May 9 2005

WED 05 Photo Gallery

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The Syrian Red Crescent Organization, Homs Branch invites photographers from all around the world, amateur or professional, to participate in its 2005 World Environment Day Photo Gallery which will be exhibited in the Museum of Azzehrawi Palace, Homs 5-9 June 2005.
Closure date is May 20, 2005 and there is no participation fee.
For more details and information on how you can apply and participate in this great event, visit: WED 05 Photo Gallery

For Arabic Click Here

This is simply beautiful, I urge all of you who are interested in photography to take part in this event, it’s one great chance for you to share your passion, show your talent and play a positive role in protecting our environment.

Category: Arab Societies, General, Nature & Environment | LEAVE A COMMENT
May 3 2005

World Press Freedom Day

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Every year, May 3rd is World Press Freedom Day, a day to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
It serves as an occasion to inform citizens of violations of press freedom – a reminder that in dozens of countries around the world, publications are censored, fined, suspended and closed down, while journalists, editors and publishers are harassed, attacked, detained and even murdered.
This day is to encourage and develop initiatives in favour of press freedom, and to assess the state of press freedom worldwide, discussing issues of press freedom and professional ethics with media professionals.
A day to remind governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. Just as importantly, World Press Freedom Day is a day of support for media which are targets for the restraint, or abolition, of press freedom. It is also a day of remembrance for those journalists who lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.

This year, World Press Freedom Day is dedicated to the theme “Media and Good Governance”. To celebrate the day, UNESCO organized a conference in Senegal’s capital Dakar, from 1 to 3 May 2005.

Unfortunately many Arab countries do not believe in press freedom, any kind of criticism is not welcome. Although I think Arab countries are experiencing great improvement in many fields of life, freedom of expression and press freedom have not yet reached a safe constructive level.
Today is a very important chance to call for the rights of journalists who are suffering, experiencing torture and being thrown in prison or receiving threats that include them and their families for simply expressing their opinion.
I’m sure that when granted their rights and their freedom, we’ll witness more positive developments in our countries; respect will replace fear, creativity will replace hesitance, and success will replace failure.

  • UNESCO Remembers Assassinated Journalists
  • World Press Freedom Prize 2005
    • Category: Arab Societies, General, Media, International | LEAVE A COMMENT
    April 22 2005

    Mawlid Nabawi Mubarak

    So yesterday was the Mawlid Nabawi (or the Mouled as it’s said in some dialects) which marks the birth of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). I wish all Muslims of the world had a blessed Mawlid… 1 day late, but I had no time to blog yesterday 😉
    Like all Muslim occasions, the goal is to remember events, celebrate them by keeping in touch with families, getting closer to religion and helping others in any way possible. It was never about partying all night long, or spending big amounts of money or any selfish, or materialistic perspective.
    And like all occasions, Mawlid is celebrated in different ways across the Muslim world. One of the traditions that come along this occasion is preparing something sweet and sharing it with close ones and families. Each country chooses something specific to prepare, or simply prepare any kind of sweets, nothing special. Point is, celebrating in a close kind of way.

    Yet in Tunisia, there’s this kind of sweet that is specially prepared for the occasion of Mawlid, you hardly find it in other times of the year. It’s called: Assida. An extremely delicious Tunisian delicacy prepared with something called: Zgougou, a very cute name for the black seeds of a Pine-like tree. I think that tree is called: Sarw in Arabic (Sarwel in Tunisian). And what shocks me is the fact that these trees are available in the Middle East in big quantities, yet I’ve never seen Zgougou being eaten in any other country but Tunisia, and for that I love Tunisians 🙂 I think all countries that have these trees should start eating those little seeds!
    This is a picture of how Assida looks when it’s done:
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    Anyway, when I first came to Tunisia and Mawlid came, I knew they cook this Assida, but I didn’t know how should it taste in the end, should it be more of a liquid or a solid sweet! So I simply followed a book of Tunisian Cuisine and the result was somehow fine for a first time, it was a bit too sweet and a bit too dry. Anyway, on that day I tasted Assida prepared by Tunisians and knew how it should be. So next year I was determined to make it right, problem was Tunisia had a shortage in Zgougou because most of the trees were ruined by excess waters. So I couldn’t prepare Assida.
    But this year, I was determined more than ever, I mean being married to a Tunisian, living in Tunisia and loving this delicacy are enough reasons for me to feel ashamed of myself for not making it right. So when I left work, I went to buy the stuff I need, got back home and started the party 😉 I enjoyed every little bit of the preparation although I was alone and dead tired!
    First I grounded the seeds bit by bit with my coffee grounder 🙂 Then I started mixing and squeezing the seeds in water, added flour, cooked it, struggled to keep it smooth….etc. (Here are some illustrated steps(FR), but I used different ingredients and there are some differences in the method of cooking, so this is just to give a general idea).
    In short, it took me 4 hours to prepare it and cook it! After I was done I realized I forgot to bring the nuts and other ingredients used to decorate, so I went to Carrefour around 9:30 p.m. and got what I needed.
    I was so afraid that my efforts will go down the drain, but my husband (a big fan of Assida) gave me his quality-control certification, and I passed with honor 😉 Not only this, but my mother in law, of course a professional in Tunisian cooking, loved it 🙂
    So yes I’m so happy, so proud, and my efforts paid off. Now I made sure I can cook the hardest recipes of the Tunisian cuisine and they will taste really good 🙂
    I love cooking…

  • Related: Mouled & Assida
    • Category: Arab Societies, Religion, Tunisia | LEAVE A COMMENT
    April 20 2005

    Children, Oh Poor Children

    This morning on my way to work, I couldn’t but taste the bitterness of life as I saw a little child (around the age of 8) working that early, in a mechanic shop. One arm burdened with a heavy roll of large wires, while his hand is rolling the rest of loose wires on the ground, his hair puffed with dust, his clothes stamped with car oil and his feet barely keeping the balance, but his face… a very weird mixture of joy, fear, desperation and exhaustion. Joy for having the chance to watch children his age, clean, happy, active, ambitious, laughing in groups while walking their way to the neighborhood school right across the street. He pictures himself doing the same one day, holding his own books, having his own friends, entering the neighborhood school. Mixed with fear of being caught looking at the children and not the wires, caught by the young man in the back watching him… the shop owner most probably.
    With a sudden desperation for realizing that his hopeful dreams may never come true, his future has been determined the minute he set foot in that mechanic shop…and… exhaustion. Working all day long, doing a job designed for those with tougher bodies, older people, those who have completed their education and decided to do this for a living out of passion for the career, or, out of lack of other choices. But wait, what if those older ones were just like him. Children getting no chance to be like others, worrying about the money they’ll earn in the end of each day to feed their starving stomachs, pay the rent for their families, get medicine and simple basic things.
    What if the owner watching sees the reflection of his childhood in that hard working boy! It means generations have been wasted, many are being wasted, and more will be wasted in future.
    Whether forced by someone or by miserable circumstances,whether his boss is harsh or gentle, what hurts me the most is the fact that this boy- like many others- is missing a lot just for being him. If he was born to rich parents, he wont miss anything, and if he does, it’ll be his own choice, because he doesn’t have to worry about money…

    Child labour, such a myth. On one hand, we know that poor families can’t afford giving a normal childhood to their kids, and may not survive if the kids stopped working. But on the other hand, we can’t but feel sorry for their wasted childhood, who cannot be called childhood any longer, for they’ve skipped the careless stage to find themselves holding big serious responsibilities.
    Knowing their condition, it’s not fair to force them to stop work, and it’s so wrong to watch them continue wasting their lives…

    If we weren’t so self-centred, no child would waste his childhood, and if he had to work, he’ll do lighter jobs, after he’s done with his school. In a better world, poor families will get aid, they wont be left to struggle alone, while others drive their fancy cars and look for new designer clothes to replace the ones they got last month.
    But unfortunately our world sucks big time! Child labour is at its peak. Child traffic is growing, and child abuse is common practise!
    Not only this, but parents have reached an unbelievable level of using their children, a level where they’re ready to RENT their children in return of money! (link via: Subzero Blue). Yes, anything for money, anything for satisfying our cheap and filthy desires! Worst part is: we find excuses and we always convince ourselves and others that we’re doing the right thing!

    I can’t get the picture of that boy out of my head, I can still see his hesitant smile, his tired face, and his little body standing the weight and the hard work. But what good would that do him and everyone in his situation? NOTHING!
    This post remains a set of words, his picture in my mind remains a bitter shot, and his suffering will continue, everyday, he will be happy, afraid, desperate and exhausted. And everyday in that shop will add few cents to his pocket, and steal away years of his future…

    Category: Arab Societies, General | LEAVE A COMMENT
    April 14 2005

    Blame It On People…Not Religion

    Loyal readers of my blog know very well that I do post general knowledge about Islam every now and then, to help clear the picture of Muslims that has become –thanks to the irresponsible media and racism in the world- a very blurred and ugly one.
    Apparently, a report published on al-Arabiya’s website showing the statistics of a survey in Jordan on wife-beating took more attention than it should.
    The report(AR), via our friend Mariam, says that over 80% of Jordanian women support wife-beating!
    What do I think? I think it’s extreme BULLSHIT! If more than 80% of Jordanian women support it, why neither I nor any one of the people I know in school, university, work, through family, neighbours or elsewhere were suffering wife-beating! Or maybe I, and the ones I know, and my friends and the people they know, and their friends and the people they know in different neighbourhoods are all within the 20% who does not support wife-beating! Maybe, why not!

    Unlike what this report is trying to show, Jordanian women both Christians and Muslims enjoy a great deal of freedom, democracy and respect. There are different faces of family violence in Jordan and in the Arab world in general, just like there is family violence in Europe and the US.
    Anyway, I’m very proud to say that unlike many other countries Jordan has several campaigns to fight family violence, and provides shelters for women who are being subject to abuse or physical/sexual harassment.
    Of course family violence and wife-beating come for many reasons such as violent personalities, personal mentalities, some wrong habits inherited along with tradition, or the illiterate backward surroundings!
    What I found so typical is the unnecessary relating of this report to Islam! Jeff advised me to read some comments on this subject. Frankly, I wasn’t shocked of the amount of anti-Muslim comments posted. Anyway since this isn’t the first time –and probably not the last- that Islam and Muslims are being held responsible for everything, I would only like to say few things for those who are interested in knowing the right thing. If you’re not interested, this isn’t your place.

    Why do people, just LOVE attacking Islam. Did anyone force them to convert to Islam? Guys, if you think it’s a shitty religion, if you choose to follow the rumours of it being full of violence, discrimination, and terror, then you’re free, why waste your time and ours on your attacks! Can’t you simply live in peace and let us enjoy our lives?
    When it’s something pro-Islam, no one mentions it, when it’s against Islam, the whole world knows about it. When a Nobel Prize winner is Muslim, when a great scientist is Muslim, when a popular personality is Muslim, no one notes it. When there is a suspicion that a crime/terrorist attack was performed by a Muslim, it becomes an international scandal!
    Many people repeat: “in Islam women are inferior, they are nothing”, and start quoting things that don’t suit the situation, they take a verse, cut most of it, strip it out its context and voila: a creative sentence to be used against Muslims.
    But something like the prophets’ advice to men in handling women gently as if they were glass! NO ONE repeats it! Something like: Islam was the first religion to give women the right of divorce if they didn’t want to continue with their husbands! NO ONE talks about that.
    I hear no one talking about women’s position in Muslim history, when they went to fight with men, or when they were asked for their opinion in serious matters!

    The number of people who devote themselves to fight Islam just amazes me!! They spend money, effort and time just to try to prove it’s really bad! I don’t understand the magnet that attracts all kinds of people once I post something pro-Islam! I get bombarded with pointless questions and silly claims. Few are the ones who look for a fruitful discussion and ask to know not to fight!

    To all those who think Islam is the reason behind wife-beating, check out the statistics of surveys of women being hit constantly in France, wives beaten to death in USA! Or well, maybe Muslims there did all these things, right!
    It’s really pathetic that people who call for democracy are the only ones who practice racism.
    I said it once and will say it now and forever: Religion is peaceful by nature, and Islam is no exception. If you want to get this, it’s great. If not, it’s up to you, but before you accuse or condemn, refer to correct sources and know what you’re talking about before making a fool out of yourself.

    One last question, if you give a person a knife, what would that person do with it? (s)he’d either use it to cut things while cooking, or open tins, or simply keep it there for self-defence in case (s)he were attacked. OR, (s)he’d go threaten others, blackmail them, or even kill them!
    The knife is the same, but was used in different ways, and so is religion. Don’t put the blame on religion, nor its instructions, it’s the people and their misapplication that are to blame.
    And learn to respect each other’s religions, because, really, it’s a shame to waste each others time offending and attacking.

    Category: Arab Societies, General, Jordan, Religion, Women | LEAVE A COMMENT
    April 5 2005

    Green Roofs

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    With the rapid expanding of population, suburbs have become densely populated where all the available land has been used up for construction, which forced governments to build on fertile soil, losing this soil forever.
    The consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables is low since no garden space is left available, people have to buy products from the market, and most of the families have limited financial resources and unemployment is rising.
    The roofs of homes are used for storing trash and old stuff which creates a suitable environment for insects, rats and reptiles growth.
    How could this problem be solved? Answer is: Green Food from Green Roofs(GFGR).
    GFGR is an amazingly impressive project suggested in Egypt and is being discussed by Amr Khaled’s “Life-Makers” program, a program that aims at improving life through practicing real Islam in its moderate and tolerant sense.

    GFGR is specifically targeted at the poorer families living in the densely populated suburbs where it will not only facilitate the availability of fresh vegetables for home consumption but it will also create a source of income.

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    The project will benefit from the empty spaces on the building and houses roofs and fill them with plants and trees, which will help fight pollution with minimum expenses, basic available material and without the need for extra space or soil. Other than that, it’ll add a beautiful touch to the sight and improve the outlook of the place and the whole city in general.
    Not to forget the fact that planting will provide a constructive way to fill a person’s free time and grow the sense of beautifying in the individual.

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    If you have any questions, or seek professional assistance, instructions of any kind related to planting your roof, you can send an email to: gfgr[at]lac.claes.sci.eg

    Also read this excellent article in Arabic about the project where you can find breathtaking pictures of planted roofs.

    I hope all Arab countries will apply this project to help reduce pollution, provide a living for poor families, beautify cities, increase productivities, and produce bio-vegetables and fruits.

    Via: Serdal(AR).

    Category: Arab Societies, General, Nature & Environment | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 30 2005

    Latest Craze In Jordan: K & K :)

    I just came across this beautiful Star article written by Mike Derderian about the latest craze in the Jordanian fast food industry: K& K. Read on to know what K & K stands for.

    He wrote:
    The latest craze in the Jordanian fast food industry is not a new burger and fries franchise or an international brand name coffee product for that matter. It’s K&K, which as a native Arabic speaker you’ll know stands for Kurash and Kaware’, a long forgotten traditional plate—especially among the circle of younger generations, who grew accustomed to the flavor and hype of fast food suburbia.
    “We opened up the place on July 1, 2004,” said Lina Moughrabi, owner of the K&K, “It was just a thought I had. I was thinking out loud when Dr Munir Naouri, who now is my partner told me to go ahead and do it.” Moughrabi believes that people no longer like to spend much needed time preparing such a meal that it almost disappeared from the Jordanian cuisine. Kurash and Kaware’ is indeed becoming an ancient cooking recipe, day by day modern Jordanian housewives are shunning away from it, avoiding the long hours spent in a kitchen where the aroma of spices, minced meat, rice and chick-peas lingers among the sweltering cooking pans. “We wanted to resurrect traditional food cooking and serve it in a modern style. Anyone coming to our place can order anything from our menu that includes Kurash and Kaware’, sheep’s head meat, forelimbs and hind limbs, in addition to Fattet Kaware’,” added Moughrabi, “Its all available.”
    As a customer pushes open the entrance door, he faces a stairway that leads to a dining room with 18-seat capacity. The clientele can enjoy their meals on the premises as if at the comfort of their home, or they can simply order a takeaway meal. Those eating at K&K can savor Kurash and Kaware’ in three different servings: Grilled, boiled or cooked with Jameed (cooked yogurt).
    All the ingredients used in preparing this delicacy that originated in Syria are sanitized and cleaned properly said Moughrabi.
    The hustle and bustle of Moughrabi’s kitchen starts at 8:00 am, when preparations for the first meal starts, which would be ready by 1:30 pm. “Everything has to be fresh, that is why we sometimes prepare two to three meals a day,” added Moughrabi, “We take our customer’s orders early in the morning, to have enough time.”
    Located in a back alley, K&K is literally out-of-sight, Moughrabi says that it is word-of-mouth that has been bringing in customers to her kitchen. “People coming to our place can simply climb down the stairs and watch how we prepare our Kurash and Kaware’.

    Well I must admit I’m not a fan of such delicacies, but this article got me excited and I wont mind trying.
    By the way, did anyone of you in Jordan try this place out? If not, then it’d be great if you go and let us know what you think. It’ll also be wonderful if you could take some pics and post them, I’m really curious 😉

    Category: Arab Societies, General, Jordan | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 29 2005

    Rest In Peace…

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    [www.alghad.jo]

    Still can’t believe Ahmad Zaki’s dead!
    His death, although somehow expected after a long struggle with cancer, yet it shocked millions of his fans…
    Just came across a pic of his funeral, thank you for sharing Raynahe.

    Death comes whenever, wherever, however it comes, no one can stop that. But we can all remember that we’re mortal, and our lives should serve one goal: making this world a better place to live.

    Let’s all pray for his soul, inna lillah wa inna ilayhi raji’oun!

  • Related: This is Cairo, and Hou-Hou Blog(FR).
    • Category: Arab Societies, Entertainment, General | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 25 2005

    For Lebanon…

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    “I entrust this dear country, Lebanon, and its good people to God, and I express, from all my heart, my thanks and my gratitude to all those who cooperated with me the last period”… Rafik Al Hariri

    40 days ago, the Arab world lost one of its greatest figures, yes the Arab world, not only Lebanon, the loss of Rafik Al Hariri broke the hearts of all those who knew him, in Lebanon, and outside it.

    I really find myself speechless everytime I wish to write what I feel concerning this great tragedy, this awful crime, this brutal assassination…

    But one thing I can always say, and will always say: Rafik Al Hariri will always be alive in our hearts with his good deeds and his devotion to his country Lebanon and his faith in the Arab world.

    God bless Lebanon and the Lebanese people, and may God protect them from any bad incidents.

    May his soul rest in peace… Inna Lillah Wa Inna Ilayhi Raji’oun…

    Links of notice: For Lebanon, and Hariri.org.

  • Related: The Truth… For Lebanon
    • Category: Arab Societies, General | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 17 2005

    Reviving The Tunisian Culture

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    Yesterday Tunisia celebrated the Day for National Handcrafts and Traditional Costume. A day that Tunisians use to revive their beautiful culture and its different trends that have been preserved throughout the years.
    Other than the exhibitions, seminars and the discounts on many items of the traditional costumes and handcrafted products, many Tunisians wear their traditional costumes on that day on their way to work (mostly in the public sector), which I find simply amazing.
    Among the traditional costumes there is the “barnous”, the “qoftan”, and the most famous traditional Tunisian costume: the “Djebba”, which –in the case of men- has a loose wide form, decorated with handmade broidery, and comes in different colors. The female Djebba on the other hand has a different tighter form, the hand broidery is more noticeable and the colors are shinier.

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    Of course wearing the Djebba isn’t limited to that day alone. Tunisians wear their traditional costumes on family occasions like weddings, or outeyya (a party for the bride few days before the wedding) or on cultural events. It is also popular to wear Djebba during Hadj (Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca).
    The material used for Djebba differs and the prices differ accordingly. When handmade the Djebba is more expensive than when made by machines. And of course the beauty of the handmade Djebba is worth every Millime. The designs of Djebba also vary from one city to the other, but the general outcome is somehow the same.
    The Djebba has become very popular, even tourists run to buy one.
    I must say this one day celebration is very impressive and unveils a very beautiful side of the Tunisian national heritage that should make every Tunisian proud.

    Speaking of this occasion, if you’re in Tunisia, don’t miss the “22ème Salon de la Création Artisanale”, an annual exhibition that offers a very wide and stunning range of Tunisian handcrafted and traditional products.
    The exhibition takes place in Parc des Expositions du Kram, will start today March 17th, and will be open till March 26th.
    I go there every year, it’s really amazing.

  • Sources: Préparez les djebba pour la rencontre des amis(FR),Journée nationale de l’habit traditionnel et de l’artisanat(FR), Celebrations(AR), (AR).
    • Category: Arab Societies, Tunisia | LEAVE A COMMENT