Stories about Arts & Culture from August, 2009
Malaysia: Muslims can’t watch “immoral” concerts
The political party which banned the concerts of Beyonce, Avril Lavigne and Gwen Stefani in Malaysia is now proposing to ban the "sinful" Michael Learns to Rock concert. Malaysian Muslims...
Arab World: Welcoming Ramadan
Ramadan is an important month in the Muslim calendar. Bloggers writing in Arabic celebrate the month, already in its first week, in this post, where we share some of the...
Palestine: Waiting for the Iftar Cannon in Gaza
The war on Gaza has made many traditions a distant memory. Palestinian blogger Hazem [ar] laments the end of a Ramadan ritual, which his grandfather remembers and which is no...
East Timor: Abe Barreto Soares’ Poetry for Nation Building
He calls himself a “wanderer like anyone else” but Abe Barreto Soares is also a poet, a translator and an active blogger. In this interview, he talks about Timorese nationalism,...
Japan: What to do with “Media Arts”
For a nation working to capitalize its “soft power”, what is the role of anime and manga culture in governmental policies? The official answer is that anime, manga and digital...
Ecuador: The Frustrations of Being a Writer
Being a writer in Ecuador can be frustrating. Whether it is the lack of books available or how politicians use cultural events to spread their message, many authors just want...
