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Middle East

Iraq. Lalish, the Sacred Heart of the Yazidis.

Persecuted and driven from their homeland, Sinjar, in Iraqi Kurdistan, Yazidis cling to their religion and traditions such as the pilgrimage to the most important shrine. We visited the place. “Angels live on the threshold of every entrance, so it is important not to step on the entrance steps”. This is one of the rules…

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The Great Federation.

The Emirate Federation, created in 1971 out of the union of the six monarchies (seven since 1972), is unique in the Arab world since it is made up of absolute hereditary monarchies headed by a sheikh who functions as an absolute sovereign within his own state. In virtue of its constitution, the Emirates enjoy autonomy…

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Jordan. A Hospital in the Land of Moab.

Since 1935, at Karak, in the poorest province of the country, the Comboni Sisters have been running a hospital for the poorest people, especially refugees. Karak is an ancient city located on the top of the mountains that flank the road of the Kings: an ancient through road that ends in the Valley of Moab.…

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The United Arab Emirates. The Pearl Necklace.

The history of the United Arab Emirates is unique in the scenario of the Near Middle East due to the incredible change that has taken place in such a short period of time. Where today there appear cities full of futuristic buildings and commercial centres bordering on science fiction, and where an exaggerated lifestyle is…

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Strategic geopolitical position.

The strategic asset of the United Arab Emirates finds its place in the broader security strategy of the United States. In fact, the UAE, with its enormous resources, represents an important energy reserve and source of supplies. Therefore, from the geopolitical point of view, the ascent to success by the Gulf States is subject to…

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Diversifying the Economy.

During the past decade, the United Arab Emirates has brought to the fore an important process of diversification of its economic system aimed at freeing itself from dependence on hydrocarbons which nevertheless accounts for 30% of its GDP. This process has made Dubai a nerve centre of business for the entire Middle East, and also…

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Iraq. The Madans live on the water. At risk.

In the Mesopotamian swamps, people live in symbiosis with five-thousand-year-old waters. This treasure of biodiversity is in danger: “We are in the middle of a water emergency”, says activist Ali Alkarkhi. At Chibayish, 400 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the water that finds its way into the cane fields is dotted with mashufs,…

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Lebanon. A failed state.

More than one year has already passed since a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut in the capital city of Lebanon exploded causing hundreds of deaths and leaving thousands wounded.  The investigations have produced no result. Political and economic instability has brought the country to the brink of collapse. Lebanon…

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Israel. Nevé Shalom – Wahat al-Salam. An Oasis of Peace.

On a hill between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem stands a village that is an oasis of peace. Its dual name Nevé Shalom – Wahat al-Salam respects the two communities that live there, one Hebrew and one Arabic, in a land where peace has been wanting for more than seventy years. The name Nevé Shalom– Wahat…

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Israel. Kuchinate, let’s all crochet.

Kuchinate is the name chosen by a group of African women seeking asylum in Israel. They have organised a project for themselves which will guarantee them a steady income and daily assistance. Two Comboni Sisters are helping them. Sister Azezet Habtezghi, known by all as Sister Aziza, and Sister Agnese are Comboni Missionaries and members…

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The Syrian War. Ten Years Later.

March 2021 will mark the tenth anniversary of the Syrian war. The bulk of the fighting ended in 2017, but Syria continues to suffer. The people, those outside Damascus and Latakia especially, live on the edge of famine, and the country is completely devastated. No reconstruction has occurred, and half the population has been displaced.…

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The Regional and International Proxy Battleground.

The definition of civil war has never quite applied in the case of Syria. Ever since the armed insurrection against the Assad government began in 2011, it has never been a clear case of insurgents fighting against the ‘regime’. Rather, the war quickly degenerated into a series of ethnic, confessional and national conflicts of which…

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Advocacy

Yvette Mushigo, Breaking the Silence.

The Congolese activist and jurist Yvette Mushigo is the coordinator of the Synergie des Femmes pour la Paix et la Réconciliation (SPR), a network of…

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Baobab

The qualities of a Tuareg sheikh.

At the foot of the Atlas Mountains, a mountainous massif in the Western Sahara, there was a powerful kingdom ruled by a sheikh as wise as…

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Youth & Mission

Pope Francis to Congolese Youth.

Looking at the hands with which a different future can be built, Pope Francis suggests "five ingredients for the future", like the five fingers. In the stadium…

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