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The Cultural Frontline: Can Music Influence our View of the World?

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Can Music Influence our View of the World?

05/08/2017 GMT

BBC World Service - The Cultural Frontline, Can Music Influence our View of the World?

Ramy Essam is an Egyptian musician whose song became the anthem for the Arab Spring

Ramy Essam is an Egyptian musician whose song ‘Irhal’ became the anthem for the Arab Spring in 2011.

Ramy Essam is an Egyptian musician who believes music can influence our view of the world. His song ‘Irhal’ became the anthem for the Arab Spring in 2011. This month he’s in Edinburgh, in Scotland, with his show ‘Ramy in the Frontline’.   He explains why he believes music has the power to change minds.

There are more than one thousand comics from all over the world performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year. Many will be left leaning political comedians relishing the opportunities to take on the travails of the American President Donald Trump and the British Prime Minister Teresa May. But what about the handful of comedians who lean to the right politically?  Leo Kearse, declares ‘I Can Make You Tory’ in his show, and Geoff Norcott describes himself as ‘Right-leaning But Well Meaning’, both reveal all.

Like the best comedy, Sujatro Ghosh’s photographs first make you smile and then feel uncomfortable when you realise the truth they are portraying. In a country where violence against women is growing, yet where in several states you can be sentenced to life imprisonment for slaughtering a cow, the 23-year-old photographer’s new project asks are cows in India treated better than women?

The Kenyan rapper MC Sharon, is one of only a few female hip hop artists and music producers in Africa. Her new song  'Kutupanga' , which can be loosely translated as 'lies and deceit' sends a message to corrupt politicians, and encourage people to vote wisely in the election due to be held on Tuesday.

Presenter: Tina Daheley

Photo: Ramy Essam    Photo credit: Val Denn

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