The Levant means ‘where the sun rises’: the eastern Mediterranean Levant is a geographical word, free from associations with race or religion. It is defined not by frontiers but by the sea.
Author: Philip Mansel
Was Salonica a Levantine City?
The conference reflected on the Levantine identity, as captured throughout history, art, architecture, music and cuisine, as well as the history of cosmopolitanism and commerce that enabled this vibrant culture to thrive. Panelists who share Levantine heritage examined its influence on their careers and lives as well as gave testimony to the uniqueness of the Levantine identity.
The program was followed by an evening concert performance with the original composition, Levantine Symphony N°1, by Ibrahim Maalouf.
The New Levant Initiative was honored to present distinguished trumpeter and composer Ibrahim Maalouf in the world premiere of his impassioned composition, Levantine Symphony N°1.
NLI is proud to support projects and institutions that bring about initiatives, tools, and experiences to further educate the public about Levantine arts, culture, and history.
The RAND Corporation recently released their report on the substantial benefits of economically integrating the Levant through a comprehensive free trade agreement. Their independent research assesses these promising potential outcomes from more partnerships between Levantine governments. Along with the report, RAND has also created an interactive online calculator for policymakers to examine these benefits using different scenarios and partner countries.
September 23, 2019 Harry Seymour / Art
Harald Ingholt, a Danish archaeologist, was on his third campaign of excavations at Palmyra, in present-day Syria, in 1928, when his team unearthed a half-length portrait of an unknown woman made between AD190 and 210 in a tomb dubbed Qasr Abjad. Her sumptuous jewels and pearls and swathes of luxurious fabric led him to pronounce her […]
September 18, 2019 Joe Gill / Middle East Eye
On the first day of rehearsals for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of A Museum In Baghdad, writer Hannah Khalil looked around the studio at the big cast. All but two were – like herself – of Arab descent. “It was an emotional moment,” says the Irish-Palestinian dramatist. “I felt really proud, because that’s what I wanted […]
September 16, 2019 Sam Brennan / ALM
“Everyone has a phone. Everyone sees hundreds of images a day,” Ibrahim Dirani, project manager of the Beirut Image Festival (BIF), told Al-Monitor. “We have integrated this culture, but we don’t link it to an image that we stand in front of and really look at.” BIF, which runs Sept. 5 through Oct. 5 in different locations in Lebanon, seeks to […]
September 14, 2019 Mostafa Fathi / Raseef 22
It is one of Egypt’s most beautiful palaces – if not the most beautiful of them all – with 500 rooms and several museums home to important national treasures. It’s Abdeen Palace, inarguably the “jewel of royal palaces” in Egypt. Abdeen is located meters away from the Mohamed Naguib metro station. Built on an area […]
September 13, 2019 Lisa Morrow / ALM
Istanbul has long ignited the imagination of travelers, writers and historians. Minarets pierce the skyline, the call to prayer echoes off the clouds and the tantalising smell of food dances on the waves of the Bosporus. With a culinary tradition going back hundreds of years, visitors aren’t short of choice — from street food to restaurants […]
September 13, 2019 Aimee Dawson / Art
The Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington, DC, a non-partisan think-tank, is to inaugurate a new art gallery showing works by contemporary Middle Eastern artists on 14 September following a major renovation of its headquarters. The 1,200 sq. ft space near Dupont Circle will put on up to five exhibitions a year, including travelling shows, […]