Kalimat: Outlet for Political, Social, and Cultural Expression

Kalimat is a quarterly magazine committed to providing an outlet for political, cultural and social expression within the Arab region and its Diaspora. The creative directors, editors and designers of the region are not given a chance to express themselves. Instead, these roles are given to people of the more “modern” culture, increasing an adherence to the status quo.

Kalimat Magazine is a vehicle that aspires to revolutionise media and design education in the Arab region. Our content is generated exclusively by creative producers of Arab descent, empowering Arabs to take over the telling of their own stories and adding their perspective to Current Affairs, Culture, Art and Design and New Media, our four broadly divided sections.

The upcoming Winter issue will focus on Design in Egypt, however, the magazine does not limit every edition to a narrow theme. We strive to maintain an open editorial policy and publish articles on any number of topics and in a range of styles, including in-depth features, investigative journalism, op-eds, reviews (films, books, music, theatre, and more), travel writing, interviews, photo-essays, artwork, design submissions, creative non-fiction articles, fiction, poetry, and short stories.

In previous issues, we have interviewed Suad Amiry, Michel Khleifi, Rania Mattar, Samir Habashneh and many others. We have profiled several young entrepreneurs: management consultants and maamoul makers. Our contributors have reviewed newer films like Elia Suleiman’s The Time That Remains and older documentaries such as Leila Khaled: Hijacker.

Kalimat is not just one-directional Arab-focused magazine, it's a small-but-growing media vehicle that looks to change design and media education in the Arab region. We want to emphasise and teach the power these fields have in everyday choices that impact the communities and places that we live. Kalimat as a media vehicle seeks to works with people to develop the essential tools needed to realise this potential. After all, design is more than a poster and making things look pretty, even though that is definitely part of it.

Unfortunately, education on developing these tools (for our own use) is lacking. At best, it is focused on providing functional skills for the workplace, which, is important, but not community focused. Often we find ourselves without the tools to tell stories and plan our lives and communities and the way we see them, to understand—and shape—the world around us according to our specifications.

Our mandate is to work towards seeing essential communication tools developed in places where they are lacking. This begins with our collaborative writing and editing process and works towards a comprehensive media and design-oriented education. The underlying goal is to see those gaps in knowledge and practice filled.

And, of course, we are still learning as well. If you are an Arab educator, or a media or design professional and want to get involved, get in touch. Our mandate is to highlight and develop Arab skill, talent and communities, and has always been by Arabs, for everyone.

Kalimat, Fall 2011 Issue, Cover: