Our Inaugural Conference
The New Levant Initiative held its inaugural conference on March 1, 2018, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. We are grateful to all who came and shared the day with us and invite you to continue this journey with family, friends and colleagues.
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.
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Highlights from New Levant Initiative Conference 2018
Preview the highlights of NLI’s Inaugural Conference from March 2018, which took place at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.
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Levantine Cities Through Space and Time
This discussion centers around the shared design and overall aesthetic of Levantine architecture both from a historical perspective and contemporary architectural designs. It focuses on the role that architecture can play in the construction of a new Levant – the role it has played in the past, the role it plays today, and the role it will play in the future. The panelists explore the concept of the “Levantine city,” and urban design over the course of time.
Panelists:
Amale Andraos, Dean, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, Columbia University
Rodolphe el-Khoury, Dean, School of Architecture, University of Miami
Hashim Sarkis, Dean, School of Architecture and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology -
The Evolution of Levantine Art
Contemporary artists and experts reflect on the past and present of Levantine art as well as the Levantine identity and how it informs their practice. This panel also addresses the shared artistic heritage of the Levant region and the cities that came to symbolize this cultural integration (Mari, Babylon, Palmyra, Petra, Baalbek, Damascus, Baghdad, Aleppo, Tripoli, Jerusalem). The panel also addresses the Levantine identity as it exists today in modern visual art: the ambiguous relationship between text and image, tradition and modernity, East and West.
Moderator:
Michael Jeha, Managing Director and Deputy Chairman, Christie’s Middle EastPanelists:
Ghada Amer, Artist, represented by Cheim and Read
Saleh Barakat, Beirut gallerist and expert in Levantine art
Sara Raza, Guggenheim UBS MAP Curator, Middle East and North Africa -
An Economic Case for Integration of the Levant
The panel presents the tangible economic benefits of integration for the people and countries of the Levant. The panelists discuss the promising effort at regional integration prior to 2011, and present a vision of an interconnected energy sector that is linked to international markets.
Moderator:
Andrew Parasiliti, Ph.D., Director, Center for Global Risk and Security, RAND CorporationPanelists:
Daniel Egel, Ph.D., Economist, RAND Corporation
Abdallah Al Dardari, Senior Adviser on Reconstruction, The World Bank (Middle East & North Africa)
Sibel Kulaksiz, Senior Country Economist, The World Bank (Middle East & North Africa) -
The Levantine Diet: A Regional Culinary Tradition
This discussion focuses on historical developments and discoveries in Levantine food and cooking methods and how they have had a global influence on cuisine. The panelists also discuss the diverse elements of Levantine cuisine that have come together to create something larger than the sum of its parts.
Panelists:
Poopa Dweck, First generation American Syrian-Jew, cookbook author and authority on the cuisines and customs of Aleppo, Syria
Barbara Massaad, Lebanese-American cookbook author, photographer and TV host
Wassef Haroun, Co-owner of Mama Restaurant Group -
Sounds of the Levant
Simon Shaheen moderates this discussion highlighting the commonality of Levantine music, establishing the shared Levantine identity that crosses borders and brings Levantine people together.
Moderator:
Simon Shaheen, Palestinian-American performer, composer, and Professor at Berklee College of MusicPanelists:
Layth Al Rubaye, Violinist, composer and director of the Arab Music Ensemble at Tufts University
Karim Nagi, Arab musician and folk dancer
A.J. Racy, Ph.D., Performer, composer and Professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of California at Los Angeles
Kareem Roustom, Composer, Professor of the Practice, Tufts University Department of Music -
diverseLevant: A Diachronic and Iconographic Atlas of Coexistence
The goal of diverseLevant, Professor el-Dahdah’s diachronic map created for this conference, is to create an online mapping platform that illustrates the urban evolution of a Levantine city, such as Beirut, over its entire history as well as across its social, cultural, and religious diversity. The project consists of an online cartographic platform that illustrates the urban evolution of Beirut, over its entire history as well as across its social, cultural, and religious diversity. Primary archival sources, such as views of the city, historical maps, archaeological surveys, and architectural projects will be located, in time and space, while their associated visual and geographic data will be integrated across many databases.
Please visit https://www.diverselevant.org/ to interact with the platform.
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The Past for the Future
Robert Worth, New York Times correspondent and former chief of the New York Times Beirut bureau, interviews Philip Mansel, renowned historian and author of several books on the Ottoman Empire, including Levant: Splendour and Catastrophe on the Mediterranean.
Robert Worth, Journalist
Philip Mansel, Ph.D., Historian and author -
Opening Remarks from Jamal Daniel
New Levant Initiative founder Jamal Daniel opens the inaugural conference.
Event Photos
NLI Conference Opening Remarks
New Levant Initiative founder Jamal Daniel opens the inaugural conference with a clarion call for the revival of Levantine culture.
The Past for the Future
Philip Mansel speaks about the Levant from a historical perspective.
The Past for the Future
New York Times correspondent Robert Worth moderates the conversation with Philip Mansel from a video uplink.
Levantine Cities Through Space and Time
Panelists discuss the shared design and overall aesthetic of Levantine architecture, with conversation moderated by Professor Fares el-Dahdah.
Levantine Cities Through Space and Time
Dean Amale Andraos discusses how the future of the Arab city lies in the hands of the next generation.
Levantine Cities Through Space and Time
Dean Rodolphe el-Khoury talks about the role of technology in reshaping the region’s cities, and the conditions that would foster a “culture of innovation.”
Levantine Cities Through Space and Time
Dean Hashim Sarkis speaks on his personal experience with urban design regarding the Lebanese city of Byblos, and the idea of “cultural geography.”
An Economic Case for Integration in the Levant
Panelists discuss a promising effort at regional integration prior to 2011, as well as the tangible benefits of integration for the people and countries of the Levant.
An Economic Case for Integration in the Levant
Dr. Andrew Parasiliti moderates this discussion about the transformative use of trade reforms in the Levant.
An Economic Case for Integration in the Levant
Sibel Kulaksiz speaks on the economic potential in the region.
An Economic Case for Integration in the Levant
Abdallah al-Dardari talks about his past experiences in instituting economic reforms in the Levant.
An Economic Case for Integration in the Levant
Daniel Egel discusses his own preliminary findings on economic reforms in the Levant.
The Levantine Diet
Panelists converse on historical developments and discoveries in Levantine food and cooking methods.
The Levantine Diet
Restauranteur Wassef Haroun talks about the representation of Middle Eastern food in the U.S. and how to reinvigorate global interest in its cuisine.
The Levantine Diet
Cookbook author Barbara Massaad speaks on the “communicative power” of food and how that relates to her heritage.
The Levantine Diet
Pinar Tremblay moderates the conversation and asks about insights into cooking techniques.
The Levantine Diet
Author Poopa Dweck discusses the differences between Jewish Arab and Arab Cuisine, and how the dish of maalmoul defines Levantine cooking.
Luncheon
Philippe Massoud, executive chef of New York City restaurant ilili, serves a multitude of mezze and makloubeh for lunch after the mouth-watering Levantine Diet panel.
Sounds of the Levant
An unconventional way to begin a panel: through performance.
Sounds of the Levant
Renown musician Simon Shaheen moderates the panel and speaks about the exchange of music and music theory that began in Egypt and spread across the Levant.
Sounds of the Levant
Violinist and composer Layth Al Rubaye speaks on the different regional influences on his own music.
Sounds of the Levant
Percussionist Karim Nagi talks about traditional urban folk rhythms and the Arabic maqam melody.
Sounds of the Levant
Dr. AJ Racy, an ethnomusicologist, speaks on the influence of sacred secular music and its effects on Levantine music.
Sounds of the Levant
Composer Kareem Roustom discusses the future of music in the Levant and how higher education plays a hand.
diverseLevant: A Diachronic Atlas
Professor Fares el-Dahdah presents an interactive map of the city of Beirut, that combines historical research and modern geospatial technology to track its past and present growth.
The Evolution of Levantine Art
Art expert Saleh Barakat talks about the cultural similarities of Levantine art.
The Evolution of Levantine Art
Contemporary artist Ghada Amer speaks on how her Egyptian heritage influences her art.
The Evolution of Levantine Art
Michael Jeha moderates the panel, addressing the shared artistic heritage of the Levant region and the cities.
The Evolution of Levantine Art
Curator Sara Raza comments on the aspirational approach of Levantine artists, moving away from “politicized readings” and looking towards “poetic analysis.”