Shows
The Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern womenPalestine special with Rania Masri El KhatibThis episode was recorded in homage to the Palestinian people and their unwavering cause. The Silk Narratives lends its mic to remarkable Palestinian voices to share their pain, experience and what their heritage means to them. In this episode I am joined by Rania Masri El Khatib who is one of the most prominent players in the Middle Eastern retail industry, with over 20 years experience in retail, luxury & e-commerce. Rania is also the founder of The RMK Collective, a boutique advisory that supports authentic innovation while empowering brand experiences and connecting regional talents. She's also the podcast host...2023-11-1639 minThe Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern womenSpecial episode: In Conversation with Ricardo KaramRicardo Karam, is one of the Arab region's most celebrated Talk Show Hosts. He's worked tirelessly for decades to 'elevate' his audience's interests and knowledge, so he took the unpopular route of showcasing not singers or politicians but what he calls 'unsung heroes'. Apart from his captivating TV shows, Ricardo is public speaker, author and the founder of 'Takreem' an initiative that sheds a much needed light on Arab achievement everywhere. We speak about everything from his unusual beginnings, how he has managed to keep a 'free voice', what Arabism means to him and why this...2023-10-0541 minThe Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern womenSpecial episode: In Conversation with Ricardo KaramRicardo Karam, is one of the Arab region's most celebrated Talk Show Hosts. He's worked tirelessly for decades to 'elevate' his audience's interests and knowledge, so he took the unpopular route of showcasing not singers or politicians but what he calls 'unsung heroes'. Apart from his captivating TV shows, Ricardo is also the founder of 'Takreem' shedding a much needed light on Arab achievement everywhere. We speak about everything from his unusual beginnings, how he has managed to keep a 'free voice', what Arabism means to him and why this sentiment is today challenged, to of course the rema...2023-10-0542 minThe Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern womenInterview with Rana Salam: the Queen of Arab Pop CultureRana Salam's name is synonymous with Arab pop culture, which she has managed to carefully gather and construct turning old objects and posters into 'vintage chic'. She has partnered with glowing collaborators such as Harvey Nichols in London, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Paul Smith, Sonia Rykiel, Comptoir Libanais, just to name a very few. The faces of Arab divas and celebrities of the 20th century are beautifully captured and made almost eternal on homeware, posters, porcelain dishes etc. that have become signature items of Rana Salam studio. In this interview we speak about her upbringing, her path, and...2023-09-1232 minThe Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern womenRencontre avec Lamia Bousnina (FRENCH)Lamia Bousnina is founder and owner of 'Musk & Amber', one of Tunis' most prestigious art galleries. The Tunisian-born mother of two , was raised in Saudi Arabia, where she fully embraced a cosmopolitan environment equipping her with openness towards others, and a curiosity to always know more and see more. Having studied law in Paris and Geneva, she initially joined the UN where she dreamt of building a career. Her other passion for art and design lead her however to an entirely different path. Lamia thrives on discovering new talents both in Tunis and in the MENA region and i...2023-08-0525 minThe Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern womenLate for Tea with Tamara ChalabiIn conversation with Tamara Chalabi, a cultural entrepreneur and New York Times critically acclaimed author, curator and commissioner who specialises in contemporary Middle Eastern art. The Harvard-trained historian and author of Late for Tea at the Deer Palace, is also co-Founder of Ruya Foundation. We speak about her incredible memoir, Iraq's Golden era, what her Iraqi identity means to her, her father's legacy, as well as Ruya's incredible work in representing Iraq at the Venice Biennale among other things, since Ruya was founded. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are those of the guest an...2023-05-3142 minThe Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern womenUP, close & personal- In conversation with Saudi's 1st female rock climberYasmin Gahtani is Saudi Arabia's 1st female rock climber. She holds a degree in computer programming but found her passion in a sport that is not for the faint hearted. Today, the mother of two twin boys, manages the Rock Climbing Federation under the Ministry of Sports in Saudi. She says she wanted to be a superhero to her boys and speaks about the beauty of the sport. Her fearlessness and softness is admirable to say the least. She also speaks to us about her upbringing and the how the changing climate in Saudi is releasing the potential of man...2023-04-2738 minThe Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern womenA Persian Princess in KuwaitIn conversation with Amira Behbehani, self- taught Kuwaiti Artist. Amira grew up surrounded by art – her uncle is Jawad Boushahri, a renowned Kuwaiti artist and owner of Boushahri Gallery, with whom she worked full time before deciding to become a full time artist. Since she started painting in 2001, she has exhibited locally and worldwide. Being of Iranian descent, her childhood growing up between Kuwait and Iran often served as an inspiration for her artwork. Incredibly compassionate, Amira also uses her art to address important social issues. In 2011, Amira became a member of UN-supported non-profit organisation Peace...2023-04-1341 minThe Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern womenBe Well with LanaJoin me as I sit down with Lana Al Taweel in her family home in Amman. Lana who is not 25, is a King's Collage graduate, a clinical psychologist and the proud founder of Be Well.Lana founded Be Well, with the mission to build a safe space for mental health expression in Jordan through content creation and the provision of psycho-educational therapies that guide self-help and personal development. A bold yet much needed initiative. We discuss how changing attitudes around the topic of mental health is crucial. She tells me about how her journey to fi...2023-04-0621 minThe Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern womenOranges from JaffaIn conversation with Nadine Sayegh, author of Oranges from Jaffa.Born in Beirut to a Palestinian father and a Syrian mother. Nadine grew up in Vienna, where she's today based. She followed a French education and worked for over 20 years as a manager for Coca-Cola in Europe. She now runs together with her husband, one of Vienna's largest laboratories. We discuss her journey into writing Oranges from Jaffa, a true story and a historical document, where she captures the coming of age of her father Nicola Sayegh and gives us a glimpse of his idyllic childhood in...2023-03-2329 minThe Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern womenHer very own ArtineraryIn conversation with Amman-based Art collector and buyer Dina Dabbas Rifai who is also the co-founder of the first Art-fair in Jordan Dar Art Fair. Dina tells us about the story behind the project, and and how her path lead her to dedicating her time to what she loves most: Art and being surrounded by Artists. Direct and faff-free, Dina also shares some of her character traits and life philosophy! Follow the Silk Narratives: https://www.thesilknarratives.com/https://www.instagram.com/thesilknarratives/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrXbpEwxaJ_UB1pSC52-NMA 2023-03-1517 minThe Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern womenThe Power LegalArzu Cakmak is a Vienna based full time lawyer, personal trainer, and fitness instructor at the very hip Super Cycle studio . With her positive energy and contagious determination, Arzu has gathered her very own community that moves with passion. In this episode, we discuss stigma surrounding her identity and how she turned her Turkish roots into an asset. I also try to find out how she manages to juggle so many roles with so much dedication, her habits, and her belief system. We also touch upon the question of body image in the age of Instagram, the imp...2023-03-0832 minThe Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern womenDancing with the AncestorsThe Silk Narratives' very first guest is Amman-based collage artist, Zaina El Said. Zaina comes from a family of political figures and artists. She opens up about the influence her unique Iraqi and Circassian heritage and family history has had on her personality and how the different cultures she grew up surrounded with have shaped her and her magical artwork. Follow the Silk Narratives: https://www.thesilknarratives.com/https://www.instagram.com/thesilknarratives/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrXbpEwxaJ_UB1pSC52-NMA 2023-02-2716 min