A recap of a panel about Islamic Arts that our founder and executive director, Mikey Muhanna, hosted at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Featuring panelists Fakhera Al Kindi, eL Seed and Suheyla Takesh delving into Islamic arts – traditional and contemporary – and much more.

Our new series, Tsawwar, explores places, people and moments in time through the eyes of photographers and their photos. This week’s features a photo and blurb by Mohamed Osam.

In case you missed it: an introduction to the Community Jameel x afikra COP28 podcast Series that builds a forum for intergenerational collaboration and engagement, channels a unique voice and inspires thoughtful discussions between youth, experts, non-experts and key global decision-makers.

A cultural and archaeological history of Bahrain’s Dilmun Burial Mounds written by Zeina Alkhaja former archives assistant at the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities who now works at the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage. Image via Dilmun Mounds UNESCO nomination text

What are the most important buildings in Kuwait city’s skyline? Who are the architects that built the urban fabric of this gulf city? A quick guide to some of K

Introducing afikra’s community podcast that showcases community member’s presentations from global chapters around the world. Hear presentations on nerdy topics ranging from an unrequited love for Umm Kulthum to the Yemeni diaspora in Indonesia.

Recommendations for what to Listen, Watch, Read list from Morocco, featuring Bab L’Bluz, Laila Lalami, and Asmae El Moudir.

A look back at season two of the Tasmeem Doha x afikra podcast which marked VCUarts Qatar’s 25th anniversary and took us behind the scenes of the biennial design conference.

The NYUAD Arts Center Podcast spotlights theater, performing arts, poetry, music and more from Abu Dhabi. Each interview delves into the unique creative practices and inspirations of performers featured on NYUAD Arts Center’s programme this season.

We marked the inaugural edition of the Design Doha Biennial with a collaborative podcast. Find out more about this innovative festival celebrating MENA’s design landscape and what this podcast is all about. Image via @casablancafotografia.mx

Hamed Gohar — “King of the Red Sea” — was featured as a Google Doodle on November 15, 2023, to mark what would have been his 115th birthday. We were curious to learn more about his contributions to marine biology and pioneering work as a much-loved TV presenter

For classical music lovers and anyone who’s been looking to broaden their musical horizons, get started with what Kareem Roustom’s been listening to lately.

In Oct 2022, Google Doodle featured Haja El Hamdaouia — an icon of Moroccan Chaabi and El Aita music. We wanted to find out more about her life, music and legacy. Image via SRNT News.

For any architecture nerds looking for some weirdly and wonderfully shaped buildings from across the region, here are 5 buildings that have a unique form or structure.

Image via Pinterest.

Our new series, Tsawwar, explores places, people and moments in time through the eyes of photographers and their photos. This week’s features a photo and blurb by Adam Rouhana.

What to read if you want to learn more about architecture and urban planning in the Gulf, as recommended by Roberto Fabbri on the afikra podcast.

May ‘24’s QuarterTones mixtape is a quintessential Iraqi music compilation by shamokamonet, a platform and collective dedicated to sharing stories inspired by Iraq. 

Our new series, Tsawwar, explores places, people and moments in time through the eyes of photographers and their photos. This week’s features a photo and blurb by Dina Al-Makhrami.

Rachel Winter writes about her experience unearthing the story of iconic artist Samia Halaby in Michigan. Image credit: Shanti Knight.

Erragab Eljanhaoui writes about Captain James Riley and Sidi Hamet, and his role in catalysing the end of slavery in 19th century America. Image via SFGate