soon, due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Festival organisers announced the decision on Wednesday in a statement posted on Instagram: "The Minister of Culture, Dr Nevine el-Kelany, has decided to postpone the 45th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival, which was due to take place from 15 to 24 November. The new date of the festival will be determined at a later date."

If cinema is an effective way of combating stereotypes, so too are video games. "Assassin's Creed" is one of the most popular games of our time, and its creators decided to give the lead role in the latest version to Lebanese-Canadian actor Lee Majdoub, hoping to change Western mindsets about their perception of the Arab world.

In 'Assassin's Creed: Mirage', the latest instalment in Ubisoft's hit series, released worldwide last week, players find themselves immersed in Arab and Muslim culture with a level of respect that the medium has never seen before. Set in ninth-century Baghdad, the game follows Basim Ibn Ishaq, one of the most complex characters in the franchise's history.

"Now that the game has been released and I've finally had the chance to start playing it, I've also been struck by a feeling I wasn't expecting. I felt a strange sadness. I realised that I hadn't been back to Lebanon for a long time and that there are so many parts of the Middle East that I've never explored. It's wonderful to take a journey in this game, but now I want to forge a deeper connection" Lee Majdoub, for Arab News.

The Lebanese illustrator is back with another international partnership, this time with Italian luxury brand Gucci Beauty. The artist has created the graphics for the brand's new Gucci Flora fragrance, celebrating the autumn season through the astrological figure of Virgo.

Last spring, Nourie Flayhan teamed up with Adidas for a limited, unisex collection dedicated to Ramadan 2023. She had previously teamed up with Los Angeles-based fashion brand House of Aama to create a tote bag paying tribute to the women of North Africa and South-West Asia.

Entitled "Material Power: Palestinian Embroidery", the exhibition at Cambridge University Museum, curated by Rachel Dedman, features three main garments. The first is a Gazan abaya, which recounts the daily lives of women in the region at the beginning of the 20th century.

The second dress was given to a woman who had to flee her home during the Nakba. Arriving in Ramallah as a refugee with almost no clothes, she made the dress bigger for her by sewing a new section with a piece of fabric coming from an UNRWA flour bag.

The third dress was made during the first Intifada.

"It was a time when you couldn't fly the Palestinian flag, so women had to find more subtle ways to express themselves in political protest. New symbols emerged such as the Cyprus tree, the map of Palestine or the Dome of the Rock" - Rachel Dedman.

The exhibition features more than 40 dresses and embroidered objects from collections in Jordan and the West Bank, as well as related works of art and films. The exhibition will subsequently be shown at the Whitworth Gallery, University of Manchester, from 24 November to 7 April 2024.

Photo: Part of the exhibition focuses on the role played by charities such as NGOs in paying women to embroider items. Copyrights Arab News.

Among the 30 brands showcased at Riyadh Fashion Week, from 20 to 23 October, are a number of streetwear brands, including 1886 and Not Boring. Fahad Al-Jomiah, co-founder of 1886, told Arab News: "There is a growing interest in streetwear fashion among the young population in Saudi Arabia. The rise of social media and the influence of international fashion trends have contributed to this."

Discussing current streetwear trends, Al-Jomiah said there is a notable interest in oversized silhouettes; bright, bold colours; retro-inspired designs; and sustainable fashion. 

Photo: 86 City collection from 1886.

The Palestinian artist is on show at the Sharjah Art Museum until 7 January. The event brings together almost 180 works, showing geometric bodies, kaleidoscopic landscapes and a play of light and shadow in the form of oil paintings, papier-mâché and digitally designed canvases. The exhibition is organised by Inass Yassin.

"Abstraction has always been part of human culture. Language is an abstraction. We have extracted it from nature and adapted it to our hands and lips. Abstraction, as a word, is equivalent to extraction. In the Arabic dictionary, it says 'the one freed from the meat that covers it'. You extract the essence of something." - Samia Halaby for The National.

Photo: "Rainbow Spirals", (1973). Copyrights Razmig Bedirian / The National.

The sale features works by artists such as Mahmoud Said, Mohamed Melehi and Etel Adnan, with a selection of pieces exhibited in Dubai from 23 to 26 October.

"The collection we are selling is probably the strongest and most impressive to come to market in a long, long time," says Ridha Moumni , Vice President of Christie's Middle East and North Africa region. "Almost all the artists we have are superstars."

The Dalloul Collection is considered one of the most important collections of modern and contemporary Arab art. The collection was created by collectors Ramzi Dalloul and Saeda El Husseini Dalloul. The couple began acquiring works in the 1970s; the collection is now overseen by their son, Basel Dalloul, and his Beirut-based visual arts institution, the Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul Art Foundation (Daf).

A selection of Marhala's work was exhibited at Frieze London, which ended on Sunday. A selection of pieces will be on show at Christie's Dubai branch from 23 to 26 October, before a visit to London from 1 to 8 November.

Photo: "Palm Tree" by Ibrahim El-Salahi.

Written by Edward Said, The Question of Palestine focuses on the tensions between Palestinians and Israelis, while showing how the conflict is perceived and reflected in the West. The book was originally written in 1979, but was updated in 1992 to reflect on how events such as the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the Intifada and the Gulf War have impacted on the Palestinian struggle.

"The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine (2006)" Written by Israeli historian Ilan Pappe, the book details the 1948 Nakba, when hundreds of Palestinian towns and villages were destroyed and more than 700,000 Arabs forcibly displaced when the State of Israel was created.

"Six Days: How the 1967 War Shaped the Middle East (2003): A book by Jeremy Bowen , former BBC Middle East correspondent . As its title suggests, the book highlights the events leading up to and surrounding the war between Israel and several Arab countries in 1967. It breaks down the conflict hour by hour, examining the military decisions and tactics of Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Syria.

"The Iron Cage: The Story of the Palestinian Struggle for Statehood (2006)". Palestinian-American historian Rashid Khalidi explores the history of the Palestinian struggle for independence, from the aftermath of the Ottoman Empire, when British colonial forces took control of Palestine. Khalidi begins with the period of the British Mandate and the arrival of Jewish immigrants, through to the Nakba and the modern era.

"I Saw Ramallah (1997) An autobiographical work by Palestinian poet Mourid Barghouti, "I Saw Ramallah" was first translated into English in 2000 by Egyptian novelist Ahdaf Soueif. It follows Barghouti's attempt to return to Palestine from Egypt after the 1967 war. He was refused entry. It took another 30 years before he was finally able to return to the town where he grew up. It's a vivid insight into the difficulties Palestinians face when trying to travel within or return to the country.

"In Search of Fatima (2002): Written by Ghada Karmi, this autobiography offers a first-hand account of the events of 1948. Born in Jerusalem in 1939, she moved to the UK after the Nakba, spending formative years in a Jewish suburb of London. The book is a poignant and moving read, exploring the effects of displacement as major events alter the political landscape in the Middle East.

'My Promised Land: the Triumph and Tragedy of Israel' (2013): Another book by an Israeli author draws on archive documents, interviews, as well as correspondence and private diaries. At its heart is the story of author Ari Shavit's family, starting with his great-grandfather, a British Jew who arrived in Palestine in 1897. The book develops the perspective of the Jewish people who arrived in Palestine at the turn of the century, and attempts to offer a multi-dimensional approach to the creation of Israel.

"The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: a history of colonialism and settler resistance, 1917-2017" (2020): Another book by Rashid Khalidi highlights a letter written in 1899 by the author's great-granduncle, Yusuf Diya al-Khalidi, mayor of Jerusalem. In the letter, al-Khalidi addresses Theodor Herzl, the founding father of the Zionist movement, when the mayor was surprised by Zionist calls to create a Jewish state in Palestine. The book as a whole brings to light a wealth of archival documents, personal letters and trans-generational reports to show the continuing challenges facing Palestinians under occupation.

After a tour of Canada and a stopover in Byblos this summer, Aleph is back on the road with an exceptional tour of Europe, from 9 to 18 October, in Madrid, Amsterdam, Geneva and Paris. Pianist, composer, arranger, conductor and artistic director of 8e Art Entertainment (the leading provider of musical entertainment in the MENA region, the Middle East and North Africa), these are the many hats worn by Aleph, whose real name is Fady Abi Saab.

The tour, organised by MIR'A, an arts centre based in the French capital whose aim is to promote artists and unveil the true musical identity of the MENA region, fulfils the centre's mission of using the arts to promote the heritage and authentic culture of certain regions. The "From Lebanon to the World" concert is a celebration of the Land of the Cedars, with transnational music: flamenco, jazz and tango, mixed with Tunisian and Egyptian sounds, Aleph knows no borders.

The Algerian comedian returns to the stage with his show "Mouton", currently on tour in France and soon in Quebec in 2024. "The show is a self-deprecating metaphor in which the comedian explores, with a touch of sarcasm, the various aspects of social conformity and the absence of free will" - official press release.

Mehdi Bousaidan, born in Algiers in 1991, is a Quebec comedian, improviser and scriptwriter of Algerian origin. After graduating from the École nationale de l'humour de Montréal and becoming a finalist in the "En route vers mon premier gala Juste pour rire" competition, he rose to fame as the lead character in the television series "Med", broadcast on VRAK TV from January 2015 to 2018.

In coordination with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, the Théâtre de l'Opéra de Tunis is organising an evening of solidarity with the Palestinian people on Friday 20 October 2023 at 9pm at the Salle de l'Opéra in the Cité de la Culture Chedly Klibi in Tunis.

In a press release issued on Monday 16 October 2023, the Ministry states that the proceeds from this evening of solidarity will go towards health and humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people, in coordination with the Tunisian Red Crescent, which has launched a campaign to collect donations.

This 42nd annual event will host 1,700 events, with South Korea as guest of honour. This edition will welcome 2,033 publishers and exhibitors from 108 countries around the world. They will collectively present an impressive range of 1.5 million titles, all on display at the Expo Center Sharjah from 1 to 12 November.

The Palestine Film Institute has launched a free online programme to promote Gazan voices and the beauty of Palestine. The programme is intended as an act of resistance against the misinformation that is rampant against the Palestinian people, particularly in the West. Link: https://www.palestinefilminstitute.org/en/unprovoked-narratives

Photo: documentary "Samouni Road" by Stefano Savona, 2018.