Writing from Aleppo to exile and back again
March 2024 marked the end of my tenth year of exile from Aleppo, my hometown. On March 17, 2013, I was detained for several hours, and by the morning of March 18, I had left Syria, aware that any attempt to return could lead to my assassination or prolonged imprisonment at the very least. I had... Continue Reading →
I led a five-week creative writing workshop designed specifically for first-time women writers inside Syria. This workshop focused on creating a safe, supportive entry point into writing for women who had not previously published or formally studied creative writing. The workshop emphasized writing as a tool for expression, reflection, and self-articulation rather than performance or... Continue Reading →
Sara Jaleela, Marcelle Shehwaro For days after the earthquake, Syrians searched for their loved ones under the rubble of destroyed buildings, or in hospital halls that had been bombed in Syria during the war. Some searched in Turkey, where they could not speak the language. They were left to fend for themselves while accusations and debates flew between the... Continue Reading →
When was my first attempt to claim a voice, and whose voice tried to silence mine? Did the silencing begin in my school in Aleppo? When I was forced to memorize and believe in anything our “eternal leader” said? Some forms of silencing left marks on my voice; some made me louder. * “I see... Continue Reading →
Marcelle Shehwaro 