Read The Mena (2024)

08/06/2024

What is happening in Sudan is in fact a genocide hundreds of thousands of Sudanese civilians are being killed and displaced. 25 million, over half of Sudans popular is in need of humanitarian assistance. Our hearts are with Sudan.

Photograph by Sudanese photographer Hassan Kamil

06/06/2024

Bedouin woman, Palestine.
📷: Fadi Thabet

28/04/2024

Photograph of the Marshes and their people. They are Arabian inhabitants of the Mesopotamian marshlands in the modern-day south Iraq.

23/01/2024

A bookseller praying in Amman, Jordan.
Photo by

01/12/2023

Art by Sudanese artist and painter reemaljeally

30/11/2023

Palestine Juice 1960

29/11/2023

Marwan Makhoul, the poetic alchemist of identity and belonging, weaves verses that serve as a poignant journey through the maze of self-discovery. In the embrace of his words, he confronts the profound struggle of tethering one’s essence to a homeland seized by the relentless occupation and struggle. Born of a lineage adorned with dual cultural hues, Makhoul draws from the source of his Palestinian father and Lebanese mother, distilling their legacies into verses that resonate with the echoes of a homeland, both lost and found. His poetry emerges as an artful exploration, navigating the contours of displacement, heritage, and the ineffable quest for a sense of place within the ever-shifting landscapes of the heart.

23/11/2023

The Palestinians are lovers of life.

20/11/2023

With the rise of digital media, being literate in various forms of media is essential. Digital discernment helps individuals analyze and interpret media messages, distinguishing between fact and opinion, and recognizing biases that may be present.

19/11/2023

In times of deep grief and injustice, seen starkly in places like Palestine, Sudan, and across the region, there’s a collective pondering on how to bear this heavy sorrow. The struggle to turn it into something robust and productive persists. Whether we express our angst online in a bid to stir awareness, or withdraw from the digital noise, deeming it futile, the most genuine solace may reside in our communities. The strongest remedy for collective grief might just be in the people around us.

19/11/2023

Homeland, Identity, and Belonging: a collection close to our hearts, aiming to explore the distinctive tapestry of culture and belonging. From those dispersed in diaspora to those rooted in the motherland, a profound connection to identity unfolds, especially in nations marred by the scars of war, conflict, and displacement. Among these narratives is the story of the third culture kid, straddling two worlds yet never fully merging with either. Consequently, a third culture takes shape—a singular blend of their ancestral roots and the culture of their newfound shelter.

Do you relate to this term? We’d love to hear your experience in the comments.

18/11/2023

Khartoum based Sudanese photographer .kheir

First photo: Khartoum State of Mind
Second photo reveals the dire state of the people of Sudan as 3000 people are evacuating daily.

The UN says that more than half the population needs humanitarian aid, and 5.3 million people have been displaced. Praying for Sudan 🇸🇩

17/11/2023

Organizations are like people, they are not robotic entities devoid of values and principles. Just as we are selective with the individuals we support, similarly that selectivity should apply to organizations in hopes of creating conscious, mindful investments that shape our society.

Remember that conscious consumption is an ongoing process, and it’s okay to start small. As you become more aware of your choices, you can gradually make adjustments to align with your values. Additionally, sharing your knowledge and experiences with others to contribute to a broader shift towards conscious consumption.

17/11/2023

الوطن | The Motherland

27/10/2023

Journalist Wael Dahdouh’s wife, son and daughter were killed in an Israeli airstrike which targeted a shelter house they had fled to. He received the news while on air covering the Israeli strikes on Gaza. Another journalist, Mohammad Al Farra, suffered a similar fate receiving the news that his family has been killed. These are the only voices sharing the accounts of those in Palestine and have suffered an unspeakable loss in doing so. Hearts of Arabs and Middle Easterners across the world are filled with pain and anguish. Even condolences feel empty and hollow. Human lives must be protected.

We pray for the lives lost and suffering in Palestine, and seek to amplify the voices of the suppressed.

25/10/2023

We’ve borne witness to a stark and disturbing injustice, an underlying double standard within the realm of content advocating for Palestine on social media. These platforms have an alarming propensity for veiling the grievous offenses committed by Israel while simultaneously quashing the voices of Palestinian advocates. They may cloak our content with the label of “sensitive,” but the truth is, they’re systematically muffling our voices.
This double standard is not confined solely to the algorithms of social media; it casts a shadow over the global response to the conflict. One nation receives unwavering support, regardless of the human toll, while the other endures ceaseless suffering. Any attempt to shed light on this ethnocidal crisis is met with merciless suppression.
In the face of this collective frustration over our suppression, it’s crucial to recall that silence doesn’t descend upon the weak; it targets the powerful, the outspoken. There’s an unmistakable shift in global sentiment, a mounting awareness. As they endeavor to silence us, we must stand resolute in our activism, unwavering in our support. This is our moment to stand tall and unyielding, unyielding in our support, as we confront adversity head-on. We must also remember the significance of sharing our history, providing the context, and shaping our narrative, for it all holds tremendous value.

25/10/2023

We’ve borne witness to a stark and disturbing injustice, an underlying double standard within the realm of content advocating for Palestine on social media. These platforms have an alarming propensity for veiling the grievous offenses committed by Israel while simultaneously quashing the voices of Palestinian advocates. They may cloak our content with the label of “sensitive,” but the truth is, they’re systematically muffling our voices.
This double standard is not confined solely to the algorithms of social media; it casts a shadow over the global response to the conflict. One nation receives unwavering support, regardless of the human toll, while the other endures ceaseless suffering. Any attempt to shed light on this ethnocidal crisis is met with merciless suppression.
In the face of this collective frustration over our suppression, it’s crucial to recall that silence doesn’t descend upon the weak; it targets the powerful, the outspoken. There’s an unmistakable shift in global sentiment, a mounting awareness. As they endeavor to silence us, we must stand resolute in our activism, unwavering in our support. This is our moment to stand tall and unyielding, unyielding in our support, as we confront adversity head-on. We must also remember the significance of sharing our history, providing the context, and shaping our narrative, for it all holds tremendous value.

Opinion piece by Sara Khatib

19/10/2023

It is enough for me to die on my land  to be buried in her to melt and vanish into her soil 
then sprout forth as a flower that a child from my country will pick  
all I ask is to remain in my country’s embrace to be close to her as a handful of dust 
as soil
grass  a flower

Fadwa Tuqan

17/10/2023

Ever Alive, a work penned by Palestinian poet Fadwa Tuqan, serves as a powerful vessel of resistance. Tuqan employs the art of poetry to illuminate the unyielding struggle of the Palestinian people against colonial oppression. It speaks to the profound yearning for a homeland, cruelly wrested away, an identity under perpetual scrutiny, and the relentless, normalized perpetration of violence. With unwavering conviction, she proclaims that Palestine's resilience is unshakable.

In the great words of Fadwa Tuqan's words, 'Life will be born within again.' 🇵🇸

06/10/2023

Remember the days of our youth when the Repairman was an influential figure in our lives? Back then, the mantra was clear: if something was broken, we fixed it. But here's the twist – our generation might be the last of the 'Fixers.' Why, you ask? Allow me to introduce you to the newer generations: The Consumers. Let me clarify, I'm not here to point fingers. It's not their fault; it's how they've been raised.
The world's shift towards rampant consumption has reshaped mindsets, making it difficult for the Fixers to adapt. This transformation marked the beginning of a replacement saga. Got a torn dress? Why bother fixing it when you can just toss it and buy a new one? The message was clear: fixing things isn't cost-effective.
Unfortunately, this mentality extended far beyond material possessions; it seeped into the very fabric of the Consumers' lives, especially in relationships. It's disheartening to see how they feel cornered at the slightest sign of trouble, whether with family, friends, colleagues, or partners. The Consumers' reflex is to think, 'If it's broken, replace it.'
The Repairman, symbolizing the older and wiser voices in our lives, has faded into obscurity, both metaphorically and literally. Unless the Consumers recognize their mindset and consciously work to change it, profound, enduring relationships will remain relics of the past.
Piece by Laila Kassab

10/07/2023

“We lived there; we were born there. We bathed in its atmosphere. Egypt, at the time, was a country of unique sweetness, with a cultural mix that was extraordinary — all these languages, all these cultures, all these religions, all these people who rubbed shoulders, who were dating… There was no discomfort, no aggression. There was such a sweetness of life. We had a beautiful childhood in Egypt. Dalida adored Egypt, she always remained faithful to it, and, moreover, after a few years, she began to sing in Egyptian,” said in response to a question by Arab News on how connected Dalida felt to Egypt.

It makes us think about the idea of belonging and nationhood and how different groups identity with nations based on their unique experiences.

A sense of belonging isn’t uniform, it looks different for different people. Whether the attachment develops through language, birth, or even stories that have been inherited from our ancestors we all have an insatiable need to belong.

In memory of Dalida, the cairo born Italian-French artist that gave us the popular hit song “Helwa ya Baladi,” which still rings in the hearts of millions in the MENA and across the world.

06/07/2023

What brings you a sense of peace?

05/07/2023

What brings you peace?

05/07/2023

Make those waves last.

02/07/2023

Some of life’s greatest musings by Lebanese poet and writer Khalil Gibran. The last piece is our favorite.

Read The Mena

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