المؤمن للمؤمن كالبنيان المرصوص يشد بعضه بعضًا. الاخوة والاخوات في الامارات الرجاء التبرع لأهلنا في غزة من خلال الجهة الرسمية على الرابط التالي
UAE friends. Please consider making a donation to the citizens of Gaza through the official UAE campaign Tarahum
I highly recommend that the UAE now re-visits its ban on VOIP video calls in light of the spread of Coronavirus. If we want people not to meet in person let them conduct their business online. The benefit to the entire economy outweighs the benefit to a single firm (etisalat)
Yesterday the world lost one of the greatest living architects, the legendary Rifat Chadirji who was born in Baghdad in 1926. There is so much to say about him that I felt overwhelmed even starting a thread. Where does one start?
Photo by Paul Taggart / WPN, Lebanon 2008
Congrats and well done to Tunisia for naming and swearing in a blind - and very capable and qualified - Culture Minister, the university professor, poet & oud player Dr. Walid Al Zaidi (34 years old). Mabrook! 🇹🇳
Fairuz (Lebanese, b. 1934) with Dalida (Egyptian-Italian-French 1933-1987) after Fairuz's concert at the Olympia, Paris in 1979. Photo via Reem El Beheidy
For years I've complained that the world only sees Iraqi art that is being produced by Iraqis outside their country & I've asked Iraqis inside to highlight the cultural production there, now the ongoing uprising is shedding a light on the incredible talent inside the country. 🇮🇶
أحييكم من بغداد الحبيبة.
A life long dream come true to visit the eternal city of Baghdad in Iraq with its layers of history, modern art and architecture and some of the kindest people I've met (not to mention the pleasure of hearing everywhere my favourite Arabic dialect).
Can museums in the Arab World please stop doing major exhibitions for Western artists? It's so boring and it adds zero value to the world. It's been done a hundred times before. There are dozens of Middle Eastern artists that are much more deserving of an exhibition & a book.
In case you didn't know Gaza has been occupied and/or economically strangled since 1967. A BBC News reporter today said "Normal life on both sides is put on hold." Think of what "Normal life" means for Gazans.
The Israeli occupation forces today killed Ibrahim Nabulsi. Can someone explain why Ukrainians have the right to resist the Russian occupation but the Palestinians don't have the same right to resist occupation?
Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, is probably the most popular woman in the "Muslim world" today. My social media feed is filled with photos & praise for her (by Muslims & non Muslims alike) She really did show leadership & compassion. What a great example for us all
الاخوه و الاخوات في مصر. ابحث عن مهندس عمل في الامارات في السبعينيات يدعى حسين محمد صالح و كان يعمل مع شركه تسمى مؤسسة العروبه للتصميم و الاشراف. الرجاء ايصالي باسرته ان امكن.
Yesterday at the 13th Washington DC Cultural Majlis we hosted Iraqi superstar
@ahmedalbasheer1
. Ahmed is a phenomenon. His fans and admirers were captivated by him. I had to cap registration at 120 (sold out within several hours) and then because we had a short period of time...
The Arab Gulf States today lost a giant of diplomacy whose public service spanned 6 decades at a time in which we are in greatest need of his wisdom. Sincere condolences to our family in Kuwait & to us all on the passing of Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. #صباح_الاحمد_الصباح
هذا نداء لأي جهه مختصه في دول الخليج لانقاذ الارشيف الوطني السوداني من الافلام الذي يحتوي على اكثر من 20،000 فيلم يرجع بعضها الى الاربعينيات من القرن الماضي. الافلام في حاله سيئة جدا وبدأت تتحول الى بودره و هي ذاكرة ذلك الوطن العزيز علينا جميعاً. 🇸🇩
When Egyptian singer Um Kalthoum (1898-1975) travelled Arab leaders would meet her, as though she was a world leader herself. She may have been the most influential woman of the Arab World in the 20th century. Here she is with UAE Founding President Sheikh Zayed in November 1971.
It's so frustrating that Skype is banned in the UAE. How are we meant to conduct interviews and meetings? Such a contradiction in 2021 & 2071 Visions goals.
I'm happy to have accepted an appointment as Adjunct Instructor at the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies CCAS, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University for the Fall of 2019. CCAS is only academic center in the US focusing exclusively on the Arab world
25 years ago I was a student at the American University of Paris. In the Fall of 2020, I was invited back to teach as a Visiting Senior Lecturer. Today I assigned the last of my students' final grades. It was an honour to be back. Here are my two AUP ID cards - 25 years apart.
To my fellow man. If you're ever invited to take part on an all male panel do the right thing & turn the invitation down and tell them to invite a woman speaker instead. Take a stand against manels.
Today I started my 30th journal. I have been writing daily since 1993. I encourage you all to take up this meditative and self-reflective habit. It has helped me cope through challenging times and allowed me to register some of my favourite memories.
Today is the 15th anniversary of my dad's passing. Saoud bin Khaled bin Khaled Al Qassimi was born in Sharjah in 1939 & grew up between Bombay & Kuwait. He led an all too short but full life. We don't stop loving someone just because they aren't here anymore. الله يرحمه ويغفر له
Due to greed & rabid capitalism there's a new trend in tower construction in the Gulf States of designing cramped, windowless spaces as maid's rooms. In reality they are more like dungeons. There should be a law that sets a minimum room size & window opening in any "maid's room."
قلوبنا مع بيروت وأهلها.
دعاؤنا في هذه الساعات العصيبة أن يحفظ رب العالمين لبنان الشقيق واللبنانيين، وأن يخفف مصابهم ويضمد جراحهم، ويحفظ بيوتهم من الأحزان والآلام.
I wish Arab Gulf States' governments hurry to accept in their universities Afghan students whose education is disrupted by the ongoing events.
اتمنى من دول الخليج ان تسارع الى القبول في جامعاتها الطلبة / الطالبات الافغان الذين / اللواتي قد تتعطل دراستهم/ن بسبب ما يحصل هذه الايام
That war is over. Everyone loses in conflict but no doubt the Palestinians succeeded in resurrecting their just cause for freedom & attracting a new younger generation of supporters especially through social media.
I am happy to say that I will be teaching my class "The Politics of Modern Middle Eastern Art" at my alma mater
@AUParis
this Fall after 26 years of going there as a student. I look forward to being in
#Paris
if the situation permits. 🤲 يا رب
Two years in the works, happy to assume the position of Kuwait Foundation Visiting Scholar, for Fall 2021 at the Harvard
@Kennedy_School
where I will be leading a study group "Investigating The Politics of Modern Middle Eastern Art" (starting Sept 21st open to Harvard community)
Sharing for the love of Fairouz & to identify the painting in the back which is a 1980 portrait of Fairouz by Croatian-Lebanese artist Cici Tommaseo-Sursock (1923-2015)
Also President
@EmmanuelMacron
where is your mask? tut-tut
في زيارة الى مزرعتنا في منطقة الزبير في الشارقه بألامس. امتنعت من زيارتها ل15 عاما لانها كانت تذكرني بوالدى العزيز المرحوم سعود بن خالد بن خالد القاسمي.
Visit to our farm in Al Zubair, Sharjah yesterday. I avoided visiting it for 15 years as it reminded of my dear late father.
Tomorrow is my first day of teaching at Georgetown. I'm thinking of my students at Yale & those I didn't teach but interacted with closely. Emma Sky once told me "They never leave you" & it's so true. Perhaps it's because I don't have kids of my own I feel vested in their success
Thanks to UAE FM Sheikh
@ABZayed
for this important message of love & assurance towards our Palestinian community (our brothers & sisters) in the UAE who have contributed so much to the development of the country over the past decades. via
@Abdulkhaleq_UAE
A spectacular painting by Egyptian Tahia Halim (1919-2003) titled Farhat Al Nuba (The Happiness of Nubia) from 1965. Created with oil and gold leaf on canvas and measuring 51 x 99in. (130 x 251.5cm.) It sold at a Christies' auction in Dubai in March 2015 for $750,000
وبحسب النظام الجديد الذي يطبق على الجهات الحكومية المحلية في إمارة #الشارقة، يصبح نظام العمل الأسبوعي أربعة أيام عمل ابتداءً من يوم الإثنين وحتى يوم الخميس، وتصبح عطلة نهاية الأسبوع أيام الجمعة والسبت والأحد.
"Twitter insiders have told the BBC that the company is no longer able to protect users from trolling, state-co-ordinated disinformation and child sexual exploitation, following lay-offs and changes under owner Elon Musk." BBC News
Dear
@TheUAETRA
my mother who is in her 70s hasn't seen her sister in weeks. She doesn't use Zoom or Skype or Microsoft "Teams". Do you mind lifting the restrictions so she can video-call her friends & family on WhatsApp like billions of people who don't live in the UAE do?
I hope that when an appeal is made to rebuild Palmyra, the Umayyad Mosque & Krak des Chevaliers in Syria along with the treasures in Mosul & other places that businessmen & women, Middle Eastern & others, are as willing to contribute.
My mother, whom I'm very proud of. I'm not sure many other Emiratis have posted about their mothers, we should be equally proud of them as we are of our fathers.
@SultanAlQassemi
Sheikha Nama bint Majid Al Qassimi, a true UAE Pioneer, being the first Emirati female Teacher in 1964 and paving the way for others.
A role model
@uaepioneers
Dubai is an incredible city. I drove around for the first time today in many months and I had almost forgotten how great this place is. Maybe it's because I had the pleasure of seeing it grow from the 1980s that I can appreciate this fact. I feel so lucky to have had the chance.
Teaching my first
@AUParis
online class from my house in Dubai with the three meter long painting by Iraqi artist Faisal Laibi Sahi titled "The Café" as a backdrop. This is the new class set up where I am using an exterior camera so the students have a full view of the painting.
Over the past few days I've witnessed many of my close friends struggle with personal battles. It reminds me not to take things for granted & to give others the benefit of the doubt. Each of us is facing a set of challenges of our own. We all need more kindness & less suspicion.
A suggestion to folks here, especially in the Arab world but elsewhere too. Spend a little less time worrying about international events & little more time with your parents & grandparents & write their stories - before it's too late. I wish I had done so with with my own father.
I've been reserved for personal reasons about stating my opinion on anything political lately but I am for the ongoing protests & political demands in all Arab states including & especially Palestine 🇵🇸.
My generation failed, may these youngsters succeed.
New book –– A History of Arab Graphic Design: The First-ever book-length history of Arab graphic design | by
@ShehabBahia
&
@haythamnawar
published by
@AUCPress
This regrettable move Mr President makes Istanbul poorer culturally. There are over 3,000 mosques in Istanbul. Hagia Sophia is much more than a physical building, it is a unifying symbol for various faiths.
It's surreal to be receiving emails from Yale University President Peter Salovey that start with "Dear Colleagues." I fly to the US tonight for faculty orientation which starts on January 7th in New Haven. Classes start Monday January 14th. My first class is on Tuesday Jan. 15th.
Today (Jan 1st) I turned 44. My birthday gift to myself was to visit a collection of modern Arab art. Make sure you see The Dubai Collection at the Etihad Museum.
Merry Christmas to our Christian brothers and sisters in the Arab World and beyond
Painting: “Le Nouveau Né” (Thé New Born), circa 1991 by Paul Guiragossian (Jerusalem 1926 - 1993 Beirut)
Source: Paul Guiragossian Foundation
.
@HHMansoor
صبحك الله بالخير طويل العمر. ثَمَّة طالب اماراتي تم قبوله في برنامج الذكاء الاصطناعي في احدى اعرق الجامعات في امريكا و لكنه لم يتمكن من الحصول على منحة للدراسة. هل بالامكان التواصل مع شخص بخصوص هذا الامر لكي لا تفوت هذا الشاب هذه الفرصة النادرة؟