Culture and Media

by George Banez Lunch for me these days at home in Florida simply retells the previous night’s dinner.  A quick reimagining of leftovers often suffices.  Occasionally, I make soup, sometimes Filipino Sinigang, sometimes Japanese Miso. Or I fry me some…

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) opens the season of the “BER” months with Balhin, a solo exhibition by Bulacan-born artist Edmond Rivera. Drawing from his own childhood experience of losing his home and the ongoing displacement…

At BCR we’re sharing conversations with positive-thinking people talking about respectful ways of living with our neighbors. Anecdotes to Trumpist hate/fear-mongering.   “Surviving Trump” is a new BCR series: One program a week that features hope and growth — realizing…

As the Supreme Court of India recently agreed to hear a petition asking for a comprehensive and time-bound re-verification of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) updated in Assam during 2014-2019, the people of Assam may expect a correct list…

If you are living in a major city, as I do in Lahore, and you do not have a few minutes to think alone, to gaze out the window, and to focus your consciousness inward upon your very self—then you…

Over the past few years, Russia has raised its public diplomacy across Africa, ultimately aiming at strengthening multifaceted relations. As noticeable in practical terms, Russia has taken various tailored steps toward influencing public opinions and policy perceptions across the continent.…

The 11th Bakunawa Fest launched the first part of its Manila leg on August 29, 2025, at the Centro de Turismo Intramuros. Presented by E Unlimited, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts – Sentro Rizal International Cultural Affairs…

Kazakh singer Dimash Qudaibergen will debut as executive producer at the helm of an ambitious mega music co-production with the Chinese broadcaster Hunan Broadcasting System. Filming, set to begin next week across various cities in Kazakhstan, aims to project the…

In a land where, for decades, art was silenced under religious and political decrees, the appearance of *Carmen* on a Riyadh stage strikes with the force of lightning in the night. It is not merely an operatic performance: it is…

I ran the words through my mind as I taught the class.  The polite Japanese translation of  “today is my last day, I quit” scrolled across my forehead like a TV news ticker.   The words streamed as fast as…