Journalist at RFI (ex-DW, BBC, CBC, F24...), writer (on art, music, street art...), I work in radio, podcasting, online, on films. As a writer, I'm a contributor to the New Arab, Art UK, Byline Times, the i paper... Born in Paris, I was also based in Prague, Miami, London, Nairobi (covering East Africa), Bangui, and in Bristol, UK. I also reported from Italy, Germany, Haiti, Tunisia, Liberia, Senegal, India, Mexico, Iraq, South Africa... This blog is to share my work and cultural discoveries.
28/06/2022
Avortement : 'Thanks 4 Nothing' > La culture se mobilise pour les droits des femmes
27/06/2022
Summer News // Letter - 2022: On The Road Again
between the West & the East
22/06/2022
Refugee (always) Welcome
Avec le Refugee Food Festival, la connaissance de l'autre passe par le palais
En deuxième partie de ce magazine, on vous invite au Refugee Food Festival qui se tient à Marseille autour de la Journée mondiale des réfugiés.
Vu d'Allemagne, deuxième partie : on vous emmène en France, à Marseille déguster de bons plats du monde au Refugee Food Festival.
Ce festival a été lancé en 2016, à Paris, à la suite de la crise migratoire de 2015, pour aller à l’encontre des discours misérabilistes sur les réfugiés. Le principe : changer le regard sur leur expérience par la cuisine. Les rencontres se déroulent dans dix villes de France ainsi qu’à Genève tout le mois de juin, grâce à des chefs confirmés, des cuisiniers réfugiés et des citoyens bénévoles.
A Marseille, la ville la plus multiculturelle de France, 14 cuisines ont ouvert leurs portes pour le Refugee Food Festival 2022, qui se tient du 18 au 25 juin. Restaurants, brasseries et boulangeries marseillaises font vivre des expériences culinaires gourmandes avec notamment des pâtisseries syriennes, des pains ukrainiens, de la bière irakienne, un dîner libanais, ou encore un brunch soudanais et un cours de cuisine éthiopienne…
Un reportage à Marseille de Mélissa Chemam.
Pour écouter : https://www.dw.com/fr/allemagne-limiter-vitesse-refugee-food-festival/av-62214245
21/06/2022
7-year itch
I realise that my life has been profoundly marked by this rhythm and cycles of 7 years.
In 2001, I left my parents' home and moved in central Paris.
In 2008, I left France for my first longer experience abroad, leaving for the US first, moving to the UK in 2009, then Kenya in 2010, then... Spending many years as a foreign correspondent.
In 2015, I left the newsroom again to start writing a book and came to Bristol.
This year, 2022, I'm sort of closing this cycle.
Wish me luck...
19/06/2022
'Ocean Deep'
Hello from Marseille!
Here is a new song for you, 'Ocean Deep', by the Vilk Collective; I wrote about their incredible story in my monthly column about Music from the Greater Middle East & its influence in diaspora.
You'll find it here: https://themarkaz.org/author/melissachemam/
'Ocean Deep'
07/06/2022
More music: 'Fascination' by Tamino
'Fascination'
Tamino wrote:
"After ‘The First Disciple’, I’m ready to share another piece of the new record with you today in the form of ‘Fascination’. Another song very dear to my heart which as of this day will hopefully mean something to you too."
23 September will mark the release of his second studio album, to be called ‘Sahar’.
Pre order limited edition vinyl of ‘Sahar’ with hand signed postcard here.
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You can also read my recent article about Tamino for The Markaz Review here:
23 May, 2022 • Melissa Chemam
Tamino, Soothing Sonic Innovator, Goes on Post-Pandemic Tour
Melissa Chemam profiles the Arab-Belgian singer-songwriter Tamino-Amir, as he prepares to go on tour.
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