REEM's WINDOW

A deeply personal reflection on father loss, the hidden cost of strength, and a woman's journey back to her softness, worth, and vulnerability.

From Bint Kassem to Ibn Khaldun, across centuries of inquiry, I am left with a simple yet profound realization: some of humanity's most important discoveries are not discoveries at all. They are acts of remembering. Remembering that human beings are wired for connection. Remembering that communities are sustained by the bonds between their people. And remembering that culture is not an optional addition to human life, but one of humanity's oldest and most enduring mechanisms for creating meaning

One of the questions I encountered repeatedly when conceptualizing cultural engagement projects for vulnerable communities in Egypt was whether arts and culture were truly necessary. I was often told: “People need jobs, education, healthcare, and infrastructure first”. “Why bother about culture when there are more urgent priorities?” For many years, I dedicated a significant part of my work and resources to challenging this assumption. In times of economic uncertainty, conflict, displacement,...