Each year, Egyptians food market has been modifying the kunafa, a traditional dessert that is popular across the region. One of the more popular trends was the nutella kunafa. ©Goethe-Institut/RUYA, Nadine Tag
©Goethe-Institut/RUYA, Nadine Tag

Ramadan Special
 Will Egypt’s years-long kunafa trend survive the economic dip?

There are many creation myths surrounding the Middle East’s iconic dessert, kunafa. The traditional dish is craved year-round, but is exceptionally in high demand during Muslims' holy month. Nadine Tag dives into its history, new trends and how the recent economic crisis is affecting this loved dish. 
Egypt
A family in Deir el Balah, Gaza puts up the few Ramdan decorations they have ©Mohamed Solaimane
©Mohamed Solaimane

Ramdan Special
 Gazans seek Ramadan’s cheerful vibe in bid to break state of misery

Gazans experiencing their worst war and humanitarian crisis in decades, with families torn apart by death and displacement, their city largely flattened by Israeli raids, and amidst scarce food and nonexistent essentials that is leading to deaths out of starvation. Amidst all of this horror many are still trying to salvage the spirit of Ramadan.
Palestinian territories
Community iftar in downtown Algiers, Algeria ©Wilaya d'Alger
©Wilaya d'Alger

Ramadan Special
 Ramadan’s communal iftars: the age-old tradition waning at home but finding new life in the West

Communal Iftars are a tradition that is now considered a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. While an increasing number of communities in the MENA region fear for the future of communal iftars as donations have decreased due to a series of economic and political crises in the region, their popularity rises in the West. 
Yemen
Syrian Kurds in their traditional outfits performing the Kurdish dabke in celebration of Newroz on March 21, Qamishli, Syria. ©Shivan Ibrahim
©Shivan Ibrahim

Ramadan Special
 Syria’s Kurds struggle to pick favorites as Ramadan and Newroz coincide

Syria’s 2.5 million Kurds, predominantly Sunni Muslims, observe Newroz, joining diverse ethnic groups from around the world in celebration. This year, Syrian Kurds struggled to choose between this tradition, deeply intertwined with their identity, and their faith as Newroz and Ramadan, Islam’s holiest month, coincided for the first time in 33 years.
Syria
Eine Illustration von vier Menschen © Tobias Schrank / Goethe-Institut
© Tobias Schrank / Goethe-Institut


Berlinale Bloggers 2024

“We are particularly proud of this year’s selection which achieves the best possible balance between auteurs we cherish and admire and powerful new voices in the independent cinema landscape,“ says Carlo Chatrian, Artistic Director. Germany's largest film festival will take place in Berlin from 15 to 25 February 2024. Our bloggers from around the world will be reporting on new films and the people behind them, awards ceremonies and more. Read along!
Malak Nasser in the movie Sukoon. © Baha’ Slieman, Madd Moshawas

Berlinale Bloggers 20243 min Dina Naser: “I learned sign language to make ‘Sukoun’”

Jordan
Han Chang and Nina Mélo in Black Tea by Abderrahmane Sissako ©Olivier Marceny / Cinéfrance Studios / Archipel 35 / Dune Vision

Berlinale Bloggers 20242 min “Black Tea”: Abderrahmane Sissako’s Ambitious Adventure

Mauritania
Ahmed Shawky and Christelle Younes met for an interview in Berlin. ©Ahmed Shawky

Berlinale Bloggers 20242 min “Co-Producing is Like Getting Married”

Lebanon
Scene from the documentary "Diaries of Lebanon" ©Abbout Productions / GoGoGo Films

"Diaries from Lebanon"2 min A Generation that Doesn’t Want to be Forgotten by History

Lebanon
Berlinale Talent Egyptian director Morad Mustafa ©Mohammadreza Mayghani

Berlinale Talent Morad Mostafa2 min "My first feeling was some anxiety."

Egypt
Lily Farhadpour as widow Mahin in the movie “Keyke mahboobe man” (eng. My favorite cake) Photo (detail): ©Hamid Janipour

Berlinale Bloggers 20242 min Are Love and Happiness Available to Everyone?

An illustration of an industrially dystopic world AI generated image
AI generated image


Sustainable production for a future worth living

Living sustainably and consuming in an environmentally friendly way: That's what more and more people want. But how can production be truly sustainable and what are the conditions for this? What initiatives are there in the MENA region and how do they try to implement sustainability, including from social and ethical aspects, in their production processes? And why is that so important?
Yemen Wakes up to Coffee as Farmers Cut Qat ©Canva

Sustainable Agriculture3 min Yemen Wakes up to Coffee as Farmers Cut Qat

Yemen
Olives before pressing. Fortolivo oil mill. ©Left: Office National de l'Huile; Center & right: Aziza Gorgi

Reimagining the Industry5 min Towards a new model for the Tunisian olive oil industry

Tunisia
We highlight three professions that have witnessed changes in customer demand, revealing the shifts in Lebanese consumption patterns. ©Firas Hamiye

Socioeconomics and sustainability5 min How Has Lebanon’s Economic Crisis Changed Patterns of Consumption?

Lebanon
Morocco’s Carpet-Weavers © Ismail Ait Hammad

Morocco’s Carpet-Weavers5 min Women Pioneering Change in the Ouazguit Amazigh tribes

Morocco
Food for Peace Stamps ©United States "Food for Peace" Program

The Politics of Food2 min Learning to Love Baguette

Tunisia
Exhibition "TRUST(ful)" ©Canva/ divers
©Canva/ divers


Exhibition “TRUST(ful)”

Ten photographers and ten poets from nine different countries in North Africa and the Middle East together created, invited by RUYA, ten diverse works on the topic of trust. Each exhibit consists of an original poem accompanied by a photograph or series of photographs. The exhibition takes place as part of the Kultursymposium Weimar 2023.

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