Writing from Aleppo to exile and back again
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 →
I facilitated an eight-week Creative Nonfiction Writing Workshop for Arab women human rights defenders, in collaboration with the Gulf Centre for Human Rights. The workshop was conceived as a collective learning space where writing could function both as a creative practice and as a political tool rooted in lived experience. The workshop aimed to strengthen... Continue Reading →
This six-week Creative Nonfiction Writing Workshop brought together Syrian women writers to explore writing as both a creative and political practice. The workshop was designed to support participants in developing the skills, confidence, and critical tools needed to articulate their experiences, perspectives, and positions in public life. Grounded in the principles of creative nonfiction, the... Continue Reading →
I recently concluded a six-week creative writing workshop with a group of Syrian women leaders and activists, an experience I carry with deep gratitude and pride. This workshop was designed as a space of resistance and care. A space to write against silencing, fear, and political erasure, and to reclaim language as a tool for... Continue Reading →
Marcelle Shehwaro 