Sharq.Org invites groups of people with roots in Arab world countries to apply for the newly established Mahmoud Maghribi Pluralism Award. Groups of people of any age with roots in any Arab world country are invited to propose a creative collaborative project that addresses the themes of displacement, identity and belonging.
The Award
Up to five projects will be supported in the inaugural round, which will be open for applications soon
Selected groups will receive a financial grant of between $500 and $1,000
Selected groups will benefit from a month of weekly online mentoring / facilitation sessions with a creative professional who will guide them through the development of their output
Outputs of supported projects will be exhibited online as part of a curated collection addressing the themes of displacement and belonging in the Arab world
Eligibility
1. Proposed projects
All projects must address the themes of displacement, identity and belonging.
Only proposals for projects that involve the production of a creative output produced as a collaborative effort between members of a group will be considered.
The duration of a project – the time during which group members work together to further develop their concept and produce the finished work – must be between 5 and 7 weeks.
Finished outputs with no capacity for development will not be considered. Only projects that involve the production or development of work as a result of the award will be considered.
2. Applicants
Applications must be submitted by groups of no less than two people, each of whom have roots in an Arab world country (though not necessarily the same country).
Each member of a group must reside in a different country.
While applications by people in the diaspora are encouraged, groups must include at least one person currently residing in an Arab world country.
New collaborations are highly encouraged. Members of a group needn’t have collaborated together before.
This Award is named after Mahmoud Maghribi, who lived a vibrant and eclectic life. He was Palestinian, Libyan, Syrian and British. He was a lawyer, a factory worker, a teacher and a writer. He lived poor, then lived well. He left education early, then went on to earn a PhD. He was an ambassador, a prime minister, a prisoner and a refugee. Despite all these experiences, he was not a man of many faces. He was comfortable in his skin and confident in his identity. His experience of different circumstances however gave him a great strength to be able to understand and appreciate others, no matter their background, circumstances, luck or challenges. He treated all with respect and humanity and that is what we believe we must all strive for if we are to build a stronger and bolder society. Mahmoud Maghribi lived a long and shortened life, a life of many, and this award aims to honour his legacy
