Sharq Salon brought together artists and activists in myriad informal spaces and settings in seven countries to support and encourage creative collaborative expression and exploration.
the salons offered guests opportunities to experience and learn about different artistic forms and network with cultural actors connected to the region and offered authors and artists an opportunity to showcase their work and interact with potential partners.
Beirut | Art & Activism | 2012-2019
the screening of a documentary about the Arab Spring and an artist’s presentation of his work inspired by the region were both followed by question-and-answer sessions with the audience. musical performances of original Arabic jazz numbers and Arabic rap were followed by opportunities for guests to meet and mingle with each other and the artists. a poetry evening that brought to Beirut one of Damascus’ most recognisable cultural events invited all to recite and sing works they had written or admired.
Europe | Promoting Peaceful Coexistence | 2019
adopting the inclusive informal approach of the salons hosted in Beirut over seven years, Sharq Salon produced a series of seven story sharing events in 2019 in partnership with diverse people and places in five countries: Beirut, Larnaca, Berlin, Marseille and London. powered by the same fuel that brought to life the oral history collection Peaceful Coexistence in the Diaspora, these gatherings aimed at promoting and facilitating understanding among and between locals and migrants in Europe.
Europe | Enhancing Belonging | 2020
Syrian migrants and native residents in the Netherlands, Cyprus, France and Norway came together for intercultural gathering that aimed to enhance community cohesion through culture and to amplify the stories published by sharq.org in the oral history collection Stories of Belonging.
Online | Exploring Conflict & Identity | 2021
like many civic and creative initiatives, sharq.org adapted to the restrictions imposed during the pandemic and hosted gatherings online. one series of discussions hosted thirty professionals from diverse sectors to consider different elements of identity and belonging. they included exploration of experiences unique to migrants and to women. this series of discussions was hosted alongside the production of the oral history collection Conflict, Migration and Identity.
