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Graffiti by the Graves: Meet the Woman Bringing Art to Cairo’s City of the Dead
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Graffiti by the Graves: Meet the Woman Bringing Art to Cairo’s City of the Dead

In the heart of an Islamic cemetery that 1.5 million Egyptians call home, a cultural initiative led by a Polish architect is bringing graffiti, sculptures, and handcraft workshops to an area plagued by stigma. Valentina Primo speaks to Agnieszka Dobrowolska, the woman behind the project.  Feb 01,2017 A’m Mosaad is sitting outside his carpentry workshop, a...

“They Are Killing Us While We Sleep”
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“They Are Killing Us While We Sleep”

Persecuted, unlawfully arrested, and murdered in their homeland, Oromo refugees flee Ethiopia only to face rejection in Egypt. After two men immolated themselves in Cairo last month, Valentina Primo delves into one of the nation’s most neglected refugee crises.  Aug 17,2016 Dawn had just broken when Abdallah* heard someone banging on the door. Staggering his...

I Married My Cousin: Endogamy in Egypt, Between Tradition and Genetic Concerns
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I Married My Cousin: Endogamy in Egypt, Between Tradition and Genetic Concerns

In most of the world intra-familial marriage is considered blatantly taboo but in many countries, including Egypt, the practice remains commonplace. Valentina Primo meets three cousin couples to talk societal norms, parental pressure, and the potentially dangerous medical ramifications.  Feb 13,2016 A washed winter sunset is looming through the window of this cosy flat in...

Are Egypt’s Christians Leaving Their Homeland?
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Are Egypt’s Christians Leaving Their Homeland?

Statistics indicate that the Christian population across the Middle East has dropped from 13.6% to 4.2% in the past century. As the Egyptian Christian community continues to decrease, Valentina Primo speaks to those leaving the country to unveil the reasons behind this post-modern exodus.  Feb 06,2016 “I’m leaving. I don’t want to live in a...

Inside Little Damascus, the Syrian Neighbourhood in Greater Cairo
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Inside Little Damascus, the Syrian Neighbourhood in Greater Cairo

Forty-five kilometres away from Egypt’s chaotic capital, across the palm-tree-framed highway that leads to the satellite city of 6th of October, there is a bustling neighbourhood that breathes the scents of Syria. At the heart of it stands Alaa Eddin Street, a pedestrian road brimming with Syrian cafés, mahshi restaurants and boza stores, where the...

I Married an Arab Man: Six Women Tell Their Stories
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I Married an Arab Man: Six Women Tell Their Stories

There is a massive cyber-library of gruesome books and articles revolving around the dangers of intercultural marriage, especially when it involves an Arab man, resulting in a global stereotype that configures nothing but prejudice. But is there no experience at the other end of the spectrum? CairoScene speaks to six women and delves into their stories of...

On Being Muslim and Feminist
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On Being Muslim and Feminist

Unorthodox, independent, and intrinsically non-stereotypical, Muslim feminists challenge both Western liberal and Muslim clichés. Valentina Primo speaks to two Egyptian feminist women about religion, culture, and their refusal to be typecast into categories they do not recognise themselves.  Jan 04,2016 “Feminism can be counterproductive. Look at mainstream white feminists, or as I like to call...