Stories about Arts & Culture from October, 2015
Latin American Art Show in Italy Promotes Compassion for Refugees and Immigrants
MirgrArte Postale explores immigration through 125 art postcards by 96 artists from 14 countries.
Indian Scholars Return Their National Awards to Protest Rising Intolerance
"We have never seen an atmosphere like this in India before. There never was any fear to freely voice one’s opinions."
Mainstream Media Comes Under Fire for ‘Biased’ Coverage of Shia Religious Event
Every year, millions of Shia mark the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain bin Ali, killed 1,300 years ago. Netizens hit back on how mainstream media get it wrong.
Kotatsu or Korsy? Is This Heating Method Japanese or Iranian?
Japan and Iran seem to have common techniques for keeping cozy during the winter seasons.
On Drawing Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution as a Comic Strip

One year after Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution, cartoonist Jason Li reflects on his social advocacy comic experiment.
Fans Step Up After Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei Hits Brick Wall With Lego
"No Lego on my Christmas-Burthday shopping list @LEGO_Group. Not supporting Ai Wei Wei @aiww is very disappointing"
Carrot Syrup, Potato Compresses and Nutmeg Necklaces: Grandma's Remedies From Around the World

An international array of nostrums, cures and concoctions, courtesy the grandmothers of Global Voices community members. Try a few and call us in the morning.
Red Dresses Keep the Memory of Canada’s Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women Alive
Installation art project the REDress Project seeks to draw attention to the injustice faced by Canada's Aboriginal women: about 1,200 Aboriginal women have been murdered or gone missing since 1980.
The Story of an Ethiopian Girl Who Fought Abduction, and the Lawyers Who Saved Her Life
"Difret" means "courage" in the Amharic language. A new film by that name tells the story of an Ethiopian girl who was kidnapped by men to enforce a "traditional" marriage.
The Dark Historical Context Surrounding Chinese President Xi's Arts Speech
"Wang Shiwei told the truth and got himself killed. Then telling lies becomes a trend. Today, lie have replaced everything else."
How Yarn Is Making a Difference in the Lives of Women in Nepal and India
"I think that Darn Good Yarn’s major value is the fact it managed to change the living for hundreds of women in Nepal and India."
What Is #Aldub and Why Is It Trending on Twitter Every Day?
Filipinos all over the world have fallen in love with Aldub, a fictional TV couple who became a social media phenomenon.
Myanmar ‘Cartoonists Have Been on the Side of the People’
"Many say that cartoonists or journalists should not be biased, but must be neutral. It is wrong. They should have bias. They must. By bias, I don’t mean prejudice."
Futureplaces: Porto Hosts Do-It-Together Medialab for Citizen Initiatives
The annual event that turns the city of Porto into a “medialab for citizenship” is coming back to Portugal from October 20 to 24th.
A Man Who Travels the World Not to See Things, But Hear Them
Sound artist Jacob Kirkegaard used to be a musician. But he discovered he'd rather find sounds than make them. Now he records what other people barely notice.
Political Cartoons Defy Censorship to Expose Thai-Style ‘Democracy’
A political cartoonist who criticized Thailand's military-backed government has become the latest journalist to be summoned by the army for "attitude-adjustment."
Belarusian Author and Journalist Svetlana Alexievich Wins 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature

Alexievich is the 14th woman to win a Nobel Prize in Literature, and the first Russian-language author to be granted the honor since 1987, when Joseph Brodsky received the prize.
Why Young North Koreans Are Daring to Wear Skinny Jeans
Danbi is part of a generation of North Korean millennials who don't look to the country's leadership to provide for them in the same way their parents did.
Meet ‘Droncita,’ Mexico's First Graffiti-Artist Drone
On the first anniversary of the Iguala mass kidnapping, Droncita's first act was to graffiti a portrait of Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, demanding his resignation.