Barakat Culture Vulture
A selection of reports on the culture vulture projects we have supported and funded in the field of Islamic Art, Heritage and Culture since we were founded in 1987
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Press: Helping Gaza university restore a Sufi institute
We are delighted to be funding the Iwan Center for Cultural Heritage at the Faculty of Engineering at the Islamic University of Gaza in an important forthcoming project. This project will undertake essential restoration work on the oldest Mamluk religious site in the Gaza Strip: a 700-year-old Sufi institute called [...]
Hands On Islamic Art Project – Congratulations Grant Winner!
We have some exciting news: our grants committee have made their decisions. It's time to start announcing the grant-winners of this year's Hands On Islamic Art Project, sponsored by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Three fantastic projects have been chosen, and this is one of them... Congratulations to Leighton [...]
Saudi Modern: A new podcast with Abdulrahman and Turki Gazzaz
How did the discovery of oil transform Saudi Arabia's cities and its architecture? How can art and architecture come together to capture the spirit of modernism in a nation known more for tradition? Join this conversation with Abdulrahman and Turki Gazzaz, two architect brothers, to discover how their curiosity [...]
Ask The Expert Zeynep Yürekli Q & A
Converging Paths has launched a new initiative to enable audiences to ask their burning questions about the artistic culture of the Islamic world to leading experts in the field. This is also a great opportunity to get an insight into the professional and day-to-day life of our specialists. [...]
Stories For Change: A conversation with award-winning documentary filmmaker Oliver Wilkins
Watch a recording of our latest Webinar "Stories for Change" with award-winning documentary film maker Oliver Wilkins. Using film clips, Wilkins shares two fascinating projects in Yemen and Egypt in which he worked with youth encouraging them to discover and share the stories of their heritage. Part of Converging Paths [...]
Ask The Expert: May al-Ibrashy
This month, May Al-Ibrashy is our selected expert. Dr. May Al-Ibrashy is a conservation architect who undertakes projects to preserve the architectural and cultural heritage of Egypt, especially Cairo. She focuses on working with local communities and ensuring that they are an integral part of any heritage preservation project. She [...]
A Young Perspectives Conversation: Mysa Kafil-Hussain on Iraqi Art and Seeking Inspiration from the Past
Featuring in our new Young Perspectives series, Mysa Kafil-Hussain explores the changes that Iraqi art went through to form a unifying identity across the nation by revitalising aspects of ancient folklore and traditional art. Mysa Kafil-Hussain is currently Archive and Library Manager at Azzawi Arts. She recently completed [...]
Suzan Abed: A New Instagram Series on Architecture in Iran
Follow us on Instagram (barakat_org) for a new series of images of Iran by Suzan Abed. Suzan is currently a doctoral student in the Faculty of Archaeology at the University of Fayoum. Her research is about The urban changes and the built environment in Iranian cities in the era of [...]
New Podcast – Robert Hoyland: Revealing Arabia
Professor Robert Hoyland takes us on a journey through time to discover the ancient Arabian Peninsula, evidencing a much more multi-cultural and cosmopolitan world than what it is often imagined. Robert G. Hoyland is a scholar and historian, specializing in the medieval history of the Middle East. He is currently Professor [...]