Culture Syria advances cultural revival with nine new heritage listings Nine heritage sites have been added to list of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which restored Syria’s membership last year after a 14-year suspension. Syria
Culture Despite war, Lebanon reopens film archive celebrating cinematic history The reopening marks a major effort to preserve Lebanon’s rich cinematic history. Lebanon
Why did the Met Opera lose its Saudi funding deal? The deal, announced as a nonbinding memorandum of understanding last September, would have seen the PIF inject up to $200 million into the opera institution over the next eight years. Saudi Arabia
Analysis 'Is it worth it?' Syria's Sharaa faces backlash over Missy Elliott performance Backlash erupts after dancers perform to Missy Elliott’s “Work It,” exposing the tightrope between Sharaa’s outreach to the West and pressure from his Islamist base. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Week of art, design begins as twin fairs open in Beirut Beirut, a growing regional destination for artists, is showcasing its rich and diverse art scene with weeklong programs dedicated to contemporary art and design. Lebanon
Egyptian filmmaker seeks to reclaim Israel's 'Angel' An Egyptian director is eager to redeem Ashraf Marwan as Egypt's "agent" and not a legendary spy for Israel as the Israeli version of his story hits Netflix. Egypt
To Beirut, with love: Young poet to represent Mideast in world competition Rabab Chamseddine, a 21-year-old Lebanese poet, is headed for Paris for the World Poetry Slam next year after winning the Beirut Poetry Slam with works that tackled notions of self and country. Lebanon
Mai Masri, daughters pledge to keep alive Jean Chamoun’s film legacy Jean Chamoun and Mai Masri devoted their cinema careers to the Palestinian cause. A year after Chamoun's death, Masri has started work on a new script for a feature film. Palestine
The show must go on: 'Disney Live!' returns to Egypt after hiatus After a four-year break, performances of 'Disney Live!' are returning to the land of the pharaohs with a show celebrating Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday. Egypt
New museum dedicated to legendary Istanbul photographer Celebrated Turkish photographer Ara Guler, known as the "eye of Istanbul," has gotten a museum of his own in the city he captured over decades of change. Turkey
Does Egypt need museum to save film set props? After a fire destroyed many of the iconic props of Egyptian cinema, prop master Abbas Saber appeals to Cairo to help put what remains in a museum. Egypt
Is 'The Wedding' new beginning for LGBTQ cinema in Egypt? Film director Sam Abbas' "The Wedding," which tells the story of a gay man forced into a heterosexual marriage, will be screened privately and by invitation only in the Middle East, making the already controversial movie even more controversial. Egypt
Culture alert: Music mixed with history in August Some of the August festivals in the Middle East take place in spectacular settings, from Cairo to Byblos to Troy. Egypt
Did concert in Iranian holy city topple an ayatollah's ban on music? The singer Hesameddin Seraj gave the first concert in many, many years in Mashhad, a city known for its religious heritage, leading to speculation about more concerts to come. Iran
Summer exhibition displays Cairo's contemporary art scene Zamalek Art Gallery's traditional summer exhibit brings old masters together with budding young talent in Cairo. Egypt
Local book fairs catch summer readers on Egypt’s coasts The organizers of Egypt's Cairo International Book Fair, the largest event in the Arab literary world since 1969, are branching out with smaller coastal book fairs this summer. Egypt
