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Outlook: My love affair with the instrument that reminds me of home

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Syrian musician Maya Youssef and her qanun.

31/01/2022 GMT

My love affair with the instrument that reminds me of home

BBC World Service - Outlook, My love affair with the instrument that reminds me of home

Syrian virtuoso musician Maya Youssef fell in love with the qanun as a child

Syrian musician Maya Youssef fell in love with the qanun, a traditional Middle Eastern stringed instrument as a child and it’s been by her side ever since.

Syrian musician Maya Youssef is in love with her qanun, a traditional Middle Eastern stringed instrument. Like a family member, it has got her through some difficult times and it consoled Maya as she watched from afar as her homeland was ripped apart by war. Maya's talent at playing the qanun gave her the opportunity to live in the UK and she has taken it on tour playing in refugee centres for new arrivals and at the Royal Albert Hall. Maya tells Mobeen Azhar about her journey with the qanun. Her upcoming album is called Finding Home.

Kenechukwu Ogbuagu's world revolves around board games. He invents them, designs them and makes them with his own hands for his company Nibcard Games. Kenechukwu also hosts the African Boardgame Convention and runs a Games cafe in Abuja. He tells Mobeen what sparked his obsession with games.    

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Deiniol Buxton

(Photo: Maya Youssef and her qanun. Credit: Igor Studio)

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