El Hizjra

National Network
Pays-Bas
Address

El Hizjra Louwesweg 6G
1066 EC Amsterdam
Pays-Bas

Telephone
+31 6 2422 4563
E-Mail
info@elhizjra.nl
Organisation Type
Public/Private Non-Profit Foundation
Year of Establishment
1987
Fields of Activity
  1. Heritage
  2. International/Cultural relations
General Information

El Hizjra is a Dutch, Amsterdam-based non-profit foundation advocating the rich Arab cultural heritage of (the children of) migrants in the Netherlands and its impact on society since 1987. El Hizjra’s core business deals with discovering, stimulating and supporting talented young and unknown writers with a bicultural background. The foundation is currently financially supported by the Dutch 'Letterenfonds'.

Mission and Objectives

Since its inception, El Hizjra initiates and facilitates lectures and debates on contemporary Arab themes. After three decades, we can only conclude that this mission still appeals to current issues within the Netherlands, also with regard to the Arab world. El Hizjra is also known for (inter)national projects, master classes for aspiring writers and workshops for pupils of primary schools and high schools. The annual El Hizjra writing competition, initiated in 1992, has become an acclaimed stepping stone to a successful (inter)national career for talented Dutch writers with a bicultural background.

Main Projects / Activities

Since 2016, El Hizjra embeds the award ceremony of this writing competition within her ‘Night of Arabic Literature’ (Dutch: Nacht van de Arabische Literatuur): a festival celebrating literature, poetry, spoken word, storytelling, film and photography at De Nieuwe Liefde, a renowned venue in Amsterdam.

Contact (1) Full Name
Mohamed Mahdi
Job Title
Director
Head of the organisation
Mohamed Mahdi
Contact (2) Full Name
Nabil Taouati
Job Title (2)
Chairman