Weghat Nazar (original) (raw)

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Arabic monthly magazine

Weghat Nazar

First Issue, February 1999
Editor-in-Chief Ayman Al-Sayyad
Categories Literary magazine Cultural magazine
Frequency Monthly
Publisher Egyptian Company for International and Arabic Publishing
First issue 1 February 1999; 25 years ago (1999-02-01)
Country Egypt
Based in Cairo
Language Arabic

Weghat Nazar (Arabic: وجهات نظر) is an Arabic monthly magazine that features essays and book reviews on politics, culture, literature, and current affairs. The publication, whose name in Arabic means ‘points of views,’ was inspired by its editors’ vision that the only answer to difference in opinions is dialogue, and that dialogue is an exchange of ‘points of views.’[1]

Weghat Nazar was founded in 1999 by leading Egyptian journalist Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, and published by Ibrahim El Moallem Chairman of Dar El Shorouk publishing house, with journalist and writer Salama Ahmed Salama as its first editor-in-chief, later succeeded by Ayman Al-Sayyad. The idea was inspired by what the editors felt is a lack of intellectual space for deep, thoughtful and meaningful dialogue in the Arab region, in a media environment filled with noise, and ideological warfare. As part of its mission to be a window for Arabic readers to global thought,[2] in addition to original contributions, the periodical routinely published translations for a selection of articles from fellow literary journals including The New York Review of Books, The New Yorker, London Review of Books, The Atlantic Monthly and Harper's Magazine

Since its first edition, Weghat Nazar received wide popularity amongst thought leaders, academics and policy makers in the Arab region, as well as those with interest in the region. The periodical quickly became known as the leading literary-intellectual magazine in the Arabic language,[3] and for its layout and covers illustrated by renowned Egyptian artist Helmi El Touni.Since the first edition, Heikal remained closely involved with the editorial process, in addition to writing the periodical’s main feature, until his retirement in 2003.[4] Later, the periodical became associated with the name of its editor Ayman Al-Sayyad, also independently known for his efforts in reconciliation and transitional justice initiatives in the region.[5]

Weghat Nazar Dialogues

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In 2009, Ayman Al-Sayyad, editor of Weghat Nazar started Weghat Nazar Dialogues a culture initiative that which conducts seminars, consultations and public dialogues on key political and development issues in the region. The Dialogues began with a partnership with the UNDP,[6] and its events’ co-hosts/ participants have so far included Bibliotheca Alexandria,[7] National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA),[8] Al-Jazeera Center for Studies,[9] and the Georgetown University Center for International and Regional Studies.[10]

Notable contributors

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Notable contributors to Weghat Nazar have included Arabic and non-Arabic authors alike, including but not limited to:

Alain Gresh Ahmed Zewail Alistair Horne Ayman Al-Sayyad Ismail Serageldin Bahaa Taher Tharwat Okasha Gaber Asfour Galal Amin Gamal El-Ghitani Joseph Massad John Esposito John Waterbury Joel Beinin Hazem Al Beblawi Hassan Hanafi Khairy Shalaby Denys Johnson-Davies Raouf Abbas Ratiba El-Hefny Rushdi Said Rashid Khalidi Radwa Ashour Stephen Walt Sahar Khalifeh Salama Ahmed Salama Salman Abu Sitta Samha El-Kholy Shawqi Daif Sadiq Jalal al-Azm Sonallah Ibrahim Tarek El-Bishry Tariq Ramadan
  1. ^ International bibliography of book reviews of scholarly literature chiefly in the fields of arts and humanities and the social sciences, Volume 34, Part 1. F. Dietrich, 2003
  2. ^ Weghat Nazar[_permanent dead link_]
  3. ^ Tamer Nagy (May–June 2003). "Arab Rationalism". Foreign Policy (136): 90–91. doi:10.2307/3183634. JSTOR 3183634.
  4. ^ Mohamed Hassanein Heikal (30 September 2003). "استئذان في الانصراف". Al Ahram Newspaper. No. 42666.
  5. ^ "Real citizenship is the great challenge for Egypt's next president: Interview with Ayman Al-Sayyad". Al Ahram.
  6. ^ "Challenges to human security in the Arab Countries" (PDF). Arab Parliamentary Bulletin (3): 10. November 2009. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
  7. ^ "Scarce Water... Rising Water: Between Draughts and Flooding Arab Policies to Meet Environmental Challenges" (PDF). UNDP.
  8. ^ "Arab Climate Resilience Initiative Regional Forum". The Arab Climate Resilience Initiative (ACRI). Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  9. ^ "Doha Dialogue "Watan" 21-22 May 2010".
  10. ^ "Persistent Questions in a New Arab Millennium" (PDF). UNDP. Retrieved 20 August 2011.