20 years ago, Kamal Naghchband fled Afghanistan’s war and immigrated to France seeking for a peaceful land where he could rebuild his life. He then married, became a loving father of three and gained his life through honest and tough work. Last week, Kamal set a plan to take his family out to the … Continue reading The teaching of hate! !فقه الكراهية
“Tout homme a le droit de partir, c’est son pays qui doit le persuader de rester” Amin MAALOUF, Les Désorientés. “Every man has the right to leave, its his country that should convince him to stay.” Amin MAALOUF, The Disoriented. To leave or not to leave? That is the question on the minds of many … Continue reading To Leave or Not to Leave (ببقا ولاّ بفل)
On November of the year 1943 was the first play of the tragi-comedy titled: "An Independent Republic Called Lebanon", at the national theatre of sectarianism, by a French producer Catroux under the heavy climate of WW2 and at the cross-road of regional powers' repositioning. This first play was followed by several casting sessions in … Continue reading !ويستمر العرض الساخر
I wanted to share with you this poem, by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), which I am sure you'll appreciate. “If” If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If … Continue reading You’ll be a Man, my son!
I survived the Lebanese Civil War, and today, that dark episode is leaving in my heart a bitter taste of a terrible waste and in my mind a set of unanswered questions: why that started? Why it was allowed to continue? Why is there no end date?! why neither reconciliation nor Justice showed up? why … Continue reading What YOU allow, is what will continue !
United we Stand, Divided we Fall ! إما نتحد أو نكمل السقوط
In Gerhard Herm's "the Phoenicians", you can read how much skilled were the inhabitants of the Levant. They were so skilled that noble Greeks - wanting to value their gifts - fake engraved them with symbols relating to Phoenicia... something like today's "made in Japan", "made in Germany" or "made in Switzerland". Another example, related by … Continue reading Whatever you do, do it heartily !
"Ignorance leads to fear, fear leads to hate, and hate leads to violence." Averroes (ابن رشد). What tops the list ?! Ignorance This correlation has been confirmed throughout history and even presently through horrible tragedies, such as: slavery, racism, inquisition, deportation, colonization, genocides, religious wars, witch-hunt, persecution of the physically and mentally disabled, and cruelty to animals, … Continue reading LGBT Rights Are Human Rights
If there is something we utmost need to craft a brighter shared future, that would be definitely not giant statues, giant posters of obsolete "leaders", empty slogans on giant billboards, giant commemorations of fabricated heroes or giant egos... what we need is the Art of Loving each other and our Nation ! That Art of Love … Continue reading !نفس الشمس The Art of Love!
At 93, Stephane Hessel (1917-2013) exhorts us to become outraged about the state of society. Below, we offer you English, French and Arabic excerpts of his writings... “I want you, each and every one of you, to have a reason to be outraged. This is precious. When something outrages you, as Nazism did me, … Continue reading Indignez-Vous ! (!انتفضوا)
I once heard a comment, about industry workers' unions, that went like: if a company treats its people fairly, involves them in its decision making processes and includes them as actors in its future vision's crafting. Then, unions are irrelevant. Thus, the mere existence of unions witnesses that gaps exist. What if we apply this logic … Continue reading Women’s Day, Every Day !
“Imagine, if you will, being on your death bed and standing around your bed are the ghosts of the ideas, the dreams, the abilities, the talents given to you by life. And that you – for whatever reason – you never acted on those ideas, you never pursued that dream, you never used those talents; … Continue reading Dream, Set Goals & Keep Moving!
In 1997, Lebanon signed the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). 21 years after, women - who constitute half of the society and therefore are entitled to have their word in the way the country is run- are still subjected to political and social marginalization...
Come on, admit it. There are things you do in life only because everyone else is doing them. Being different - specially in our society is not seen as good because it is threatening! Our society prefers those who submit themselves to conventions, who are legalistic, silent, nodding, parochial, and dogmatic.
