PalFest in Jerusalem

The organisers of the PalFest meant to “confront the culture of power with the power of culture”. None but Jerusalem could be as prominent, so that’s where they decided to inaugurate and close the second edition of this touring literature festival, in the honour of Al-Quds 2009 (Jerusalem, capital of Arab culture).

PalFest brings writers and artists from around the world to Palestinian audiences. It initiates and organizes cultural festivals with international and local participation. It organises workshops with students in Palestinian academic institutions in co-operation with Palestinian academics.

Read more on the event here.

Egypt’s ‘Life in a Picture’ travels to Toulouse

The winning photographs from a photo competition organised by the EU Delegation in Egypt are to be exhibited at a cultural festival in France from 10-14 June.

 

A Delegation press release said the ‘Egypt: Life in a Picture’ exhibition would travel to the 5th ‘Marathon Des Mots’ in Toulouse. Every year, ‘Le Marathon Des Mots’ honours a literary and artistic capital, inviting writers and artists to present the culture of the invited/honoured capital – this year Alexandria and Cairo. Last year, more than 72,000 visitors attended around 200 events around Toulouse.

 

More information on the event is available here

Book Launch

The Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in collaboration with The Syrian Arab association

 cordially invite you to a book launch for the writer 
 
 Yasmin Alibhai- Brown

On  Thursday 11th June 2009,  6:30 pm at  the Syrian Embassy in London (8 belgrave Square SW1X 8PH)

Arab-European Hip Hop Rocks Jerusalem

In the first tour of its kind, a group of professional European-Palestinian artists are performing in a series of Hip Hop concerts in Jerusalem from 21-24 May, in an event sponsored by the EU.

 

The tour, which will take place in five different districts of East Jerusalem, will include several concerts performed by local and foreign rappers celebrating European-Palestinian relations.

Furthermore the tour, a part of “Al Quds Cultural Capital of the Arab World” festival, also celebrates the cultural heritage of Jerusalem by placing Arabic Hip Hop on the local music scene as a contemporary cultural expression speaking the minds of the youth of Palestine.

 “Shadia Mansour” from the United Kingdom, her DJ “Vega Benetton” and rapper and break dancer “Mazzi” from the group S.O.U.L. Purpose will be performing with their Scandinavian counterparts  “Marwan” and “Zaki” from Denmark and “Ledr P” aka “Palestine” from Sweden. They are all Hip Hop artists with Arabic backgrounds who will be performing in shows side by side local artists such as Dam, Saz & G-Town.

View the Flyer for more details.

For further information on upcoming tour dates, click here

The Palestinian National Football team makes it to Brussels

The Palestinian national football team played its first European match on 6 May, in a match that was watched avidly by Palestinians and football fans across the Middle East. The match took place in Brussels and was a friendly against the Belgium Molenbeek team. The match was one of UNRWA’s 60^th anniversary events and was organised with the help of the EU as part of the EU-UNRWA Partnership for Peace and Humanity. Assembling the Palestine team in Brussels for the match was in itself a considerable challenge. The Palestinian side had to make do with a squad of 16 rather than the standard 22, due to travel restrictions – and it took seven of the Gaza bas ed squad members three days to get to Belgium. But at least a full team was present and able to play.

To read more, click here.

Euro Policies 2009 Conference

The European Research Institute (ERI) of the University of Birmingham will be holding a conference on the 14/15th May 2009, titled: ‘Bringing the Policy Back In: A Substantive Agenda for the New European Union’

The focus of the conference is placed firmly on policy issues and our overarching aim is to assess how the EU’s existing resources and capabilities can be better employed. If you would like to attend, please contact Jelena Obradovic: j.obradovic@bham.ac.uk to register.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Comissioner Margot Wallstrom, Vice-President, European Commission
• Professor Erik Jones, Johns Hopkins Bologna
• David Marsh, Director, London and Oxford Group, author of The Euro
• Charles Grant, Centre for European Reform
• Sir Stephen Wall, UACES

For further details on the conference/itenary, go to: http://www.futureofeurope.bham.ac.uk/

The 5th International Festival of Making Theater 2009

The 5th In.F.o.Ma.T, will be held in Athens, Greece, July 5th – 12th 2009.

During a whole week of creative interaction, Theater Makers from different parts of the world will have the chance to share and get acquainted with new working methods and ideas, regarding the following three sectors: Acting, Movement and Voice.

The festival’s program is the following:

Sunday July 5th Arrival day
Monday July 6th – Friday July 10th Workshops, Performances, Discussion.
Saturday July 11th Excursion to Epidaurus   U.K. National Theatre’s production of Racine’s “Phedre” 

(optional for participants)
Sunday July 12th Departure day

English will be the official language of the festival

The application form is available at: http://www.toc.gr/cmsel/toc-form-participants.htm

If you apply before May 31st, cost of participation will be cheaper.  For more information contact the Theater of changes at http://www.toc.gr

Cultural Diplomacy in the Mediterranean

The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy is delighted to announce the details of the forthcoming Week-long Seminar for the programme Cultural Diplomacy in the Mediterranean: A Forum for Young Leaders, which will take place in Berlin from 9-13th June, 2009.

Now accepting Applications.

Cultural Diplomacy in the Mediterranean: A Forum for Young Leaders (CDM) was developed from the recognition that the Mediterranean region is instrumental in the future of international affairs.

Who can apply? The programme is open to applications from young professionals and current students with an active interest in international affairs and the Mediterranean region.

Further information about the next Weeklong Seminar, including the online application forum, can be found under:

http://www.culturaldiplomacy.org/index.php?en_program_cdm_next-weeklong-seminar

Any enquiries regarding the program can be sent to cdm@culturaldiplomacy.org

A Goal for Peace: Palestinian Football Team in Brussels Friendly

The Palestinian national football team is to play a friendly with FC Molenbeek Brussels at the Belgian team’s stadium on 6 May, in an event funded by the European Commission (EC).

 

An EC press release said the game was part of events organised to mark the 60th anniversary of UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East).

To view more information on this upcoming events, go to: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.168.news.en.5621.html

Women’s programme organises meeting on gender-based violence

The EU-funded regional programme Enhancing Equality between Men and Women in the EuroMed Region is organising a regional meeting on gender-based violence in Tunis from 20 to 23 April.

A press release from the programme said the meeting – on ‘Gender-based violence (GBV) research: Concepts, data, methodology and tools’ – would bring together participants representing producers and users of data on GBV and programme implementers, as well as international and regional stakeholders, representatives of ministries and national women’s machineries, civil society organisations and the media.

To read more, go to: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.169.news.en.5606.html

Baltic International Summer School (BISS): Search for partners

The BISS will be holding a forum on:

STORIES FROM A COUNTRY IN BETWEEN:

SPOTTING THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES IN EUROPE

Date: 1-19 July 2009

Where: Taking place in Valmiera, Lativia.

Search for Partners: A Latvian University is currently looking for partners from within the Mediterranean region: Universities, NGO’s, associations concerned with the subject – project will cover the traveling, subsistence, programme costs for international partners who will share their perspective in the summer school programme.

If you’re interested, reply back to: liga.tuca@va.lv by April 15, 2009.

For more information on the event, go to: http://biss.va.lv/about-us

MEDITERRANEAN JOURNALIST AWARD LAUNCHED DURING THE UN ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS FORUM

International dialogue forum involving UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon kicks off with unveiling of the Anna Lindh Foundation’s regional media prize.  On the opening morning of the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations Forum, the world’s premier event and gathering for intercultural dialogue, the 2009 edition of the Mediterranean Journalist Award was officially launched.

For more detailed informatio, go to: http://www.euromedalex.org/news/mediterranean-journalist-award-launched-during-un-alliance-civilizations-forum

 

Launch of a Joint Rapid Response Media Mechanism

A joint rapid response framework to serve the needs of journalists working across the Mediterranean region will be launched in Istanbul on 6 April at the Alliance of Civilizations Forum. The joint initiative will provide user-friendly access to information and expertise in the context of crises with cultural dimensions as well as a support mechanism to bring together international journalists, editor and relevant experts for media dialogue.

The mechanism is being launched by the Anna Lindh Foundation, the European Commission and the UN Alliance of Civilizations. In addition, the three organizations will announce the launch of the Mediterranean Journalist Award 2009 and the presentation of their joint work in the field of media.

This event will be part of the Alliance of Civilizations Forum, hosted by the Government of Turkey. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey, President of the Government of Spain José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and President Jorge Sampaio, High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations will open the Forum. Heads of Government and over 50 Ministers will participate in the event. The President of the United States, Barack Obama, is expected to be present on the second day of the Forum.

A powerful network of opinion leaders, heads of international organizations, corporations, media, foundations, civil society, religious groups and youth will convene at the Istanbul Forum. The event will also provide new opportunities for policy-makers, funders and grassroots organizations to work together to develop practical projects.

Fr more detailed information on this events, go to: http://www.euromedalex.org/news/launch-joint-rapid-response-media-mechanism

‘Damascus’ tours the Middle East

The British Council is organizing a regional tour of the British play (Damascus), written by David Greig, during March and April of this year in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, and the Palestinian territories.

The British Council is organizing a regional tour of the British play (Damascus), written by David Greig, during March and April of this year in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, and the Palestinian territories.  The tour is also produced by the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, and Michael Edwards and Carole Winter.

This theatrical tour is organized within the framework of a broader British Council project that aims to explore the growing interest of UK theatre in the Arab culture, while providing an opportunity for the Arab audience to view plays that address their image in the UK and to create platforms for commenting on and debating about these plays directly with the UK theatre makers, critics and journalists who have and interest in the region, and their Arab counterpart.

To find out more on ‘Damascus’ and the tour dates, go to: http://www.babelmed.net/Countries/Mediterranean/a_scottish.php?c=4093&m=9&l=en

REMINDER: Human Rights Watch-13th International Film Festival

London: 18-27 March 2009

The Human Rights Watch International Film Festival has carved a niche in the busy London film festival calendar as the place to see socially and politically engaged documentary and feature films from across the globe and to meet the filmmakers.

From March 18-27 the respected and popular Human Rights Watch International Film Festival returns for its 13th year in London with nine days of screenings and discussions focusing on some of the most pressing stories of our times.

Out of the many films screened at the upcoming International Film Festival, the following screenings are directly related to the Anna Lindh Foundation’s Thematic areas:

Eden is West: Location: The Ritzy, Brixton Oval,London

Laila’s Birthday: Location-The Ritzy, Brixton Oval, London

Look into my eyes : Location: ICA, The Mall, London

Remnants of War: Location: ICA, The Mall, London

For further information (i.e film reviews, date and time of viewing) on the 13th International Film Festival, go to: http://www.hrw.org/en/iff/london

Reminder: POLSIS Conference on EU Democracy Promotion in the Middle East

A one-day conference on ‘Europe and Progressive Islamist Movements: Perceptions of Democratisation in the Middle East’ will be held at the University of Birmingham, UK, on Friday 6 March, 2009.

The Political Science and International Studies (POLSIS) Department at The University of Birmingham will be launching an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) project website on Paradoxes and Contradictions in EU Democracy Promotion Efforts in the Middle East. 

The funded research project has been awarded to Dr Michelle Pace, a network member.

The research  project came into effect on February 2008 and will run until February 2011.

For more information on the Conference day’s itenary and the research project, go to:

http://www.eumena.bham.ac.uk/programme.shtml

Human Rights Watch: 13th International Film Festival

 

London: 18-27 March 2009

The Human Rights Watch International Film Festival has carved a niche in the busy London film festival calendar as the place to see socially and politically engaged documentary and feature films from across the globe and to meet the filmmakers.

From March 18-27 the respected and popular Human Rights Watch International Film Festival returns for its 13th year in London with nine days of screenings and discussions focusing on some of the most pressing stories of our times.

Out of the many films screened at the upcoming International Film Festival, the following screenings are directly related to the Anna Lindh Foundation’s Thematic areas:

Eden is West: Location: The Ritzy, Brixton Oval,London

Laila’s Birthday: Location-The Ritzy, Brixton Oval, London

Look into my eyes : Location: ICA, The Mall, London

Remnants of War: Location: ICA, The Mall, London

For further information (i.e film reviews, date and time of viewing) on the 13th International Film Festival, go to: http://www.hrw.org/en/iff/london

The 5th International Festival of Making Theatre

Venue: Athens, Greece

Date: July 5th – 12th 2009.

 English will be the official language of the festival.

During a whole week of creative interaction, Theater Makers from different parts of  the world will have the opportunity to share and get acquainted with new working methods and ideas, regarding the following three sectors: Acting, Movement and Voice.

For more information visit http://www.toc.gr/

The festival’s programme is the following:

Sunday July 5th
Arrival day
Monday July 6th – Friday July 10th
10.00-13.00 Workshops
13.00-14.00 Lunch break
14.00-17.00 Workshops
17.00-17.15 coffee break 
17.15-20.15 Workshops
20.30-21.30 Discussion & Presentation
Saturday July 11th
Excursion to Epidarus ( http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh351.jsp?obj_id=2374 )
Sunday July 12th Departure day

In.F.o.Ma.T.’s preparation plan will be completed in two phases:

 • The first phase – completed by March 31st 2009 – regards the INVITATION for TEACHERS. Teachers are considered all acting, movement and voice teachers. Their response will finalise the festival’s syllabus which will be announced no later than April 30th 2009.
• The second phase – which will be completed by June 30th 2009 – regards the INVITATION for PARTICIPANTS. Participants are considered all those interested in attending the festival’s workshops.

 

 

INVITATION for TEACHERS

Theater of Changes invites acting, movement and voice teachers to take part in the 5th International Festival of Making Theater (In.F.o.Ma.T.) which will be held July 5th – 12th 2009, at the Theater of Changes, 19a 3is Septemvriou str, 104 32, Athens, Greece.

The selected teachers will have the opportunity to present their work three times to a different group of participants each time, over a three-hour workshop. Furthermore, teachers – in their turn – will be able to witness and keep themselves updated with other teachers’ methods and working techniques.

The selection will be completed in three phases:
a) All teachers should express their interest by sending an
    email with all the necessary information (short CV, workshop
    description, max 50 words).
b) Agreeing with the terms and conditions that will be emailed
    as a preapproval, teachers should send the official Application Form no later than no later than February 28th 2009: http://www.toc.gr/cmsel/toc-form-teachers.htm

c) Having sent the official Application Form, the selected
   teachers will receive the final approval of their participation at
   the Festival.

No final approvals will be made after March 31st.

Culture and Creativity Forum 2009

Venue: Porto, Portugal

Date: 4-8 February 2009

Overview: With the High Patronage of the President of the Republic, the support of the UNESCO Portuguese Commission, and invited to be the 1^st event of the official calendar of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation, FCC09 is aimed at fostering the entire cultural and creative sectors, enhancing the role of its professionals and helping the industry to fulfil its potential in creating wealth, jobs and promoting the development of sustainable territories and creative cities. Detailed information available at: http://www.inovaforum.org/cgibin/eloja21.exe?myid=inovaforum&cli=sn&id=66&tpl=textos

This is part of the Euro-Med Heritage Phase IV:   Promoting cultural dialogue and caring about the Mediterranean’s heritage, through preservation and raising awareness. 

The phase IV, under the ENPI framework with a budget of € 17 M was launched beginning 2008. As defined by the Mediterranean partners in the strategy paper, the new programme will be centred on the appropriation of cultural heritage by the population themselves and on education and access to knowledge of cultural heritage.

 

The projects selected following the call for proposals will be implemented during a period of maximum 4 years. Details available at: http://www.euromedheritage.net/index.cfm?menuID=13

 

 

 

British Academy Project: Europe and Progressive Islamist Movements-Perceptions of Democratisation in the Middle East

Conference:  ’Europe and Progressive Islamist Movements: Perceptions of Democratisation in the Middle East.’ 

It will be held on Friday, 6 March 2009.  Venue: European Research Institute (ERI), University of Birmingham.

For information on the conference day’s itenrary, go to: http://www.eumena.bham.ac.uk/programme.shtml

This event is co-funded by the British Academy, the European Politics research group of the Department of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Birmingham, the British International Studies Association (Working Group on International Mediterranean Studies) and the University Association for Contemporary European Studies.

Registration is now open via https://www.bhamonlineshop.co.uk/events/eventdetails.asp?eventid=35 

Early registration is highly recommended!

The 41st Cairo International Book Fair: UK Guest of Honour

Date: 22 January-5 February
Location: Cairo International Book Fair, Salah Salem Street

Welcome from British Ambassador: Dominic Asquith

 

Culture and commerce have characterised many of the exchanges between Egypt and Britain over the years. What is rarer is for the two so closely to overlap. The United Kingdom is delighted to have been invited as guest of honour at this year’s Cairo International Book Fair, where the business of publishing will be as much of a feature as the cultural debates between intellectuals, writers, scientists and the reading public. Some of Britain’s top writers – novelists, poets and children’s authors – will be at the fair to take part in events with their Egyptian counterparts. They will be joined by scientists, musicians and actors to complete a programme of cultural events, managed by the British Council, which we hope will fire everyone’s imagination.

Culture and trade also came together at last year’s London Book Fair. On that occasion many of the leading writers and publishers from the Arab World met their British counterparts – some for the first time and some continuing longstanding relationships – and got down to business. A large number of the delegation was from Egypt so the Cairo International Book Fair is a wonderful chance to renew these friendships and make the most of the opportunities offered by the one of the biggest cultural festivals in the world. A delegation of UK publishers – led by The London Book Fair, The Publishers Association and The Independent Publishers’ Guild – eager to learn about Egypt, will be meeting local and regional publishers and looking for the next Yacoubian Building.

Writers may write and publisher may publish, but both activities are pointless unless they find readers. So an important part of our cultural programme will focus on encouraging reading for everyone, whatever their age. A one-day conference will discuss ways of developing reading habits in children that will stay with them their whole lives and fun activities at the book fair itself will put it all into practice.  

I hope you will find something to interest you at the fair and that you will visit more than once. Do take some time to visit the UK guest of honour stand and participate in our events. You will find a warm welcome from an old friend.

 

Click here for more information on the full programme in English and Arabic, with additional information on all the attending speaker’s and their biographies: http://www.britishcouncil.org/egypt-arts-culture-cairo-book-fair.htm