Maghreb-Orient Express

Omar Youssef Souleimane, Yasmine Chami, Nadine Atallah, Beyrouth Livres

A Syrian refugee who arrived in France in 2012 via Jordan, Omar Youssef Souleimane became a French citizen in 2022. In "Être Français" (Being French), published by Flammarion, he recounts his story and its innumerable pitfalls, along with his profound (and literary) attachment to his new country. On 11 October 2023 he will be taking part in the 11th Rencontres Orient-Occident held in Sierre (Switzerland).

"If there were only one hair between me and the people, it will never break, if they stretch it, I loosen it, and if they loosen it I will stretch it" The saying is attributed to Caliph Muawiya, founder of the Umayyad dynasty in 661. But what would happen if that hair did break? A group of artists explore their response to the question in the exhibition "Le Cheveu de Mu'awiya" (Muawiya's Hair), open until 29 October 2023 at 32Bis in Tunis.

In her fifth novel "Casablanca Circus" (published by Actes Sud) Yasmine Chami pays tribute to the global city so dear to her heart. She looks back at the fate of the oldest slum in Casablanca, through the story of one couple, an architect and a historian.

For just one Friday, "L'Orient-Le-Jour" becomes "L'Orient des Écrivains". To coincide with the Beirut book fair, Beyrouth Lives, some twenty authors replace the journalists of the French-language daily. Report by Wissam Charaf.

#As seen by Slimane: 4 October 1883. The Orient Express left Paris for its inaugural journey to Constantinople. We look back at the story of the man behind the legendary train: the Belgian engineer Georges Nagelmackers. #Atmosphere with the guests' cultural favourites.

Guests: Omar Youssef Souleimane, journalist and poet; Yasmine Chami, novelist and anthropologist; Nadine Atallah, researcher and lecturer in the history of art, curator for the exhibition "Le Cheveu de Mu'awiya"; Slimane Zeghidour, TV5MONDE editorialist.

Presented by: Mohamed Kaci.
www.tv5monde.com/MOE