The afikra Podcast

Moumne and Imam, founders and directors of Studio Safar, talked about taking the first steps to opening an independent studio, branching into publishing, and their experience working around the world.  Follow Studio Safar:  https://www.instagram.com/studiosafar/ Follow Journal Safar: https://www.instagram.com/journalsafar/ Connect with Maya Moumne: https://www.instagram.com/mayamoumne/ Connect wit...

Dalia looks into Lady Liberty’s connection with the Arab world while Maria looks into “The Shining Star” of Arabic Grammar life, history ‎and legacy. Mahdi digs into the Advent of the telegraph in Colonial Algeria, and Bayan tells us the ‎story of the famous Arabic poetry love legends Antra and Abla all in four short afikra FWDs. Hosted by:   Mikey Muhanna & Leen Sadder  Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Th...

Offendum is a Syrian-American rapper/poet, known for his unique blend of Hip-Hop & Arabic poetry. He carved a path for himself as a thoughtful entertainer/activist able to speak to a diverse global audiences over the course of his career.  Connect with Omar:   https://www.instagram.com/offendum/ https://www.youtube.com/user/Offendum Created by: Mikey Muhanna, afikra  Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna & Ahm...

 The term Moor can refer to several groups of ‎people from North Africa. In this presentation, Mahdi examines  the origins of the term along with developing a narrative for its usage in Europe ‎throughout history.  Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About afikra Community Presentations: Every Saturday a community member delivers an in-depth prese...

Denise explores the Lebanese Sericulture, traditionally called “the season of glory.” Denise digs into the ‎history and importance of the silk industry.  Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About afikra Community Presentations: Every Saturday a community member delivers an in-depth presentation on a ‎topic related to the Arab world’s history and c...

We interviewed Khalid Albaih to discuss his work, his art, and the limits and possibilities associated with ‎the political cartoon medium.  Connect with Khalid: https://www.instagram.com/KhalidAlBaih/‎ Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring acade...

Nisrine dives into two famous Syrian plays, which were written by Mohammad al-Maghout and starred Doreid Lahham. The plays provide a satiric exploration of the many challenges faced by the Arab world ‎during the mid-twentieth century.  Connect with Nisrine: https://www.instagram.com/nisrineshehadeh/‎ ‎Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About afik...

Wael is an award winning designer and typographer; the co-founder of 1on1projects; and a studio partner for ‎Morcos Key, a Brooklyn-based design studio. Connect with Wael:  https://www.instagram.com/WaelMorcos/‎ Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conversation series: Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featu...

What is Rai music and why is it often portrayed as rebel music internationally? How much is the genre tied ‎up in Algeria's violent struggle for independence and subsequent civil war? Who are its main figures and ‎creators?  We listened to Tarik’s research on the musical genre. Connect with Tarik: https://www.instagram.com/tarik.che/ ‎ Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Them...

We had an important conversation with the Director of Sursock Museum, Zeina Arida about the museum’s history and work, as well as the challenges facing the museum after being hit with the disastrous Beirut port explosion. Connect with Zeina: https://www.instagram.com/zeinaarida/ Created & Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna , afikra Edited by: Ramzi Ramman Theme music by: Tarek Yamani About the afikra conver...

Founded in 2007 by Arab cultural activists, the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture – AFAC stands as an independent entity dedicated to empowering individual artists, writers, researchers, intellectuals, and organizations across the Arab region in various arts and culture fields. With its headquarters in Beirut, AFAC extends its support globally, fostering creativity in cinema, photography, visual and...

Afeef Nessouli is a dynamic freelance journalist operating out of Beirut and New York City, who has recently won the Google Podcasts creator program's global competition. His Arabic language podcast, focusing on the feminine narrative in the Middle East, showcases his innovative approach to storytelling. Before this venture, Afeef enriched The Daily Show with Trevor Noah as a segment producer for...

Tarek Yamani is a self-taught Jazz pianist and award-winning composer. He is critically acclaimed for his work on Lisan Al Tarab: Jazz Conceptions in Classical Arabic, and is the winner of the "Thelonious Monk Jazz Composers Competition". He has performed in prestigious venues such as the United Nations assembly hall during the inaugural of the Jazz Day in NYC.  Connect with Tarek 👉 https://www.i...

Ayah Bdeir is an engineer, inventor and entrepreneur passionate about using technology to empower creators and educators around the globe. As the founder of LittleBits, Ayah has played a pivotal role in making electronics accessible and fun for people of all ages, genders and backgrounds. Her work emphasizes the importance of play in education, challenges gender norms in STEM, and fosters a cultur...

Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi is a UAE-based columnist, researcher, and the founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation. His articles have been featured in major publications globally, including The Financial Times and The Guardian. Through the Barjeel Art Foundation, Sultan has significantly contributed to the art scene in the Arab region, making it accessible and influential both locally and internationally...