Art for Politics Sake
Plus the Indian madrassa offering hope to poor children of all faiths.
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| Critics of Edi Rama, the mayor of Albania’s capital city, say he is preoccupied with cosmetic change |
In our Power of One series, we look at people who have made a huge contribution and difference to their communities – through the power of their own effort and will.
Edi Rama is one such person. He is Albania’s most famous painter. He also happens to be the mayor of its once bleak capital city, Tirana. Since winning the mayoral seat in 2003, Edi Rama has been on a mission to completely re-vamp his city with colour and vibrancy. The Edi Rama colours are now famous: Green, violet and yellow. But he faces fierce criticism, and was once beaten nearly to death. His critics say he is preoccupied with cosmetic change.
Can art exist for politics’ sake? People & Power reports from Tirana.
New Age Madrassa
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| Could madrassas be schools of hope for the poor of all faiths? |
Jihad, intifada, fatwa and madrassa are all Arabic words that have made their way to the English language. And since 9/11, they have been almost synonymous with the ‘war on terror’.
‘Madrassa’ has taken on an even greater negative connotation recently since the stand off between Pakistani security forces and conservative students at the Red Mosque – many of which came from schools called ‘madrassas’.
But for millions of children waking up every morning in the Muslim world, madrassa simply means ‘school’.
People & Power’s Sapna Bhatia visits one madrassa in India to discover not only Muslim students, but children of all faiths. What unites them, she says, is not their religion but their poverty. Could these madrassas be schools of hope for the poor?
Watch Art for Politics Sake on YouTube
Watch New Age Madrassa on YouTube
This episode of People & Power airs from Sunday March 30, 2008 at the following times GMT:
Sunday: 14:30 GMT
Monday: 01:30 and 13.30
Tuesday: 06:30 and 20.30
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