Radio Alhara – No Limits
Radio Alhara was launched in 2020 as a way for five friends to stay in touch during the coronavirus lockdowns. It was initially broadcast from Bethlehem, Ramallah and Amman but now you’ll hear presenters and DJs from around the world. A similarly international spirit imbues its sound with a typical schedule featuring Afro-funk, Turkish rap, Bahraini wedding songs and more.
“Alhara means ‘neighbourhood’,” says the station’s co-founder Elias Anastas, who also works as an architect. “The station has been extending the limits of that neighbourhood to the scale of the planet.”
Radio Alhara is closely aligned with humanitarian causes. In 2021 the station aired static for 24 hours to protest against the eviction of Palestinian families in Jerusalem and more recently broadcast a programme to support anti-government protesters in Iran.
“Radio Alhara is an experiment to create a cultural centre that is constantly being reshaped by its community,” says Anastas.
Website & Audio:
https://www.radioalhara.net/ Radio AlHara – راديو الحارة
© MONOCLE Minute Edition, April 28, 2023
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