Rawaa Talass

Read my interview in @ADMiddleEast 👇 Thank you 🙏🏼 for the discussion @byrawaatalass

“There is this idea of opening a new page for the institute.” The @IMArabe (Arab World Institute) in Paris has appointed a new president, Anne-Claire Legendre. A former diplomat, Legendre takes on her new role with enthusiasm and a touch of diplomacy: admiddleeast.com/story/anne-cla…

“There is something exceptional about children: their ability to overcome difficulty and be happy in the moment.” Amidst Israeli bombardment in Lebanon, artist Abed Al Kadiri is offering displaced children a “safe white space” to express themselves: voguearabia.com/article/artist…

“Our message is love. We are all for coexistence. Christ is for everyone.” At a time when Lebanon and the wider region is plunged in deep conflict, a symbolic monument of Christ has arisen to bring a sense of comfort and hope to people’s hearts: voguearabia.com/article/lebano…

Christ entering Jerusalem Wall painting in the interior of the 10th century Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Akdamar, Lake Van.

“What I want to say is that war has always been a very ugly language.” Amidst the ongoing Iran-Israel war, veteran Kuwaiti artist and activist Thuraya Al-Baqsami recalls vivid memories of living through the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990: admiddleeast.com/story/we-woke-…

“Definitely it’s not very common to see a woman designing a mosque.” As we near the end of Ramadan and welcome the Eid season, we survey a selection of five unique mosques planned by female patrons, sovereigns and architects, from Morocco to Bangladesh: admiddleeast.com/story/5-mosque…

“I always think that the person I am today is simply because of my mother.” To mark Mother’s Day in the Arab world on March 21, Vogue Arabia reached out to three notable Arab visual artists to share personal memories of their mothers: voguearabia.com/article/arab-a…

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Please Israel and Iran, find a deserted island, battle it out, and leave the rest of the region in peace.

New wartime billboards around the UAE — where the vast majority of residents are not Emirati citizens.

#ArtnetNews: Art Dubai has delayed its landmark 20th edition as the ongoing conflict in Iran reverberates across the Middle East. The fair, initially set to open to on April 15, will now run from May 14 to 17 at Madinat Jumeirah in what organizers described as a “more focused and flexible format.” The postponement follows weeks of escalating violence that have disrupted travel and logistics, with galleries already pulling out and art shipments largely halted. The decision comes “after very careful consideration” following discussions with stakeholders, a spokesperson for the fair said. “We believe it remains important to create space for artists, galleries and audiences to come together at this time.” The new format of the fair will still be in person, rather than online, and more details will be announced in the coming weeks, organizers said. Read more: bit.ly/4dx7BCz Article by Vivienne Chow __________ Pictured: Art Dubai 2025. Photo: Cedric Ribeiro/ Spark Media for Art Dubai.

After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today. I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby. It has been an honor serving under @POTUS and @DNIGabbard and leading the professionals at NCTC. May God bless America.

“There is nothing that I can do to stop this war, except for doing what I know how to do best, which is to create art.” How visual artists from the Arab world are expressing their thoughts and solidarity amidst the Iran-Israel War: admiddleeast.com/story/enough-w…

The Bank of England (BOE) announced last week that the next generation of banknotes it will issue will feature depictions of wildlife native to the UK, rather than historical figures, including painter J.M.W. Turner. Read more: artnews.com/art-news/news/…

2003 vs 2026 — Javier Bardem. Two decades later, the courage to speak up remains.

In the late '90s, Palestinian Aljazeera presenter Jamal Rayan confronted 'israel's' foreign minister live on air: 'Shimon Peres, your house is on my land, and I have the documents. When will the refugees return?' Peres replied: 'You Arabs have many countries, we will find somewhere for you to go'. Rayan came into work the next day with the legal documents expecting a scolding but he was warmly welcomed by his colleagues and kept his job until his final day. Rayan later explained that his father was a farmer in Haifa. He said that land was the most precious thing to him. Rayan carried those deeds his whole life. Today, he returned to his Lord before he could return to his land. May God have mercy on his soul. Indeed, to God we belong, and to Him, we shall return

In honor of Kuwaiti artist Thuraya Al Baqsami’s 75th birthday… “No to the Occupation” (1990) From my interview with the artist: “I think this artwork will never get old or die, because there’s always suffering happening somewhere in this world.” arab.news/pdbyy

Made of just two ingredients, the Aleppo Soap is so old and culturally significant that UNESCO has listed it as a piece of “intangible cultural heritage,” with only 15 soap-making families left in #Aleppo. Can Syria keep this 3000 year tradition alive? admiddleeast.com/story/aleppo-s…

Winston Churchill will soon disappear from UK banknotes, as the cigar-toting, wartime leader makes way for creatures like hedgehogs and badgers. After a public consultation, the next generation of pound notes will feature native British wildlife, according to the Bank of England. Read more: bloom.bg/4lsPoZ2 📷: Joe Giddens/AFP