3rd Qafila. 2018 | Al-Qafila

The 3rd Qafila 2018

The Journey of Life

(Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, and Germany)

Meanwhile, millions of refugees continue to flee to Europe in search of safety. Those arriving of Europe from the middle east have seen how the music, literature and other forms of cultural heritage that the region had once been known for are slowly being erased - not only by physical and geographic destruction - but by news bulletins on casualties of the civil war which is not representative the rich cultural heritage of the region. While the project brings together musicians from the middle east we travel and play in solidarity with all refugees around the world who are feeling persecution.

The trip of " Al-Qafila " was a success, and the third was undertaken in the summer of 2018. Beginning of Athens with workshops bringing together 35 musicians and artists from Arabic-speaking countries to play together, the group proceed to follow the Balkan Route, part of the widely-documented " refugees trail", stopping in a number of countries along the way to play with local musicians to large audiences. Beginning in Greece, the trip finished in a refugee camp in Berlin. Refugees came from the camp to watch-singing, dancing and rejoicing in the forgotten memories of the county they were no longer able to call home.

The group also met many Europeans who knew little of the music, literature and other forms of culture of Arabic-speaking countries in the Middle East and North Africa - the Names of musicians and instruments were exchanged, emails were swapped, and minds were expanded. Each side was able to learn something from the other, with the group of musicians in Al-Qafila learning to play songs from the European countries they passed through too.

The trip was not easy. Despite many of the participating musicians being well-known in their own countries - with albums, awards, and respect- and, despite having organized visas, hotels and concerts in connection with local musicians, Some of the group were stopped on some borders. These musicians were separated from the rest of the group for some time before being reunited. Through this, the musicians were able to experience a fraction of the feeling that refugees experience on a daily basis, traveling through Europe in search of safety.

Participants in the 3rd Qafila :

In 2018, we received for the first time manny application from the different Arabic nationalities. And after checking around 178 Application, we choose 30 participants from different nationalities.

From Jordan

Mayyadah almasri

MA'MON ALBELTAJI

OMAR AL-KHAYYAT

ALA'ALDIN ALTAIBA

Murad Rihan

(Mohd Bader) El Baraqouni

Qasem Elhato

ZEENA ALKHALIDI

Roya Abu Summaqa

Jehad Nijem

Khaled Nijm