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TunisiaLebanon: BBC launches new Syrian radio drama with EU support
September 5, 2016
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A major new Syrian radio drama was launched last by BBC Media Action and its local partner, Batoota Films, with the financial support of the European Union. Hay El-Matar (Airport District) is set in a fictional suburb of contemporary Damascus and follows the daily lives of its characters as they try to cope with the impact of prolonged war.
Marrying the best of Syrian writing and acting talent with the BBC’s renowned expertise in drama making, the series has all the ingredients of a classic soap opera, love affairs, family disputes, greed, ambition, betrayal and personal crises of every sort, but also plunges into some very specifically Syrian hot topics, such as the militarisation of society, corruption, sexual abuse, radicalisation and the impact of mass migration.
In addition to the three episodes broadcast every week on BBC Arabic radio, a weekly discussion programme will take up key issues raised by the drama and provide a forum to connect with the audience. The broadcasts will also be available online and as podcasts.
The drama will air on BBC Arabic radio at 19:06 (Beirut time GMT+2) on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, with repeats. There will be omnibus drama of the 3 episodes followed by the discussion programme on Saturdays at 12:06 and 18:06. To listen to all episodes log on to www.hayelmatar.com, or to ‘Hay El-Matar’ Facebook page: Hay el Matar حي المطار
Read more
European Commission – Factsheet – The European Union and Syria
European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection – Syrian crisis factsheet
EU Delegation to Lebanon – website and Facebook page
Countries covered:
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Lebanon
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Syria *
