ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Bahia Shehab - Artist and historian
TED Fellow Bahia Shehab sends an important message through her street art in Cairo: “You can crush the flowers, but you can’t delay spring."

Why you should listen

Bahia Shehab is an artist, designer and art historian. She is associate professor of design and founder of the graphic design program at The American University in Cairo, where she has developed a full design curriculum mainly focused on visual culture of the Arab world. She has taught over fourteen courses on the topic.

Shehab's artwork has been on display in exhibitions, galleries and streets in Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey, UAE and the US. The documentary Nefertiti's Daughters featuring her street artwork during the Egyptian uprising was released in 2015. Her work has received a number of international recognitions and awards; TED fellowship (2012) and TED Senior fellowship (2016), BBC 100 Women list (2013, 2014), The American University in Beirut distinguished alumna (2015), Shortlist for V&A’s Jameel Prize 4 (2016), and a Prince Claus Award (2016). Her book A Thousand Times NO: The Visual History of Lam-Alif was published in 2010.

More profile about the speaker
Bahia Shehab | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal 2012

Bahia Shehab: A thousand times no

بەهیە شەهاب: هەزار جار نەخێر

Filmed:
1,138,104 views

مێژوو ناسی هونەری (بەهیە شەهاب) زۆر بە وشەی عەرەبی "نەخێر" سەرسام بووە--کاتێک شۆڕشی میصر لە ساڵی ٢٠١٢ سەری هەڵدا، دەستی کرد بە بڵاو کردنەوەی وێنە لە شەقامەکاندا کە بە دیکتاتۆرانی دەوت "نەخێر" -- نەخێر بۆ یاسای سەربازی، نەخێر بۆ توند و تیژی
- Artist and historian
TED Fellow Bahia Shehab sends an important message through her street art in Cairo: “You can crush the flowers, but you can’t delay spring." Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:16
Two years ago, I was invited as an artist
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دوو ساڵ پێش ئێستا، من وه‌ک هونه‌رمه‌ندێک بانگ کرام
00:19
to participate in an exhibition commemorating
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بۆ به‌شداری کردن له‌ پێشانگای یاده‌وه‌ری
00:22
100 years of Islamic art in Europe.
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سەد ساڵه‌ی هونه‌ری ئیسلام له‌ ئه‌وروپا
00:24
The curator had only one condition:
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به‌ڕێوبه‌ری شوێنه‌که‌ ته‌نها یه‌ک مه‌رجی هه‌بوو
00:27
I had to use the Arabic script for my artwork.
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پێویست بوو نوسینی عه‌ره‌بی به‌کاربهێنم له‌ کاره‌ هونه‌ریه‌کانمدا
00:30
Now, as an artist, a woman, an Arab,
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ئێستا، وه‌ک هونه‌رمه‌ندێک، ئافره‌تێک، عه‌ره‌بێک
00:33
or a human being living in the world in 2010,
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یان مرؤڤێک که‌ له‌ ساڵی ٢٠١٠ دا لە جیهاندا ده‌ژی
00:37
I only had one thing to say:
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من ته‌نها یه‌ک شتم هه‌بوو که‌ بیڵێم
00:40
I wanted to say no.
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ده‌مویست بڵێم نه‌خێر
00:43
And in Arabic, to say "no," we say "no,
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به‌عه‌ره‌بی ئه‌گه‌ر بڵێیت، نه‌خێر، ده‌ڵێین نه‌خێر
00:45
and a thousand times no."
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وه‌ هه‌زارجار نه‌خێر
00:47
So I decided to look for a thousand different noes.
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بڕیارمدا که‌ بگه‌ڕێم بۆ هه‌زار "نه‌خێر"ی جیاواز
00:51
on everything ever produced
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هه‌رشتێک دروست کرابێت
00:53
under Islamic or Arab patronage in the past 1,400 years,
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له‌ژێر چاودێری ئیسلام یان عه‌ره‌ب له‌ (١،٤٠٠) ساڵی ڕابردودا
00:58
from Spain to the borders of China.
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له‌ ئیسپانیاوه‌ بۆ سنوره‌کانی چین
01:02
I collected my findings in a book,
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ئه‌و شتانه‌ی که‌ دۆزیومه‌ته‌وه‌ له‌ کتێبێک دا کۆمکردۆته‌وه‌
01:04
placed them chronologically, stating the name,
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به‌پێی کات دامناون، به‌هێنانی ناوه‌که‌
01:07
the patron, the medium and the date.
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چاودێریه‌که‌، ڕۆژ و کاته‌که‌ی
01:10
Now, the book sat on a small shelf next to the installation,
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ئێستا، کتێبه‌که‌ له‌سه‌ر ڕه‌فه‌ بچوکه‌که‌ی نزیک دامه‌زراوه‌کەیە
01:14
which stood three by seven meters, in Munich, Germany,
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له‌ (سێ به‌حه‌وت مه‌تره‌ ) له‌ میونخ، له‌ ئه‌ڵمانیا
01:17
in September of 2010.
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له‌ ئه‌یلولی ساڵی ٢٠١٠
01:21
Now, in January, 2011, the revolution started,
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له‌ مانگی کانونی دووەمی ساڵی (٢٠١١)دا، شۆڕشه‌که‌ ده‌ستی پێکرد
01:27
and life stopped for 18 days,
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ژیان بۆ (١٨) ڕۆژ وه‌ستا
01:30
and on the 12th of February,
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له‌ (١٢)ی شوباتدا
01:31
we naively celebrated on the streets of Cairo,
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ئێمه‌ به‌ساویلکه‌یی ئاهه‌نگمان گیڕا له‌شه‌قامه‌کانی قاهیره‌
01:34
believing that the revolution had succeeded.
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به‌ باوه‌ڕی ئه‌وه‌ی که‌ ئه‌و شۆڕشه‌ سه‌رکه‌وتوبوه‌
01:38
Nine months later I found myself spraying messages
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دوای نۆ مانگ، ده‌ستم کرد به‌نامه‌ ناردن
01:42
in Tahrir Square. The reason for this act
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له‌ساحه‌ی ته‌حریر، هۆکاری ئه‌و کاره‌م
01:46
was this image that I saw in my newsfeed.
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ئه‌وه‌بوو ئه‌و وێنه‌یه‌م بینی له‌ هه‌واڵه‌کاندا
01:50
I did not feel that I could live in a city
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باوه‌ڕم نه‌ده‌کرد که‌ له‌شارێکدا بژیم
01:53
where people were being killed
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که‌خه‌ڵک ده‌کوژرێت
01:55
and thrown like garbage on the street.
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وه‌ فڕێ ده‌درێن وه‌ک خۆڵ له‌ شه‌قامه‌کان
01:58
So I took one "no" off a tombstone from
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له‌به‌رئه‌وه‌ "نه‌خێر"م هه‌ڵبژارد له‌ کێلی
02:00
the Islamic Museum in Cairo, and I added a message to it:
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مۆزه‌خانه ی ئیسلامی له‌ قاهیره‌، وه‌نامه‌یه‌کم بۆ زیاد کرد
02:03
"no to military rule."
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نه‌خێر بۆ ده‌سه‌ڵاتی سه‌ربازی
02:05
And I started spraying that on the streets in Cairo.
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وه‌ ده‌ستم کرد به‌ بڵاوکردنه‌وه‌ی ئه‌وه‌ له‌ شه‌قامه‌کانی قاهیره‌دا
02:08
But that led to a series of no, coming out of the book
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به‌ڵام، ئه‌وه‌ بوه‌ هۆی زۆرێک له‌ "نه‌خێر" له‌کتێبه‌وه‌ ده‌هاته‌ ده‌ره‌وه‌
02:11
like ammunition, and adding messages to them,
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وه‌ک تۆپ، وه‌شتی ترم بۆ زیاد ده‌کردن
02:14
and I started spraying them on the walls.
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ده‌ستم کرد به‌بڵاوکردنه‌وه‌یان له‌سه‌ر دیواره‌کان
02:17
So I'll be sharing some of these noes with you.
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من هه‌ندێ له‌و "نه‌خێر"نه‌تان نیشان ده‌ده‌م
02:19
No to a new Pharaoh, because whoever comes next
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نه‌خێر بۆ فیرعه‌ونێکی تازه‌، چونکه‌ هه‌رکه‌سێک له‌داهاتودا بێت
02:22
should understand that we will never be ruled by another dictator.
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پێویسته‌ تێبگات که‌ ئێمه‌ جارێکی تر له‌لایەن دیکتاتۆرێکی تر کۆنتڕۆڵ ناکرێین
02:26
No to violence: Ramy Essam came to Tahrir
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نه‌خێر بۆ ئاژاوه‌:ە: ڕامی ئیسام هات بۆ ته‌حریر
02:30
on the second day of the revolution,
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له‌دووه‌م ڕۆژی شۆڕشه‌که‌دا
02:32
and he sat there with this guitar, singing.
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له‌وێ به‌گیتاره‌که‌یه‌وه‌ دانیشت و گۆرانی ووت
02:35
One month after Mubarak stepped down, this was his reward.
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مانگێک دوای ده‌ست له‌کار کێشانه‌وه‌ی موباره‌ک، ئه‌وه‌ خه‌ڵاته‌که‌ی بوو
02:39
No to blinding heroes. Ahmed Harara lost his right eye
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نه‌خێر بۆ پاڵه‌وانە کوێرەکان. ئه‌حمه‌د حارارا چاوی ڕاستی له‌ده‌ست داوه‌
02:45
on the 28th of January,
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له‌ (٢٨) کانونی دووەم
02:46
and he lost his left eye on the 19th of November,
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چاوی چه‌پی له‌ (١٩) تشرینی دووەم له‌ده‌ست دا
02:50
by two different snipers.
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له‌لایەن دوو نیشانه‌ شکێنی جیاوازه‌وه‌
02:53
No to killing, in this case no to killing men of religion,
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نه‌خێر، بۆ کوشتن، له‌م دۆخه‌دا، نه‌خێر بۆکوشتنی پیاوانی ئاینی
02:56
because Sheikh Ahmed Adina Refaat was shot
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چونکه‌ شێخ احمد ئه‌دینا رەفعەت کوژرا
03:00
on December 16th, during a demonstration,
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له‌ (١٦) کانونی یەکەم دا، له‌کاتی خۆپێشاندانه‌کاندا
03:03
leaving behind three orphans and a widow.
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دوای خۆی سێ هه‌تیو و بێوه‌ژنێکی به‌جێهێشت
03:07
No to burning books. The Institute of Egypt was burned
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نه‌خێر بۆسوتانی کتێبه‌کان، ده‌زگای میسر سوتا
03:10
on December 17th, a huge cultural loss.
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له‌ (١٧) کانونی یەکەمدا ، خه‌ساره‌تێکی گه‌وره‌ی ڕۆشنبیری بوو
03:14
No to stripping the people,
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نا بۆ ڕووت کردنه‌وه‌ی خه‌ڵکی
03:17
and the blue bra is to remind us of our shame
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وه‌ مه‌مکدانه‌ شینه‌که‌ شه‌رمه‌زاریمان بیرده‌خاته‌وه‌
03:20
as a nation when we allow a veiled woman to be stripped
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وه‌ک نه‌ته‌وه‌یه‌ک که‌ ڕێگه‌ به‌ئافره‌تانی داپۆشراو ده‌دات خۆیان ڕوت بکه‌نه‌وه‌
03:24
and beaten on the street, and the footprint reads,
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وە لێیان بدرێت له‌شه‌قامه‌کاندا و لافیته‌کان بخوێننه‌وه‌
03:28
"Long live a peaceful revolution,"
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بژی شۆڕشی ئاشتیانه‌
03:30
because we will never retaliate with violence.
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چونکه‌ ئێمه‌ هه‌رگیز تۆڵه‌ ناسێنینه‌وه‌ به‌ ئاژاوه‌ گێڕی
03:34
No to barrier walls. On February 5th,
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نا بۆ به‌ربه‌سته‌ دیواریه‌کان، له‌ (٥)شوبات دا
03:37
concrete roadblocks were set up in Cairo
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به‌ربه‌سته‌ کۆنکرێته‌کان له‌ قاهیره‌ دانران
03:41
to protect the Ministry of Defense from protesters.
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بۆ پاراستنی وه‌زیری به‌رگری له‌ خۆنیشاندانه‌کان
03:47
Now, speaking of walls, I want to share with you the story
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ئێستا، قسه‌کردن له‌باره‌ی دیواره‌کان، ده‌مه‌وێت چیرۆکێکتان پێ بڵێم
03:50
of one wall in Cairo.
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له‌سه‌ر دیوارێک له‌ قاهیره‌
03:52
A group of artists decided to paint a life-size tank
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گروپێک له‌ هونه‌رمه‌ندان بڕیاریاندا وێنه‌ی تانکێکی گه‌وره‌ بکه‌ن
03:57
on a wall. It's one to one.
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له‌سه‌ر دیوارێک، ئه‌وه‌ یه‌ک به‌یه‌ک
03:59
In front of this tank there's a man on a bicycle
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له‌به‌رده‌م تانکه‌که‌ پیاوێک هه‌یه‌ له‌سه‌ر پایسکیلێک
04:02
with a breadbasket on his head. To any passerby,
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زه‌مبیله‌یه‌کی نانی له‌سه‌ره‌، بۆ هه‌ر ڕێبوارێک
04:05
there's no problem with this visual.
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هیچ کێشه‌یه‌ک نیه‌ له‌م وێنه‌یه‌دا
04:08
After acts of violence, another artist came,
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دوای چه‌ند ئاژاوه‌یه‌ک، هونه‌رمه‌ندێکی تر هات
04:12
painted blood, protesters being run over by the tank,
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خوێنی کێشا، خۆنیشانده‌ره‌کان ڕاده‌که‌ن به‌هۆی تانکه‌که‌وه‌
04:17
demonstrators, and a message that read,
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خۆنیشان ده‌رەکان ئه‌و نامه‌یه‌ ده‌خوێننه‌وه‌
04:20
"Starting tomorrow, I wear the new face,
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له‌به‌یانیه‌وه‌، شێوازێکی نوێ ده‌پۆشم
04:23
the face of every martyr. I exist."
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شێوازی هه‌موو شه‌هیدان، من بونم هەیە
04:27
Authority comes, paints the wall white,
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ده‌سه‌ڵات دێت دیواره‌که‌ سپی ده‌کات
04:30
leaves the tank and adds a message:
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تانکه‌که‌ ده‌هێڵنه‌وه‌ و نامه‌یه‌ک به‌جێ ده‌هێڵێت
04:32
"Army and people, one hand. Egypt for Egyptians."
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سوپا و خه‌ڵک به‌یه‌ک ده‌ست، میسر بۆ میسریه‌کانه‌
04:37
Another artist comes, paints the head of the military
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هونه‌رمه‌ندێکی تردێت، سه‌ری سوپا ده‌کیشێت
04:41
as a monster eating a maiden in a river of blood
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وه‌ک دڕنده‌یه‌ک کچێک ده‌خوات له‌ڕوبارێکی خوێندا
04:44
in front of the tank.
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له‌ به‌رده‌م تانکه‌که‌دا
04:47
Authority comes, paints the wall white, leaves the tank,
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ده‌سه‌ڵات دێن و دیواره‌که‌ سپی ده‌کات و تانکه‌که‌ به‌جێده‌هێڵێت
04:51
leaves the suit, and throws a bucket of black paint
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جله‌که‌ به‌جێ ده‌هێڵێت و خاڵی ڕه‌ش فڕێ ده‌داته‌ سه‌ر دیواره‌که‌
04:54
just to hide the face of the monster.
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ته‌نها بۆ ئه‌وه‌ی ده‌موچاوی دڕنده‌که‌ بشاردرێته‌وه‌
04:55
So I come with my stencils, and I spray them on the suit,
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من له‌گه‌ڵ (ستیسیل)ه‌که‌م دێم و بڵاوی ده‌که‌مه‌وه‌ به‌سه‌ر جله‌کاندا
04:59
on the tank, and on the whole wall,
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به‌سه‌ر تانکه‌که‌دا، به‌سه‌ر هه‌موو دیواره‌که‌دا
05:02
and this is how it stands today
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وه‌ به‌م شێوه‌یه‌ ئه‌مڕۆ ده‌وه‌ستێت
05:04
until further notice. (Laughter)
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هه‌تا کاتێکی تر، پیکه‌نین
05:06
Now, I want to leave you with a final no.
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ئێستا، ده‌مه‌وێت له‌گه‌ڵ کۆتا"نه‌خێر" به‌جێتان بهێڵم
05:10
I found Neruda scribbled on a piece of paper
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نورادایه‌کی تێکه‌ڵ و پێکه‌ڵ نوسراوم له‌سه‌ر پارچه‌یه‌ک کاغەز دۆزییه‌وه‌
05:13
in a field hospital in Tahrir, and I decided to take a no of
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له‌نه‌خۆشخانه‌ی مه‌یدانی ته‌حریردا، بڕیارم دا "نه‌خێر" بنوسم
05:19
Mamluk Mausoleum in Cairo.
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بۆ ماملوک ماودسۆلیۆم له‌ قاهیره‌
05:21
The message reads,
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نامه‌که‌ ده‌ڵێت
05:23
[Arabic]
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عه‌ره‌بی
05:29
"You can crush the flowers, but you can't delay spring."
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ده‌توانی گوڵه‌کان له‌ناو ببه‌ی، به‌ڵام ناتوانی به‌هار دوابخه‌ی
05:33
Thank you. (Applause)
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سوپاس، چه‌پڵه‌لێدان
05:37
(Applause)
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چه‌پڵه‌لێدان
05:46
Thank you. Shukran. (Applause)
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سوپاس، سوپاس، چه‌پڵه‌ لێدان
Translated by Hiwa Foundation II
Reviewed by Hiwa Foundation

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Bahia Shehab - Artist and historian
TED Fellow Bahia Shehab sends an important message through her street art in Cairo: “You can crush the flowers, but you can’t delay spring."

Why you should listen

Bahia Shehab is an artist, designer and art historian. She is associate professor of design and founder of the graphic design program at The American University in Cairo, where she has developed a full design curriculum mainly focused on visual culture of the Arab world. She has taught over fourteen courses on the topic.

Shehab's artwork has been on display in exhibitions, galleries and streets in Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey, UAE and the US. The documentary Nefertiti's Daughters featuring her street artwork during the Egyptian uprising was released in 2015. Her work has received a number of international recognitions and awards; TED fellowship (2012) and TED Senior fellowship (2016), BBC 100 Women list (2013, 2014), The American University in Beirut distinguished alumna (2015), Shortlist for V&A’s Jameel Prize 4 (2016), and a Prince Claus Award (2016). Her book A Thousand Times NO: The Visual History of Lam-Alif was published in 2010.

More profile about the speaker
Bahia Shehab | Speaker | TED.com

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