Ettijahat-Independent Culture (Ettijahat) is a cultural institution that looks towards a plural, diverse, intellectually productive and artistically genuine Syria, where culture is the inalienable right of every citizen. Ettijahat strives to achieve this by supporting Syrian artists and showcasing their work, strengthening the capacity of young researchers, building alliances between individuals and cultural institutions, and helping Syrian communities wherever they are access culture and the arts. Since its establishment in 2011, the organization has delivered a wealth of opportunity to talented young artists, academics, and cultural initiatives through its diverse range of re-granting schemes, research, production and showcasing programs.
Lead by a young team, Ettijahat has undergone a remarkable journey, that parallels the journey of the Syrian people themselves. It has developed from a small entity functioning from inside of Syria in 2011, into one of the main sources of support to an art community, dispersed across Syria, the Arab region and the world, functioning out of Beirut and Brussels. It is estimated that as a result of the war in Syria, almost half of the 23 million? Syrian population have been uprooted from their homes, either displaces internally in Syria or have forcibly migrated to neighbouring countries, Europe and other parts of the world.
Mimeta’s support to Ettijahat since its inception, has enabled it to attract other funding sources, as well as develop programs that have sustained the productivity and vitality of the Syrian creative sector, saving what could have been a lost generation of artists, intellectuals, and cultural producers. Through the Mimeta funded Life program, Ettijhat has moved from carrying out its own projects only, to offering capacity building and funds to other Syrian organizations. Mimeta’s support to Ettijahat has enabled it support artists and organizations, inside of Syria, as well as in diaspora. This has been crucial to Ettijahat’s efforts to sustain cultural ties within the thousand’s years old Syrian social fabric, torn by war, displacement and forced migration.
Ettijahat research program, supported by Mimets since its start, has bridged the generational gap between established Syrian researchers and academics and young emerging ones, enabling a transfer of knowledge across conflict-imposed borders. The research program has initiated unique partnership between Ettijahat and other Arab sister organizations, in the arts and social sciences sectors, namely Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) and the Arab Council for the Social Sciences (ACSS). This reflects Ettijahat’s vision of the Syrian conflict, as one that provides knowledge and learning not only for the Syrians themselves, but for the region and the world. Ettijahat Sanad program, also supported by Mimeta ensures that the artists and cultural producers, who create that knowledge are protected to express themselves freely.
The institutional journey of Ettijahat is testimony of the role cultural institutions that combine strength with nimbleness, can play in times of crisis.
