A Podcast is Born

I live in Jordan, home to the second highest per-capita ratio of refugees in the world. My country is surrounded by Iraq and Syria to the North, and Palestine and Israel to the West, a region rife with conflict, war and tension.

Against this backdrop, is a region that has borne witness to profound expressions of human suffering and resilience. Amidst the chaos and turmoil, artists emerge as powerful voices, using their creativity to convey their experiences and emotions. Artists from Baghdad, to Najaf, to Damascus, to Beirut to Amman are worthy of celebration.

My objective is to create a podcast that sheds light on the lives and works of artists in conflict zones. Through interviews and imagery, this podcast aims to provide a platform for artists to share their stories, art, and impact.

The podcast will:

* Highlight Resilience: showcase artists living and working in conflict zones, and delve into their personal stories and artistic journeys.

* Amplify Voices: help raise awareness about the human cost of conflict and the power of art as a means of expression and healing.

* Promote Cross-Cultural Understanding: through in-depth conversations with artists from diverse backgrounds, fostering empathy and global solidarity.

* Include a Visual Component: Alongside the audio interviews, the podcast will incorporate images of the artists’ works.

I identified six different artists across the Middle East, and personally connected with them and conducted in-depth interviews, focusing on their histories, artistic influences, and the impact of conflict on their work. I aim to research and explore what it takes to capture a personal narrative effectively, and how to interview meaningfully. I am exploring aspects of curation in order for my podcasts to tell a holistic story, and have created a website platform to display my work.