arts
From shipwreck to symphony: Prisoners in Italy turn migrant boats into violins
Every year, thousands of migrants risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean Sea in fragile wooden boats, hoping to reach the shores of Europe. Many arrive on the Italian island of Lampedusa, where the vessels are left abandoned. In a prison on the outskirts of Milan, inmates are transforming those discarded boats into something unexpected: musical instruments.
Deciphering ancient artifacts with a lost language used by women in Zambia
Curators at the National Museum of World Culture in Sweden recently invited a group of Zambian women to help understand the meaning of some ancient artifacts and the communities that used them. Samba Yonga, a co-founder of the virtual Women’s History Museum of Zambia, was one of them. She discussed the project with The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler.
The most popular foreign playwright in Russia is Irish
The most popular foreign playwright in Russia is London-born Irish playwright Martin McDonagh. He is known in the US as the award-winning Hollywood director and screenwriter behind films such as “In Bruges,” ” Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” and “The Banshees of Inisherin.” In Russia, though, McDonagh is known for his plays, which are frequently put on in theaters throughout the country.
‘What’s the greatest knowledge a person can have? Know thyself’: Morgan State University hosts banned book symposium in Cuba
The history of book bans in the US goes back to 1637 but has recently increased dramatically, nearly 200% during the 2023-24 school year. This rise is driven by conservative policies claiming many books have themes that go “against” American history. But are these books really problematic? The World’s Lex Weaver shares her experience attending a banned book symposium hosted by Morgan State University in Havana, Cuba, where authors and historians discussed their worries about the future of education.