Two American artists, the Roosevelt Collier Band and Peter Cincotti, participated in the Carthage Jazz Festival thanks to the support of the U.S. Embassy.  While in town for the festival, the artists also performed for a packed crowd at the American Center, and answered questions from Tunisians about life in the music business.  Peter Cincotti …

On March 7, the El Makhzen Culturel Association organized the closing Ceremony of the Embassy –funded Heroes Build II project, at Cine Madart in Carthage. The project provided 10 young film students from throughout the country with expert training and equipment to make short documentaries or fictional films to illustrate their vision of Tunisia. The …

From July 7 to 9, the Embassy participated in the second edition of Comic Con Tunisia, where nearly eight thousand Tunisians in the comics, video gaming, and digital arts communities flocked to Le Kram Exhibition Center to connect, network and share their passion and interests. With the aim of promoting exchanges recruitment, supporting the nascent local animation …

The American Film Showcase program was back in Tunisia in May, this time with award- winning director and producer Lesley Chilcott and her thrilling and heartfelt documentary CodeGirl. The film focuses on high school girls developing smart phone applications to solve social issues, trying to better their communities through technology and collaboration. Lesley’s camera followed …

Public Affairs Section partnered with El Makhzen Cultural Association to organize a series of musical workshops and two live concerts on April 20 and 22 with visiting American a cappella band The Exchange.  The Tunis show reached an audience of around 500, and the show in Tabarka drew crowd of more than 1000 spectators.  Both …

In late March, American modern dance troupe Keigwin + Company visited Tunisia from New York City as part of the DanceMotion USA program, their final stop on a tour across Africa. The American company engaged in daily workshops with 35 professional Tunisian dancers, concluding with a collaborative performance at the El Halfaouine Tunisian National Theatre. …

The Embassy Tunis Public Affairs Section sponsored a week long hip-hop workshop series “Next Level” – featuring four American hip-hop artists who worked with young aspiring Tunisian artists to share techniques and culture.  The visit culminated with a performance on February 12 and an “open jam” in which students and the audience of other local …

Representatives from the Smithsonian Institution visited Tunisia to conduct a workshop on cultural tourism, marketing, and security.  Organized in cooperation with Ministry of Tourism and Handcrafts and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, the workshop brings together experts from museums across Tunisia.    This workshop was the final stage of a project resulting from President Beji Caid …

MC Rai drew hundreds of people to the El Mourouj Cultural Center Saturday night for the final Heroes Build concert.  In addition to MC Rai’s world music performance, Tunisian hip hop artist Artmasta entertained the crowd.   MC Rai’s set enamored the energetic audience, melding the bagpipe, ney, darbouka and kanun harmoniously with guitars and keyboard.  …

The Ambassador presented awards to six winners of two Public Affairs video contests.  The theme of the Martin Luther King, Jr. 2016 contest, which was promoted on social media, was volunteerism.  The creators of the three top short films came from Djerba, Monastir and Tunis.  The second contest was for film-school students,  who created short …

  On October 18-19, Tunisian-American musical artist MC Rai brought his unique fusion of classic Algerian rai and western music to Gabes and Tozeur. Taking the stage in Gabes Tuesday night, along with his band and several local musicians, MC Rai played for more than 500 attendees in the Place des Arts. His second concert, …

To support the development of Tunisian cultural tourism, the Smithsonian Institution in collaboration with the Tunisian Ministry of Tourism develops marketing plans and promotional materials for Tunisian cultural sites and the Bardo Museum. Star Wars Locations Native Story From ancient Berber homes to a manmade desert igloo, these are the iconic Star Wars’ sets you can visit in …

Young Tunisian musicians Houyem Ghattas and Iskander Dridi joined 23 musical change makers from across the world to take part in take part in OneBeat , one of the U.S. Department of State’s musical diplomacy programs.  This year, OneBeat focuses on Musical Migrations, exploring how large movements of people have shaped music, and conversely, how music can encourage dialogue, peace …

“Democratic Drama or Democratic Decline: Making Sense of the 2016 US Presidential Election.”  This captivating subject drew more than one hundred students from Tunis Business School (TBS) and the Sousse College of Arts and Humanities (FLSHS) to a talk and Q & A with political analyst and Washington Institute for the Near East Policy fellow Dr. Sarah Feuer . Dr. Feuer, whose opinions are not affiliated with …

Organizers of the first Comic Con in North Africa, which was held September 2 to 4 in Tunis, said around 7,500 attended the weekend activities. Sponsored in part by the Embassy, Comic Con commemorated the 40th anniversary of the filming of the first Star Wars movie in Tunisia, but also attracted fans of cosplay, manga, …

Singer Melinda Doolittle, a finalist on American Idol’s sixth season, performed at festivals in Sousse, El Jem and Sfax during the first week of August.   Doolittle, her four-member band and three back-up singers wowed audiences with a rousing 90-minute set of classic American R&B, soul and jazz.  One highlight was the singer’s cover of Britney …

Congratulations to Mohamed Ben Haj Hmida, the winner of the contest. This logo will  be used throughout the year, from June-2016 to June-2017 on the Embassy website, social media sites, business cards, posters and anywhere else the Embassy chooses. Thank you to all the contestants for their creative submissions. In 1956, the United States opened its Embassy in Tunis. From …

Phil Hessler, a 22-year-old student-turned-filmmaker, came to Tunisia as part of the State Department’s American Film Showcase to screen his documentary Far From Home. The film tells the story of Phil’s adopted brother Brolin Mawejje and his remarkable journey from a tumultuous Ugandan childhood to a new life in the U.S., where he’s working to …

Each April, the United States celebrates Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM), an opportunity to savor a major American contribution to world culture. Initiated by the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, JAM aims to focus public attention on the music, and on the many talented composers, musicians and other contributors to the sound. Just over 60 years …

The Tunisian Ministry of Culture hosted Public Affairs Counselor Michael Macy and a Public Affairs section team at the Raqqada National Museum of Islamic Art in Kairaouan.  Housed in a former presidential palace, the museum boasts a unique collection of Islamic art masterpieces dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries.  Following a guided tour, …

Ambassador Rubenstein visited El Makhzen cultural center in the Tunis Medina, where he was interviewed by Al Wataniya TV and joined an audience of Tunisian actors, actresses, students and teachers for a screening of the American Film Showcase documentary Of Many. Director Linda Mills participated in a lively post-film discussion about the role that art …

U.S. filmmaker Linda Mills and American Film Showcase (AFS) representative Alan Baker were guests of Amani Boulares of Radio Nationale Tunisienne.  Both Ms. Mills and Mr. Baker gave a comprehensive overview about Of Many, a 30-minute documentary screened in ‪‎Tunisia‬ as part of the American Film Showcase program, and expressed their excitement at the opportunity …

We are happy to sponsor Tunisian musician Amira Knani’s journey to New York, where she will receive the 2015 @International Youth Piano Competition’s Second Prize at Carnegie Hall. Our U.S. Public Affairs Counselor Michael Macy congratulated Amira on her success and encouraged her to keep developing her impressive talent.

  American band Burn the Ballroom spoke at the U.S. Embassy Tunis IRC to a number of students and members of the public about the business side of making music. They gave the audience a brief history of the band—how it came to be formed, the meaning of the band’s name, as well as some …

U.S.-Tunisian cultural and artistic cooperation through U.S. ‎rock and Tunisian ‎rap at Ibn Rachiq ‎Tunis was captivating. Joined by rapper Marwan and DJ Gamra, RedStar Radi, Tunisian hip-hop artist, provided an excellent opening act’s performance. Radi and Burn The Ballroom rocked the show and riveted the audience!

The Tunisian Community Center hosted a celebration of Tunisian-American Day on May 30 in Washington.  Tunisia’s ambassador to Washington, Faycal Gouia, was guest of honor at the event, which featured a gala dinner with traditional Tunisian specialties and Tunisian music.  Also present at the event was Miss Tunisia 2015 Rawia Jebali and Miss Tunisia 2014 …

Lebanese American writer, artist, and actress Leila Buck conducted a workshop at the Youth Complex in Sfax for primary school teachers on the role of performing arts in education.  Fifty-five teachers enthusiastically participated in the interactive event, conducted in Arabic and French.  A participatory approach enabled attendees to grasp the importance of dramatic arts education in …