The Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern women

Rima Al Kaissi
The Silk Narratives: of Arab & Middle Eastern women

The Silk Narratives is the first podcast dedicated to the talented, intellectually versatile, and beautiful women of the Arab region and its neighbors. As the world is increasingly turning towards inclusivity, a fair representation of Arab and Middle Eastern women in still lacking. I created this podcast to inspire my audience and prove that these incredible, yet ordinary women are not the exceptions but perhaps the rule.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the guests and participants, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the host or the podcast as a whole. 

Episodes

  1. 11/16/2023

    Palestine special with Rania Masri El Khatib

    This episode was recorded in homage to the Palestinian people and their unwavering cause. The Silk Narratives lends its mic to remarkable Palestinian voices to share their pain, experience and what their heritage means to them. In this episode I am joined by Rania Masri El Khatib who is one of the most prominent players in the Middle Eastern retail industry, with over 20 years experience in retail, luxury & e-commerce. Rania is also the founder of The RMK Collectiv...

    40 min

  2. 10/05/2023

    Special episode: In Conversation with Ricardo Karam

    Ricardo Karam, is one of the Arab region's most celebrated Talk Show Hosts. He's worked tirelessly for decades to 'elevate' his audience's interests and knowledge, so he took the unpopular route of showcasing not singers or politicians but what he calls 'unsung heroes'. Apart from his captivating TV shows, Ricardo is public speaker, author and the founder of 'Takreem' an initiative that sheds a much needed light on Arab achievement everywhere. We speak about everyt...

    42 min

  3. 09/12/2023

    Interview with Rana Salam: the Queen of Arab Pop Culture

    Rana Salam's name is synonymous with Arab pop culture, which she has managed to carefully gather and construct turning old objects and posters into 'vintage chic'. She has partnered with glowing collaborators such as Harvey Nichols in London, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Paul Smith, Sonia Rykiel, Comptoir Libanais, just to name a very few. The faces of Arab divas and celebrities of the 20th century are beautifully captured and made almost eternal on homeware, posters, porcelain dishes etc....

    32 min

  4. 08/05/2023

    Rencontre avec Lamia Bousnina (FRENCH)

    Lamia Bousnina is founder and owner of 'Musk & Amber', one of Tunis' most prestigious art galleries. The Tunisian-born mother of two , was raised in Saudi Arabia, where she fully embraced a cosmopolitan environment equipping her with openness towards others, and a curiosity to always know more and see more. Having studied law in Paris and Geneva, she initially joined the UN where she dreamt of building a career. Her other passion for art and design lead her however to an entirely dif...

    25 min

  5. 05/31/2023

    Late for Tea with Tamara Chalabi

    In conversation with Tamara Chalabi, a cultural entrepreneur and New York Times critically acclaimed author, curator and commissioner who specialises in contemporary Middle Eastern art. The Harvard-trained historian and author of Late for Tea at the Deer Palace, is also co-Founder of Ruya Foundation. We speak about her incredible memoir, Iraq's Golden era, what her Iraqi identity means to her, her father's legacy, as well as Ruya's incredible work in representing Iraq at the Venice Bienn...

    43 min

  6. 04/27/2023

    UP, close & personal- In conversation with Saudi's 1st female rock climber

    Yasmin Gahtani is Saudi Arabia's 1st female rock climber. She holds a degree in computer programming but found her passion in a sport that is not for the faint hearted. Today, the mother of two twin boys, manages the Rock Climbing Federation under the Ministry of Sports in Saudi. She says she wanted to be a superhero to her boys and speaks about the beauty of the sport. Her fearlessness and softness is admirable to say the least. She also speaks to us about her upbringing an...

    38 min

  7. 04/13/2023

    A Persian Princess in Kuwait

    In conversation with Amira Behbehani, self- taught Kuwaiti Artist. Amira grew up surrounded by art – her uncle is Jawad Boushahri, a renowned Kuwaiti artist and owner of Boushahri Gallery, with whom she worked full time before deciding to become a full time artist. Since she started painting in 2001, she has exhibited locally and worldwide. Being of Iranian descent, her childhood growing up between Kuwait and Iran often served as an inspiration for her artwork. Incredibly comp...

    42 min

  8. 04/06/2023

    Be Well with Lana

    Join me as I sit down with Lana Al Taweel in her family home in Amman. Lana who is not 25, is a King's Collage graduate, a clinical psychologist and the proud founder of Be Well.Lana founded Be Well, with the mission to build a safe space for mental health expression in Jordan through content creation and the provision of psycho-educational therapies that guide self-help and personal development. A bold yet much needed initiative. We discuss how changing attitudes around the topic ...

    21 min

  9. 03/23/2023

    Oranges from Jaffa

    In conversation with Nadine Sayegh, author of Oranges from Jaffa.Born in Beirut to a Palestinian father and a Syrian mother. Nadine grew up in Vienna, where she's today based. She followed a French education and worked for over 20 years as a manager for Coca-Cola in Europe. She now runs together with her husband, one of Vienna's largest laboratories. We discuss her journey into writing Oranges from Jaffa, a true story and a historical document, where she captures the coming of age...

    29 min

  10. 03/15/2023

    Her very own Artinerary

    In conversation with Amman-based Art collector and buyer Dina Dabbas Rifai who is also the co-founder of the first Art-fair in Jordan Dar Art Fair. Dina tells us about the story behind the project, and and how her path lead her to dedicating her time to what she loves most: Art and being surrounded by Artists. Direct and faff-free, Dina also shares some of her character traits and life philosophy! Follow the Silk Narratives: https://www.thesilknarratives.com/https://www.instag...

    18 min

  11. 03/08/2023

    The Power Legal

    Arzu Cakmak is a Vienna based full time lawyer, personal trainer, and fitness instructor at the very hip Super Cycle studio . With her positive energy and contagious determination, Arzu has gathered her very own community that moves with passion. In this episode, we discuss stigma surrounding her identity and how she turned her Turkish roots into an asset. I also try to find out how she manages to juggle so many roles with so much dedication, her habits, and her belief syste...

    32 min

  12. 02/27/2023

    Dancing with the Ancestors

    The Silk Narratives' very first guest is Amman-based collage artist, Zaina El Said. Zaina comes from a family of political figures and artists. She opens up about the influence her unique Iraqi and Circassian heritage and family history has had on her personality and how the different cultures she grew up surrounded with have shaped her and her magical artwork. Follow the Silk Narratives: https://www.thesilknarratives.com/https://www.instagram.com/thesilknarratives/ https://www.you...

    16 min
  • 12 Episodes

About

The Silk Narratives is the first podcast dedicated to the talented, intellectually versatile, and beautiful women of the Arab region and its neighbors. As the world is increasingly turning towards inclusivity, a fair representation of Arab and Middle Eastern women in still lacking. I created this podcast to inspire my audience and prove that these incredible, yet ordinary women are not the exceptions but perhaps the rule.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the guests and participants, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the host or the podcast as a whole. 

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