21 years and 2 weeks ago on the 16th of June, an extraordinary man was receiving really bad news from his doctor: “You are diagnosed with cancer.” Unlike Walter White from “Breaking Bad,” this legend had already paid his dues and roamed the world criticizing every “broken” system we know today, and he was a […]
Author: Ahmad Damen
Ahmad Damen is a musician, soundtrack composer and an award-winning film director from Ramallah, Palestine.
Abbas & Mustafa
How much do I really relate to the Palestinian living next door? As far as history claims, societies first formed when a group of people decided to gather in caves for protection. So, we are Palestinians because our ancestors happened to live in caves nearby! Ok, ok… it may mean a bit more than that, […]
On the ways up the mountain – Part 2
Following our spirituality, religion and politics discussion, we’d naturally ask: Why is spirituality important? Is it missing in the Arab world? And what is the alternative? We have always associated Europe’s success with its ability to break away from the Catholic Church, start the Renaissance and establish the importance of logic and science over superstition. […]
The mystic, the cleric and the politician – Part 1
What is religion? What is spirituality? I don’t claim to know the answer to these questions. But, maybe creating a distinction between both could make this very complex and vague picture a bit clearer. One way to define the difference is to say, “Religion is the belief in someone else’s experience; spirituality is having your […]
Farewell to the Quarter-Man
If you have been exposed to the songs of Fayrouz and the music of Ziad Rahbani of Lebanon, Qasabji of Egypt or Khammash of Iraq then you definitely have been introduced to the “quarters”. The Arabic music is characterized by several factors and is unique in its own way. It includes the use of sounds […]