Five Queer Lebanese Artists You Should Be Following
Pride month may have ended (in some countries), but your celebration of LGBTQIA2S+ Lebanese artists shouldn’t. We curated this list to share with you some of our favorite Lebanese artists who are part of the queer community and hope you will appreciate their diverse styles as much as we do. Links to buy their art […]
Petroleum Prosperity in Lebanon: a Reachable Reality, or a Distant Myth?
A Chronicle of Lebanon’s Oil and Gas Pursuits There is no denying the profound impact oil has had on humankind. In the Middle East, entire nations have risen to great heights, quite literally fueled by newfound petroleum wealth. While the oil and gas history of the Middle East dates back to the beginning of the […]
Lebanon’s Crises: The Diaspora’s Eternal Wound
Lebanon is in the throes of a severe economic crisis, classified to be one of the worst three crises worldwide since the 1850s. The Lebanese Pound (LBP) crashed, more than 55 percent of the country’s population is now trapped in poverty and struggling for bare necessities. In addition to this, unemployment rose to around 40%, prices skyrocketed, and Lebanon became […]
What Role Will Cryptocurrency Play in Lebanon’s Economic Crisis?
Feature photo credits: Venezuelans produce street art out of hyperinflated banknotes (Juancho Torres/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Imagine yourself in a dense city with the remnants of an ongoing crisis present at every turn. Your employer pays you in local banknotes which have been rendered virtually worthless due to severe hyperinflation. You find ways to make […]
Lebanese Perception of Politics and Culture is Long Overdue for a Reckoning
Foreword “Our culture and heritage are so important because amid our division, they have the power to unify us.” This is how we first introduced the section to Nour. Starting the conversation lightly (you know, dabke, labne, and Rahbani), we inevitably came face-to-face with the identity crisis gravely influencing Lebanese culture. So then, […]
Safe Summer Travel to Lebanon and Beyond
With summer in full swing and COVID-19 vaccinations being administered around the world, many are returning to their summer travel routines. In Lebanon, the epidemiological situation is overwhelmingly positive, with instances of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continuing to dwindle. While the virus is far from contained, metrics suggest it is circulating at lower levels and […]
Hamza Mekdad: Redefining Interdisciplinary Art
https://al-rawiya.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Al-Rawiya-Anmiated-Poster.mp4 Credits: [Photo/Animation: Issue 3 cover art by Hamza] Breathing life into static imagery, interdisciplinary artist Hamza Mekdad creates engaging 2D illustrations and animations by combining minimalism with strategic coloring, kinetic typography, line art, symbolism, and sound. Communicating concise messages through visual storytelling, he touches on personal and universal themes associated with the mental, social, political, […]
Pride Month in Lebanon: Celebrating, Mourning, and Remembering
Author’s note: In honor of June being Pride Month, I (virtually) sat down with Karim Nammour, Lary BS, Sasha Elijah, and Sinine Nakhle to discuss the challenges, issues, and successes faced by the LGBTQ+ community in Lebanon on both an individual and community level. They come from different backgrounds and careers, ranging from legal experts […]
Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in Lebanon: An Introduction
Feature photo credits: Hundreds of women and men march together to mark International Women’s Day, in Beirut, March 8, 2020. Cynthia Maria Aramouni Credits: The viral screengrab of “Kick Queen” Malak Alawiye striking the armed bodyguard of former Education Minister Akram Chehayeb during the first few days following the anti-government protests that erupted on October […]
The Elephant in the Room: Confronting Lebanon’s Relationship with Migrant Workers
Author’s note: Growing up in a family that has immigrated teaches you wonderful things about the world from a very young age. I’d like to share a memory from my childhood. When I was a young boy, maybe 8 or 9, my mother would often take me with her to her workplace. Her supervisor at […]