The first ever opera festival in the Arab world debuted yesterday, and it took place in Amman. [...] In a statement to The Jordan Times, Barhoum said, “Throughout my career, I have been blessed to work with people from around the globe. Through my music and art, I have realized the importance of cross-cultural connections, and I have seen first-hand how music provides an important bridge that unites cultures from all over the world. With music, we speak one language; a language we can all understand without interpreters.”

The Sesame synchrotron opened its doors in Jordan this week, allowing scientists who would normally find it difficult to meet because of the troubled relations between their countries, to carry out collaborative research at a local facility.The Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East, situated 35 kilometres north of the Jordanian capital Amman, unites Cyprus, Iran, Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Turkey – countries usually hostile to each other. The other founding members include Bahrain, Egypt and Jordan.

Thursday, March 3, Montreal, Quebec—As the sixth anniversary of the Syrian conflict approaches, Development and Peace—Caritas Canada is pleased to announce the continued support of Global Affairs Canada for the organization’s humanitarian aid and sustainability efforts in the Middle East.

Cultural cafes like Naqsh in the centre of Amman are prime examples of innovative grassroots projects that help promote cultural dialogue between east and west. [...] narratives concerning the region remain ensnared by political and religious frameworks. Thus populations in the Middle East remain entrapped within politically driven explanations when attempting to answer questions about peace and conflict, Islamism, authoritarianism, etc.

Harnessing young people's enthusiasm for football and sports in general is a useful and interesting way to offer opportunities for personal and professional growth, said Rubem Cesar Fernandes, executive director of Viva Rio, a Brazilian NGO focusing on development through innovative projects. [...] Viva Rio has established the Black Pearls Academy, a high-performance football training centre for young athletes from refugee and underprivileged communities in Brazil and Haiti.

It is important to note that emergency humanitarian aid must be complemented by medium and longer-term assistance. An estimated 80 percent of Syrian refugees in Jordan live in urban areas, outside of camps. Urban refugees face different challenges from camp refugees, including securing shelter and food, finding work, and accessing basic social and medical services. 

As students in an innovative Pardee School of Global Studies course last spring on the challenges of forced migration learned, sometimes even the most overwhelming situations can be improved by simple, but powerful solutions. In what became a semester-long exercise leading to the creation of a smartphone app for Syrian refugees in Jordan. 

Performing on Sunday on the stage of the Ramat Gan theater in central Israel, Taiwanese art students showcased their country’s folk-inspired dance and culture, as part of a project initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei. Before visiting Jerusalem yesterday, they performed their show in Jordan, and in the coming days will take the act to several Northern African states.