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Nights of Ramadan 2016

From June 07, 2016 until July 06, 2016

On the occasion of this celebration, Casa Árabe is offering special activities for a whole month, including workshops, conferences, exhibitions, concerts and more.

For the third year in a row, Casa Árabe, the Municipal Government of Cordoba and the Halal Institute have organized this series of activities to celebrate the month of Ramadan. It is an important socio-cultural festivity for Arabs and Muslims all over the world. 

At this edition of the Nights of Ramadan, Casa Árabe will be putting on a full schedule of film screenings, guided tours, concerts, conferences, storytellers and more.

This special series of events forms part of the activities which Casa Árabe is organizing to celebrate the 1300th anniversary of Cordoba as the capital of Al-Andalus (716-2016), a time when Cordoba became the capital of the emirate of Al-Andalus and one of the most significant political, economic and cultural sites in mankind’s history.

Nights of Ramadan 2016
  • Educational exhibition of “Islamic Festivals and Traditions”

    Educational exhibition of “Islamic Festivals and Traditions”

    From June 07, 2016 until July 06, 2016
    CóRDOBA
    University School of Philosophy and Letters (Plaza del Cardenal Salazar, 3). Free entry.
    The university’s School of Philosophy and Letters is hosting this exhibition until July 6.
    Exhibition of educational panels that provide information on the most important aspects of holidays and festivals in the Islamic religion. 

  • <div style="text-align: justify;">Conference titled “Seville: Configuration and Transformation of Islamic City Planning,” by Miguel Ángel Tabales (University of Seville). </div>

    Conference titled “Seville: Configuration and Transformation of Islamic City Planning,” by Miguel Ángel Tabales (University of Seville). 

    June 09, 20167:30 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9. 7:30 p.m. Free entrance until the event’s capacity is reached.
    This conference, forming part of the series titled “Great Capitals of the Medieval Islamic World,” is one of the activities planned during the “Nights of Ramadan.”
    Conference in the series Great Capitals of the Medieval Islamic World: Past and present, in which the past and present of Islamic Seville will be analyzed on the basis of the latest scientific findings in archeological studies.

  • Nights of Ramadan Cinema

    Nights of Ramadan Cinema

    From June 10, 2016 until July 08, 201610:00 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Casa Árabe headquarters (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9). 10:00 p.m. Free entrance until the event’s capacity is reached.
    Screening of films which deal with topics such as Orientalism, the image of “the other” and the process of migration...
    The film series, held as part of the Nights of Ramadan, deals with topics such as Orientalism, the image of “the other” and the process of migration. Prejudices and stereotypes are discussed, as well as the most current social criticism.  

    For the third year in a row, Casa Árabe, the Municipal Government of Cordoba and the Halal Institute have organized this series of activities to celebrate the month of Ramadan, an important socio-cultural festivity for Arabs and Muslims all over the world. At this edition, Casa Árabe will be putting on a special schedule of films, including three animated movies and four fiction features. The session deals with topics such as Orientalism, the image of “the other” and the process of migration. Prejudices and stereotypes are discussed, as well as the most current social criticism. The films “L’orchestre des aveugles” (“The Blind Orchestra”) by Mohamed Mouftakir and “Garagouz” (“Marionettes”) by Abdenour Zahzah will be screened with the cooperation of the Halal Institute.


    Schedule
    • Tuesday, June 10 (10:00 p.m.). Azur and Asmar, by Michel Ocelot 
    • Tuesday, June 24 (10:00 p.m.). Almanya, Welcome to Germany, by Yasemin Samdereli
    • July 1 (10:00 p.m.) (double feature). The Adventures of Prince Ahmed, by Lotte Reiniger, and Said’s Journey by Coke Rioboo
    • July 5 (10:00 p.m.) (double feature). The Blind Orchestra, by Mohamed Mouftakir, and Garagouz (Marionettes), by Abdenour Zahzah
    • Tuesday, July 8, (10:00 p.m.). Décor, by Ahmad Abdalla
  • <div style="text-align: left;">Archeological tours: “The 1300th Anniversary of Cordoba, Capital City of Al-Andalus”</div>

    Archeological tours: “The 1300th Anniversary of Cordoba, Capital City of Al-Andalus”

    June 11, 20169:30 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Casa Árabe headquarters (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9) 9:30 p.m. €5 per person (children under 16 years old, free of charge).
    This archeological tour, which forms part of the activities during the “Nights of Ramadan,” is also one of the events being held as part of the 1300th anniversary of Qurtuba.
    As part of the Nights of Ramadan celebrations, we will be taking a tour of some of the most distinctive sites in Cordoba from the times of Al-Andalus. It provides an approximate overview of what the capital city of Al-Andalus and most important political and cultural site in the Western world was like one thousand years ago.
  • Muwashahat: From Cordoba to Damascus

    Muwashahat: From Cordoba to Damascus

    June 14, 201610:00 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Royal Botanical Garden of Cordoba (at Avda. Linneo, s/n) 10:00 p.m. Free entry until the event’s capacity is reached.
    Casa Árabe invites you to the show “Muwashahat: From Cordoba to Damascus,” which will be held during the Nights of Ramadan.
    The dance company Nesma Al-Andalus Danza, directed by Spanish choreographer Nesma, under the musical direction of Irene Shams, is presenting this new choreographic creation inspired by the history of Al-Andalus, painting a portrait of the poetry of Al-Andalus from the tenth century to the modern day. Arising from the mixture of the cultures existing when intellectual life flourished most in the Arab world, the brilliant civilization of Al-Andalus has left behind an indelible mark on the Iberian Peninsula and the Arab world as a whole, as well as acting as a link for spreading knowledge from East to West. Despite upheaval throughout history, its cultural legacy is fascinating.

    From a very personal perspective, at a crossroads between cultures, Nesma uses the full wealth of her moving, contemporary choreographic language to take us on a journey down the trail left behind by the “muwashahat,” poems written in an original, revolutionary form that came about in Al-Andalus, leading to the creation of a musical movement that eventually spread throughout the entire Arab world. Nesma and her dance company embody these “muwashahat” on stage, as of the splendor of the Umayyad caliphate in Cordoba, including exile and the journey across the Mediterranean, from the Maghreb to the Middle East, up to its rebirth. The music, arranged with admiration and respect to be performed by a contemporary jazz group, is made up of traditional pieces from both the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) and Mashreq (Egypt, Syria and Lebanon), with the exception of the song “A... dios” (Exile), by contemporary composer Ali Khattab. 

    Nesma draws us closer to an important page in our history, also acting as a mirror for the challenges we face at the present. Above all else, it is a work which casts light on the importance of the arts in society, cultural diversity and freedom of expression. 


    Repertoire:
    El Viaje (The Journey, opening) | Enamorada (In Love) | Abayas | Wallada | Tierra Amada (Beloved Land) | Una Noche Maravillosa (A Wonderful Night) | El Exilio (Exile) | Renacer (Rebirth) | Jovial Ligereza (Jovial Lightness) | Libertad (Freedom) | Pasión (Passion) | Alegría (Joy) | El Viaje (The Journey, end).
  • Archeological tours: “Water in the Medina”

    Archeological tours: “Water in the Medina”

    June 18, 20169:30 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Casa Árabe headquarters in Cordoba (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9). 9:30 p.m. €5 per person (free for children under 16).
    This archeological tour, which forms part of the activities during the Nights of Ramadan, is also one of the events being held as part of the 1300th anniversary of Qurtuba.
    In today’s Cordoba, some remains are left behind of a few of the systems which were used to supply, store and drain water from ancient Qurtuba. Throughout this tour, we will visit some of the most notable and get a general overview of hydraulics in Al-Andalus. This tour is being given on the occasion of the Nights of Ramadan.
  • The refugee crisis, a critical viewpoint from Europe

    June 21, 20167:30 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Casa Árabe Auditorium (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9) 7:30 p.m. Free entry until the event’s capacity is reached.
    In Spanish.
    Antonio Granadino Salmoral is presenting this conference given by Jesús Núñez, forming part of the activities during the “Nights of Ramadan.”
    The speaker intends to review the causes and consequences of the current refugee crisis, dealing with certain focal points of violent conflict that cause human beings to flee in order to save their lives. Within this context, the European Union is partially responsible for creating many of the problems that affect our neighbors and should be a main role-player in responding to this tragedy affecting millions of people clamoring at our doorstep.

    Jesús A. Núñez Villaverde is a co-director of the Institute of Studies on Conflicts and Humanitarian Action (IECAH). A specialist on security-related topics, peace building and conflict prevention with a special emphasis on the Arab and Muslim world, he frequently collaborates with various media. He is a professor at the Universidad Pontificia Comillas, a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and a consultant of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the field of peace building and violent conflict prevention. 

    Organize: Casa Árabe and the “Córdoba Ciudad Refugio” platform
  • <div style="text-align: justify;">“Murcia: A great capital of Al-Andalus founded by the Umayyads,” by Julio Navarro Palazón</div>

    “Murcia: A great capital of Al-Andalus founded by the Umayyads,” by Julio Navarro Palazón

    June 22, 20167:30 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9 7:30 p.m. Free entry until the event’s capacity is reached.
    This conference, amongst the activities during the Nights of Ramadan, also forms part of the conference series “Great Capitals of the Medieval Islamic World: Past and present.”
    Conference in the series titled “Great Capitals of the Medieval Islamic World: Past and present,” in which we will be analyzing the past and present of Islamic Murcia (madinat Mursiya) on the basis of the latest scientific information reported in archeological studies.

  • Tales of Al-Andalus
    © Jose Alberto López serie “1001 Noches”

    Tales of Al-Andalus

    June 23, 2016
    CóRDOBA
    Casa Árabe headquarters (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9).
    Held within the framework of the Nights of Ramadan, this session will lead us deep into the world evoked by “The Arabian Nights.”
    Tales of Al-Andalus” is a show in which stories from ages past are told in the form of a tale that takes us on a journey back into the world evoked by “The Arabian Nights.” The voice of Jesús Greus and Arabic oud of Luis Delgado, accompanied by music from the era, will allow us to delve further into these tales filled with beauty, imagination and historical accuracy.

    Repertoire:
    A fabulous gift for a song | The daring of a woman sultan and the royal harem | The popularity of books in Cordoba | The poet and chess | Zahra the favorite’s nostalgia in Madinat al-Zahra | Caliph Harun Rashid’s curiousness
  • Archeological tours: “Madinat al-Zahra”

    Archeological tours: “Madinat al-Zahra”

    June 25, 20169:30 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Casa Árabe headquarters (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9) 9:30 p.m. €5 per person (children under 16 years old, free of charge).
    This archeological tour, which forms part of the activities during the Nights of Ramadan, is also one of the events being held to celebrate the 1300th anniversary of Qurtuba.
    The Palatine city of Madinat al-Zahra, considered a masterpiece in the art and architecture of Al-Andalus, was built at the orders of Caliph Abd al-Rahman III to complete his political and ideological program During this visit, we will discover the site’s layout and urban planning, as well as the messages conveyed to us by its architecture and rich decoration. This tour is being given on the occasion of the Nights of Ramadan. 
  • “Granada: Capital of the Zirid and Nasrid kingdoms,” by Antonio Orihuela

    “Granada: Capital of the Zirid and Nasrid kingdoms,” by Antonio Orihuela

    June 29, 20167:30 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Casa Árabe Auditorium (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9) 7:30 p.m. Free entry until the event’s capacity is reached.
    In Spanish.
    This conference, amongst the activities during the Nights of Ramadan, also forms part of the conference series “Great Capitals of the Medieval Islamic World: Past and present.”
    Conference in the series Great Capitals of the Medieval Islamic World: Past and present, in which we will be analyzing the past and present of the capital of the Zirids and Nasrids on the basis of current scientific innovations in archeological studies. 

  • <div style="text-align: justify;">Immaterial Heritage and Ramadan: Rituals, customs and traditions of Muslims in Spain</div>
    Celebración del Eid al-Fitr. Sevilla, 2007. Foto: Sol Tarrés

    Immaterial Heritage and Ramadan: Rituals, customs and traditions of Muslims in Spain

    June 30, 201610:00 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Casa Árabe Auditorium (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9). 10:00 p.m. Free entrance until the event’s capacity is reached.
    In Spanish.
    Sol Tarrés, a member of the Andalusian Academy of History, will be giving this conference as part of the “Nights of Ramadan.”
    Traditionally, the Islamic cultural heritage in Spain has been considered to include exclusively the historical and artistic heritage from the era of Al-Andalus. However, within the framework of today’s view of heritage, it should also include the manifestations, customs, representations, knowledge and techniques acquired by expressions of religious faith in Muslim communities from both the past and present. During Ramadan, many of these rituals, customs and traditions converge, making it an excellent month to discuss these representations in an objective, scientific manner.

    Sol Tarrés holds a PhD in Social Anthropology and is a professor of Anthropology at the University of Huelva, as well as a member of the Andalusian Academy of History. She is a specialist in the field of religious diversity in Spain (Islamic faith), the cultural heritage of religious minorities and the religious expression of death. She has formed part of and directed various domestic and foreign projects related with these subjects, including a map of religious minorities in Andalusia and in the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, the first results of which are found in the book  Encuentros, diversidad religiosa en Ceuta y en Melilla (Encounters: Religious diversity in Ceuta and Melilla, Icaria, 2013). She has had over fifty works published, including articles, books and chapters of books, the most notable of which include Guide for the Management of Religious Diversity in Cemeteries and Funeral Services (FPC, 2013), And Who Are You (For)?:  Religious minorities in Andalusia (Icaria, 2010), Muslim Cemeteries in Spain: Places of otherness (Revue Européenne des Migrations Internationales, 2012), and From Popular Religiosity to the Religion of the Andalusians and Religious Diversity:  25 years of Religion Anthropology in Andalusia (1985-2010) (Signatura Demos, 2011).

    Likewise, she has formed part of such entities as the International Seminar of Experts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the topics of racism and Islamophobia, and the Seminar of Experts for the “Management and safeguarding of immaterial heritage in the Mediterranean.
  • “The Adventures of Prince Achmed,” by Lotte Reiniger

    July 01, 201610:00 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Casa Árabe Auditorium (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9) 10:00 p.m. Free entry until the event’s capacity is reached.
    This screening of a film based on “The Arabian Nights” will be held in Cordoba on the date of July 1 at 10:00 p.m.
    “The Adventures of Prince Achmed” is the oldest animated feature film to be preserved (it premiered in 1926). The story is based on “The Arabian Nights,” especially the tale of Prince Achmed and the fairy Paribanou, which appears in The Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang. 

    Organize:
    Casa Árabe, with the Goethe-Institut Madrid
  • “Said’s Journey,” by Coke Rioboo

    July 01, 201610:00 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Casa Árabe Auditorium (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9) 10:00 p.m. Free entry until the event’s capacity is reached.
    This animated film will be screened in Cordoba on July 1 at 10:00 p.m.
    “Said’s Journey” is an endearing animated short subject film that relates the experiences of Said, a Moroccan boy who crosses the Straits of Gibraltar. When he gets to the other side in the land of opportunities, Said discovers that the world is not as pretty as he had been told.
  • Archeological tours: “Mudéjar Cordoba, the imprint of Al-Andalus"

    Archeological tours: “Mudéjar Cordoba, the imprint of Al-Andalus"

    July 02, 20168:00 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Casa Árabe. 8:00 p.m. €5 per person (free for children under 16).
    This archeological tour, which forms part of the activities during the Nights of Ramadan, is also one of the events being held as part of the 1300th anniversary of Qurtuba. 
    The artistic and cultural heritage developed throughout five centuries of Islamic rule in Cordoba was transcendental. Both structurally and decoratively, Qurtuba left an important legacy behind in the city that could still be seen after the Christian conquest and remains present even today. On this tour, we will become familiar with some of the finest examples of Cordoba’s Mudéjar style, which includes the headquarters of Casa Árabe itself.
  • African film: “The Blind Orchestra”

    July 05, 201610:00 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Casa Árabe Auditorium (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9) 10:00 p.m. Free entry until the event’s capacity is reached.
    This screening forms part of the activities held during the Nights of Ramadan in Cordoba, on July 5 at 10:00 p.m.
    “The Blind Orchestra” is a fictional film set in the early years of King Hassan II’s reign, in which Houcine, an admirer of the new king, leads a very popular orchestra. He lives with his wife Halima in the family home, a place full of life and some very original characters who crisscross each other’s paths to the pace of the orchestra and its traditional dancers, known as the Chikhates. The musicians are forced to pretend they are blind in order to perform at parties reserved for women amongst the most conservative families. Mimou (Houcine’s son) falls in love with Chama, the neighbor’s maid.
  • African film: “Garagouz”

    July 05, 201610:00 p.m
    CóRDOBA
    Casa Árabe Auditorium (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9) 10:00 p.m Free entry until the event’s capacity is reached.
    This film will be screened right after “The Blind Orchestra” in Cordoba on July 5 at 10:00 p.m.
    Mokhtar makes a living as a puppeteer. He is assisted by his son Nabil, to whom he teaches his trade. At the wheel of an old van, he travels to the few schools spread around the Algerian countryside, facing the prejudices and obstacles placed before him. 

    Organize: The Halal Institute 
  • “Décor,” by Ahmad Abdalla

    July 08, 201610:00 p.m.
    CóRDOBA
    Casa Árabe Auditorium (at Calle Samuel de los Santos Gener, 9) 10:00 p.m. Free entry until the event’s capacity is reached.
    This Egyptian film will be screened in Cordoba on July 8 at 10:00 p.m. 
    Décor tells the story of Maha, who has always been a movie lover and now works as an art director. She is an expert at creating a world of images. The pressure at her work is on the rise, but she is able to imagine another life far away, which gets Maha caught between two realities: the first resembles the movie sets she designs, and the other what is supposed to be her real life. As she begins to confuse one world with the other more and more, the line between imagination and reality starts to grow blurry, and for the first time ever she must decide what she truly wants to do.

Related content

Azur and Asmar

This animated film, directed by Michel Ocelot, will be shown as part of the “Nights of Ramadan” program
June 10, 2016 CóRDOBA

Almanya, Welcome to Germany

Screening of a film by Yasemin Samdereli in Cordoba
June 24, 2016

Nights of Ramadan 2016

On the occasion of this celebration, Casa Árabe is offering special activities for a whole month, including workshops, conferences, exhibitions, concerts and more.
From June 7, 2016 until July 6, 2016

“Yocanto Al-Andalus” concert during the White Night of Flamenco in Cordoba

The group of performers “Yocanto,” directed by Manuel Ruiz Queco and David Pino, is presenting this flamenco-Andalusi show based on great historical works of flamenco in compositions created with the perspective of Al-Andalus in mind.
From June 18, 2016 until June 19, 2016 CóRDOBA