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Um Kalthoum - You are my life (Olympia; Paris 1967) 1:00-3:39

Om Kalthoum was an internationally renowned Egyptian singer, songwriter, and film actress active from the 1920s to the 1970s. She was given the honorific title Kawkab al-Sharq (الشرق كوكب) "Star of the Orient" in Arabic.

Known for her extraordinary vocal ability and style, Om Kalthoum is considered a national icon in her native Egypt. She was one of the greatest and most influential singers of the 20th century, and she has sold over 80 million records worldwide. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4kZsOIeBM8

Women in the City of the Dead

Middle-class and upper middle-class Egyptian women traditionally lived in seclusion, and were rarely seen in the outside world…this was how they preferred it.

VIDEO: Cairo’s City of the Dead https://vimeo.com/34631588

Cairo's 'city of the dead' is home to four million people, roughly the population of the city of Sydney, Australia. The City of the Dead is a vast 'suburb' of Egypt's capital, where residents live amongst the tombs and gravestones of generations past.

WOMEN IN THE CITY OF THE DEAD / HELEN WATSON (1992) The initial focus of my research was women’s contribution to the family budget and their experience of waged work.

Egyptian Women's Hijab Dilemma: To Wear or Not to Wear Published on Aug 5, 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txCXlh4ALqM 2:17

In Egypt, some Muslim women are breaking away from the mainstream and are not wearing a headscarf. VOA asked some women to explain their complex relationship with the hijab and their fight for the right to wear it or go without it. Following the ruling by the European court of justice to allow employers to ban religious symbols in the workplace, three Muslim women in Spain, The Netherlands and the UK talk about their experiences of looking for work while wearing a hijab. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj19V0KFnkE 5:18 Ex-Muslims share their experiences | The Economist - The decision to turn your back on your religion can have huge ramifications. Two women who were shunned by their families and community share a rarely seen perspective on faith—and on losing it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TekL4fqYig8 For decades, wearing a hijab in government or civil services was banned in Turkey. Turkish women share their thoughts and experiences on World Hijab Day 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLkopqkFYRQ 3:06