As part of MACFEST’s International Festival programme, Dr. Miryam Francois hosts a lively conversation on the challenges of Islamophobia, in which a diverse group of panelists discuss the ongoing discrimination and rising number of hate crimes faced by British Muslims and communities around the world.
From 2pm on Sun 2 Jun, renowned history and author on Islamic civilisation Dr. Salah Eddine Al-Djazairi joins Luzita Ball for a profoundly engaging conversation on Islam’s view of nature, unpacking the code of conduct for individual behaviour towards other sentient beings and our surrounding environment.
Across ninety informative minutes, Dr. Salah examines the environmental challenges faced by several Muslim countries around the world, while Luzita explains the core tenets of positive environmental impact and offers ecological solutions to the ongoing climate crisis.
On Sun 16 Jun, Indonesian lecturers Harry Nuriman, Iwan Sulistiawan and Rini Maulina lead a free afternoon of fascinating insights into their vibrant native culture. Harry and Iwan will expound on their unique shared creative project, in which they fashion electric guitars into traditional Indonesian weapons, exploring methods of cultural conversation while celebrating Sudanese philosophy.
Rini, an accomplished Batik artist, hosts a captivating painting session with a focus on the Mega Mendung Batik method alongside West Javan styles, before Harry and Iwan close the event with a performance on their special instruments.
On Sat 6 Jul, the American librarian, linguist and traveller Dr. David Hirsch explores the significant contributions of Arab comics across several decades of artistry.
From sociopolitical issues to science fiction, Arab comics boast a storied history of topical outreach, providing a uniquely engaging platform for graphic artists and storytellers to delve deeper into a wide range of themes across Islam and the universal human experience while maintaining their regional identity.
Hailed for his advocacy of Pakistan’s rich arts and crafts heritage, diplomat and Ambassador Imran Ahmed Siddigui hosts a memorable online session celebrating the exhibition Pakistan’s Islamic culture: A Timeless Legacy.
Alongside presenters Akhtar Nazir khan, Asghar Ali and Sumaira Amin, Siddiqui elucidates the depth of Pakistani culture through calligraphy, Mughal-style miniature and carpet-weaving, on three Pakistani art forms: Calligraphy, carpet-weaving and Mughal style miniature art, in which creators capture stories with spellbinding craftsmanship and mesmerising precision
Presented live from Hawaii, Manchester-born children’s author Rukhsanna Guidroz reveals her methods for bringing abstract ideas to fruition through her novel Samira Surfs, offering insights into overcoming writer’s block and trusting your instincts to progress from an embryonic creative spark to a fully-fledged story.
Live from Dublin’s world-renowned Chester Beatty museum, Dr. Moya Carey chairs a one-off digital event unveiling the institution’s incredible collections from the Islamic World spanning Asia, Africa and Europe, including Cairo Qur’an scrolls to an Istanbul qibla-finder from the Sacred Traditions gallery.
- Words:
- Wolf McFarlane
- Published on:
- Sat 20 Apr 2024
On Sun 26 May, Manchester University Lecturer in Human Geography Dr. Becky Alexis Martin hosts a panel with award-winning Cape Town artists, Hasan and Husain Essop.
As twin brothers and long-time collaborators, the pair discuss the ways in which their photography has brought a deeper understanding of their place in South African Islamic culture, while exploring the various complex issues of place, religion and identity across the East and West.