Elephantine is an island in the Nile in southern Egypt. This trading and frontier centre was home to a uniquely diverse population. Different languages, cultures and religions came together here. It is the only place in the world where it is possible to »read« the cultural history of 4,000 years through written sources. Thousands of texts are written on papyrus or ostraca in ten different languages and scripts, including hieroglyphics, Aramaic, Coptic and Arabic. In this first comprehensive presentation of its kind in the world, outstanding artefacts from Berlin will be shown alongside selected international highlights.

The Adventures of Salma is the first AGYA science comic for children. It is the result of an AGYA tandem project by Suhair Sunoqrot and Franziska Lissel, who want to inspire Arabic-speaking girls in particular to embrace STEM subjects. In the first issue titled 'Salma Rides Ultrasound Waves' Salma and her friend Yasmin learn about ultrasonic waves to solve a pressing problem: They develop an app that warns cell phone users when they get too close to an object, which helps them avoid collisions so that they can enjoy their social media life without interruption. The app ‘UltraSalma’ is a hit and has surprising consequences in real social life… 

The illustrations were created by the up-and-coming Jordanian artist Sereena Hamad.

This book explores the interconnection between housing, heritage and urbanisation. Bringing together architects, archaeologists, urban sociologists, urban designers, urban planners and landscape architects, this multi-authored and interdisciplinary volume presents diverse case studies from the Middle East and North Africa, shedding light on the past, present and future of residential spaces.

With its focus to traditional, modern and contemporary housing in Egypt, Iran, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia, Housing, Heritage and Urbanisation in the Middle East and North Africa explores the correlation between architecture, urban planning and society. The contributors critique the impact of rapid urbanisation and global architectural standardisation, which often goes beyond local identity. Instead, they advocate for a sustainable urban development rooted in community needs and cultural heritage.

Ultimately, this volume argues that successful urban planning must balance modernity with tradition, ensuring that housing reflects the lived experiences of its inhabitants. A crucial read for scholars and practitioners, it reaffirms that sustainable cities must be shaped by local needs, not just global trends.

Berlin is increasingly emerging as a hub of Arab intellectual life in Europe. In this first study of Arab culture to zoom in on the thriving metropolis, the contributors shed light on the dynamics of transformation with Arabs as agents, subjects, and objects of change in the spheres of politics, society and history, gender, demographics and migration, media and culture, and education and research. The kaleidoscopic character of the collection, embracing academic articles, essays, interviews and photos, reflects critical encounters in Berlin. It brings together authors from inter- and multidisciplinary fields and backgrounds and invites the readers into a much-needed conversation on contemporary transformations.

Storytelling, Seafaring, and Travel Writing advances research on Islamic travel writing, with a particular concentration on the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean. Ranging from the late antiquity to the present, this collection explores how storytelling, travelogues, and seafaring narratives have contributed to cultural discourses and intellectual traditions. By examining Arab seafaring and travel from new angles and through cross-cultural and interdisciplinary lenses, these essays challenge conventional interpretation. Essential for scholars and researchers in Islamic studies, philosophy, literary analysis, and cultural history, it illustrates how real and imagined narratives have profoundly influenced cross-cultural exchanges and the construction of moral and cultural paradigms over time.