Faia and Rihan Younan were born in the village of Al-Malikiyah, Syria, and grew up in the city of Aleppo. They moved to Sweden with their parents when Faia was 11 years old.
Faia studied at Glasgow University and she moved to Beirut when she decided to become a professional singer.Â
'To Our Countries' has had nearly 7 million views.
In August 2015,...
'Beloved Syria - Considering Syrian Perspectives', First Edition, Spring 2016, page 25
The Challenge - Responding to this 21st Century War
This magazine aims to present the perspectives of Syrians who have experience of war in their country and who wish Syria to remain united and secular.
Few deny that there is a proxy war being fought in Syria. Pope Francis has...
In September 2019 on a visit to Damascus, I interviewed Athar, a Syrian woman who has been in her church scout group since she was 15 years old. We chatted in Beit Jabri, a popular restaurant in old Damascus.
Athar explained that her scout group meets once a week for band practice and for activities for the children.
Also, at their...
Souk al Hamediyya is one of Damascus’s most famous landmarks. Throughout the war it has never stopped being the centre of trade and shopping in Syria’s capital. All walks of Syrian life congregate here, and have done so since Roman times. The souk starts at the centre of the modern city and ends at an intact Roman arch and...
In September 2019, Rasha Milhem - Syrian journalist, translator, writer and filmmaker - spoke about 'Restart', the short film she wrote at the end of a diploma course. In April 2019, it won her a 'best scenario' award.
Rasha explained that the movie focuses on people who remained in Syria during the war and their family members who left Syria;...
An RT Documentary, this video was first posted in February 2019, when people living in most Syrian cities and towns could breathe a lot easier, and had cause to look forward to peace.
'Syrian Tango' features a sculptor, Tango dancers, a documentary film maker, and a composer/musician. In giving a voice to these artists, the documentary presents Syrian people at...
Video, September 2019. Susan Dirgham. On the way to Beit Jabri.
In the introduction to her book 'Damascus: Hidden Treasures of the Old City' (Thames & Hudson, 2001), Brigid Keenan begins,
My husband, a diplomat, was posted to Syria in 1993, and I went with him. Very soon, like Isabel, wife of the famous British Consul Richard Burton a hundred and...
Rasha Milhem
In September 2019, on behalf of ‘Beloved Syria’, I interviewed Ms Rasha Milhem, a Syrian translator, news writer, and filmmaker. Rasha has worked for SANA (Syrian Arab News Agency), the Syrian equivalent of the ABC, since 2009. I found her to be eloquent, deep-thinking and passionate. Â
Having studied English Literature, Rasha is keenly interested in the arts and...
In this second part of the interview with Damascus University professor Maamoun Abdulkarim, Professor Maamoun speaks about Syria's 'mosaic', exemplified by his own family. The interview was conducted in a Damascus cafe on 22 September 2019.
When he was director general of antiquities and museums during the worst years of the war in Syria, Professor Maamoun believes his innate understanding...
Foul, or ful, is traditionally eaten for breakfast (or sometimes supper*) in Syria. The main ingredient is broad (fava) beans. Delicious and healthy, there are quite a few variations of foul, and they include vegan or dairy, depending on whether you choose to add yoghurt or not.
The two variations of foul dishes seen in this video were prepared by a Syrian...
