Hey there,

One of the most heartwarming and striking moments to come out of the World Cup recently is, without a doubt, the video of Morocco's hero, Ismael Saibari, sharing a heartfelt hug with his tearful mother at full-time after their victory against the Netherlands.

It's a scene we don't often get to witness because we're usually caught up in the battle on the field, forgetting that these players are human beings off the pitch too, with emotions, families, and the hopes of an entire country on their shoulders.

Cultural humility begins with curiosity about the values and perspectives of other cultures, rather than judging or looking down on them. When we approach our differences with genuine curiosity, we create more room for greater empathy, strengthen connections, and above all, mutual respect.

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Morocco's 2026 World Cup team demonstrates how diaspora communities can make meaningful contributions to their countries of origin. With most of the squad born outside Morocco, the team's success challenges the idea that national identity is determined solely by birthplace.

Instead, the players' decision to represent Morocco reflects a personal connection to their heritage and shows that people can belong to, and positively impact, more than one country. Their achievements also highlight the value of Morocco's long-term investment in football development, which has helped create an environment where diaspora talent can thrive.

As Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi has often described it, representing Morocco was “the choice of the heart.” It is a sentiment that has been echoed by many members of the Moroccan diaspora, who see their decision not as a rejection of another country, but as an affirmation of their identity and roots. They do not play with their feet alone. They play with their hearts.

Read the article here.

We don’t often see many novels about Arab mythology or folklore, which is why this debut novel feels particularly interesting. It takes us back to a time when every Arab grandmother would share folkloric stories, superstitions, and myths that, although they may have sounded completely strange, still carried the spirit of our ancestors and their love of storytelling to explain the peculiarities of life.

Read more here.

There are some songs that, on the surface, don’t seem to say very much, yet somehow manage to say everything. The lyrics and the intent are simple enough for anyone to understand because, even though we all go through different human experiences, there seems to be one common river of emotions that we all pass through. For instance, one of the song’s most memorable lines is, “I wanted to change the world. I don’t know how the world changed me.” In a single thought, it captures so much of the human experience, asking how a person can change in just a few years, or even a single month, even if they never chose to change in that way.

Listen here.

Running throughout July, the second installment of Zawya's Youssef Chahine retrospective, What Now, My Love?, traces the director's political awakening. The program begins with the optimism of his early political years in Djamila (1958), moves through the height of his faith in the Nasserist project with the overtly propagandistic Saladin (1963) and Dawn of a New Day (1964), and culminates in the sense of disillusionment and defeat expressed in The Land (1969). Born in Alexandria to a Lebanese father and a Greek mother, Chahine made films driven by a persistent search for identity and what it meant to be Egyptian.

Watch it here.

Ragu was inspired by a young woman whose passion for cooking began in her grandmother's cozy kitchen. Before she set out on her own, her grandmother gifted her a treasured family recipe book with a heartfelt message: "Wherever you go, take a piece of our kitchen with you, and remember that every dish made with care feels like home." That sentiment became the inspiration behind Ragu, a place where comforting traditions meet flavors from around the world. From crispy Korean chicken bites to vibrant tacos and everything in between, the menu celebrates global cuisine while staying true to the warmth of home. Whatever your craving, there's a dish for every taste.

Find out more here.

Artist Fatima El Shiati returns with a new chapter in her artistic journey. Renowned for her distinctive style, where the charm of oversized figures meets the elegance and richness of Art Deco, her latest exhibition is a celebration of warmth, human connection, and the moments that bring people closer together. Following its opening on July 7 at Bibliothek Art Gallery, Arkan Plaza, the exhibition will remain on view for two weeks, welcoming visitors daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

Find out more here.

On the iconic external gates of UNESCO Headquarters in central Paris, where hundreds of thousands of people pass each month between the Place de Fontenoy and the Eiffel Tower, a public photography exhibition has quietly opened that says something important about where heritage tourism is going. The exhibition is called I Am a Rawi: Sharing Stories from AlUla. It runs until 31 August. It is free. And its subject is a group of Saudi storytellers whose work, if it proves as influential as UNESCO clearly believes it will, may help reshape how visitors engage with the past across the wider world. The Arabic word rawi translates simply as storyteller. In the context of AlUla, the ancient oasis in northwestern Saudi Arabia that became the country’s first opening to international tourism in 2020, the term has taken on a more specific meaning.

Read more here.