As the world faces stronger and more frequent storms, a new play honors the extensive discussions that led to the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, which brought world leaders together to address greenhouse gas emissions. The post New play ‘Kyoto’ looks at the global agreement that first aimed to curb greenhouse gas emissions appeared first on The World from PRX.
Every year, thousands of migrants risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean Sea in fragile wooden boats, hoping to reach the shores of Europe. Many arrive on the Italian island of Lampedusa, where the vessels are left abandoned. In a prison on the outskirts of Milan, inmates are transforming those discarded boats into something unexpected: musical instruments. The post From shipwreck to symphony: Prisoners in Italy turn migrant boats into violins appeared first on The World from PRX.
The "Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination" exhibit at Harvard University's Museum of Natural History looks at creatures deep beneath the sea. The post A new museum exhibit that highlights creatures in the deep sea appeared first on The World from PRX.
In South Korea, the tattoo industry has long been underground due to prohibitive licensing rules. With those restrictions set to lift in 2027, some practitioners are breathing a sigh of relief; they'll no longer risk fines or jail time. Others, however, fear that the changes won't all be for the better. Jason Strother in Seoul gives us a glimpse of an industry at a crossroads. The post Tattoo artists in South Korea anticipate lifting of restrictions with mixed emotions appeared first on The World from PRX.
It's called Akira Comics, and among its 60,000 volumes, you'll find everything from the Japanese manga style that inspired its name to fantasy literature to classic Marvel superheroes. But Akira is more than just shopping. Its decor is designed to transport clients to fantasy realms, from “The Lord of the Rings” to “Star Wars” to medieval Europe. The World's Gerry Hadden takes us on a tour of Akira, a comic store on Madrid's north side. The post The world’s best comics store says immersive fantasy is key to its success appeared first on The World from PRX.
At the annual Fringe festival in Edinburgh, performers go to great lengths to highlight their productions amid thousands of shows on offer. It turns out, there are some tricks to getting noticed. The post With nearly 4,000 shows, all the world’s a stage at Edinburgh Fringe appeared first on The World from PRX.
For many Ukrainians living abroad, Russia’s invasion of their country became a moment of reevaluation. Some began to rethink where they felt most at home. For others, though, their connection with their Ukrainian identity strengthened. For one New York-based jazz pianist, it wasn’t really one or the other — everything felt like it was in flux. The post Ukrainian jazz pianist pays homage to the fallen appeared first on The World from PRX.
Curators at the National Museum of World Culture in Sweden recently invited a group of Zambian women to help understand the meaning of some ancient artifacts and the communities that used them. Samba Yonga, a co-founder of the virtual Women’s History Museum of Zambia, was one of them. She discussed the project with The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler. The post Deciphering ancient artifacts with a lost language used by women in Zambia appeared first on The World from PRX.
Once dismissed as working-class “noise,” sonidero DJs are now part of Mexico City’s cultural identity — and women are helping lead the transformation. The post Once marginalized, Mexico City’s sonidero parties draw crowds across social divides appeared first on The World from PRX.
Brazilian singer and rapper Brisa Flow made history in 2023 as the first Indigenous artist featured on the lineup of Lollapalooza Brazil. Her music mixes hip-hop with ancestral singing, jazz, electronic and neo-soul. She's also an activist and educator. The post Brazilian hip-hop artist Brisa Flow brings Indigenous issues to the fore appeared first on The World from PRX.
The beloved musical “Mar i Cel,” which premiered in 1988, is back on stages in Barcelona for a fourth, and perhaps final, time. The love story tackles dark issues like bigotry, deportation and cycles of violence — something that people say may be more relevant than ever today. The post A decades old Catalan musical may be ending its run, but its message still resonates today appeared first on The World from PRX.
"The White Lotus," on HBO, is all about Americans behaving badly in tropical locales, and the third season is set in Thailand. The series is stacked with American celebrities. It's also catapulted a 77-year-old Thai actress to global fame. The post Why Thailand’s ‘Judi Dench’ left retirement for ‘The White Lotus’ appeared first on The World from PRX.
About an hour outside of London, Thames Carpets sells handmade carpets mostly from the Middle East. The business goes back decades, and now, the next generation is spreading awareness of the ancient art on a new platform. The post A father-daughter duo brings an ancient art form to Instagram appeared first on The World from PRX.
Comiket is the world's largest comic festival. Twice a year, more than 300,000 comic enthusiasts from around the world travel to Tokyo to support their favorite artists. While the vast majority of artists are Japanese, some foreigners manage to grab a table to show their wares. The post ‘It’s like a dream’: Artists and fans connect over the love of comic books at Japan’s biannual Comiket appeared first on The World from PRX.
“Maybe Happy Ending” is an intimate science fiction story that has been performed many times in Seoul, South Korea. Now, its adapted version is playing on Broadway. The story, about a pair of robots, sheds light on the human condition in this digital age. The post Can robots fall in love? A sci-fi musical from South Korea is now a hit on Broadway. appeared first on The World from PRX.
Chile’s biggest carnival is kicking off at full speed today. As many as 150,000 people have traveled to the northern Chilean town of Arica to participate. But this is not your typical carnival. Most of the dances and music come from Bolivia. It is a celebration of Indigenous Aymara, Quechua and Afro-Chilean identities. The post Chile’s Indigenous carnival kicks off in the city of Arica appeared first on The World from PRX.
Murat Palta makes a splash in the Turkish art world by imagining how a 16th-century Ottoman miniaturist would depict the world today. He blends traditional miniature techniques with modern themes by drawing from pop culture. The post Turkish artist captures pop culture through traditional miniature techniques appeared first on The World from PRX.
Artists in Mexico’s Iztapalapa borough are using murals to highlight local residents and send positive messages, in what’s been dubbed the largest mural project in the world. The post A massive mural project in Mexico City is transforming some of the poorest neighborhoods appeared first on The World from PRX.
National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek tells host Carolyn Beeler about his first stop after having walked through the Middle East. On Cyprus, he found beaches with baking European tourists, a busy port city and a checkerboard of olive groves and yellow hay fields. But he also found the vestigial border line that divides the island's Greek and Turkish communities, and walked through an abandoned tourist city, a relic of a border war that has never been fully resolved.
Sudanese American Haneen Sidahmed is digitizing cassettes tapes of classic Sudanese songs dating back to the 1960s. In the process, she's created a music archive called Sudan Tapes Archive. Reporter Hana Baba, of station KALW and the podcast, "The Stoop," talked to Sidahmed about how her work has taken on new urgency amid war in Sudan.