Anis Hamadeh

Anis Hamadeh (born 25 October 1966, Hamburg) is a German artist and journalist with Arab roots. His master’s degree is in Islamic Studies and English (Linguistics). His first name Anis rhymes with "peace" and is his pen name. He lives in the city of Mainz as a freelancer.
Art
In February 2004, Anis Hamadeh and the writer Sherko Fatah went on a literary Egypt tour organized by the German Academic Exchange Service. Three months later Anis participated in the "Shalom Salam" tour through Germany (music and literature) with the Duo Rubin under the auspices of Federal President Johannes Rau.
For the Free Gaza Movement he composed three songs. Professor Noam Chomsky answered in an email on 12 August 2008 on the video of the song "Gaza On My Mind": "Very glad to see the song, and very pleased to be linked with Fisk, particularly in an endeavor as courageous and necessary as this one." The verse in question is: "You say it's all about a security risk / and you don't read no Chomsky, you don't read no Fisk / and I got Gaza on my mind and you tell me why." For the Nonkilling movement he composed the song "No More Killing" (2009) on the occasion of the 80th birthday of Professor Glenn D. Paige, author of the book “Nonkilling Global Political Science", which Hamadeh translated into German. London musician Gilad Atzmon wrote about the CD "Songwriter's Songs" (self-published in 2009): "Anis found the right spot between Dylan and Gaza, between social commitment and beauty."
Since 2008, the focus of Anis’ art has been on painting and drawing, especially on the creation of detailed and colorful series of city views (Liverpool, Palestine, Mainz, Wiesbaden).
Political Engagement
Anis Hamadeh calls his political direction “nonviolent egalitarian liberalism”. With his bilingual essays and articles he reaches an international readership. One of his main topics is the relation between Palestine, Israel, and Germany. His father grew up in the Westbank, his mother was born in Königsberg during World War II. Concerning the Israel Palestine conflict, Hamadeh emphasizes international law and the Human Rights as a political measure.
In 2008 and 2009 he was a member and the webmaster of the international Free Gaza Movement that sailed the first free boats in more than 40 years to Gaza. From October 4.-16, 2009, he participated in the first "Nonkilling Global Leadership Academy" in Honolulu, Hawaii.
His online interviews cover conversations with the Egyptian scholar Nasr Abu Zaid, politologist Professor Em. Glenn D. Paige (Hawaii), and the peace groups Zochrot (Israel), Codepink (USA) and Cooks for Peace (Palestine/Israel). In 2007, Anis wrote the book „Islam für Kids“ (in German).
Articles and Essays (Selection)
* 23 January 2009, al-Arabiya (Dubai): Free Gaza boats and nonkilling transformation: A perspective http://www.alarabiya.net/views/2009/01/23/64855.html
* 21 March 2008, Counterpunch: Essay "Merkel in the Knesset" http://www.counterpunch.org/hamadeh03212008.html
* 1996: "The Concept of Science in Early Islam" in : Periodica Islamica 6/1996: pp 7-14, Malaysia http://www.anis-online.de/1/essays/01.htm
* "Kings We Are, with Wings of Dust". Memories of the Shalom Salam Tour (2004, 118 pp) http://www.anis-online.de/1/orient-online/koenige/kingsweare.pdf
* "Nonkilling - Wissenschaft von der nicht töten den Gesellschaft" (Translator from English), 233 pp, HWK-Verlag 2009, ISBN 978-3-937245-02-7 (in German)
* "Islam für Kids", 345 pp, bhv-Verlag 2007, ISBN 978-3-8266-8638-2 (in German)
English Interviews
* The Link, Volume 41, Issue 5, December 2008 (Jane Adas) on the Free Gaza Movement http://www.ameu.org/page.asp?iid283&aid604&pg=1
* Metro newspaper (UK), 'Life' section, 14 January 2008 (Mark Powell), Interview on the "Before their Diaspora" exhibition in Liverpool. http://www.sabine-yacoub.de/interessantes/metro-diaspora.jpg
Exhibitions
* January 2008: The Domino Gallery, Liverpool. "Before their Diaspora" and other works by Anis Hamadeh and by Sabine Yacoub. Introduced and hosted by Felicity Wren.
* Since March 2010: Galerie MAINZER KUNST! - "City Views of Mainz. 12 Pictures in DIN A3"

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