Umar Mirza
(The Hague, NL 1987) is a talented tv host, chairman and columnist. His parents emigrated to the Netherlands from Pakistan. At the age of 18 Umar Mirza began as a columnist and editor of the multicultural platform Wijblijvenhier.nl and developed his outlook on the Netherlands in contributions on various weblogs, opinion sites, in magazines and collections of essays. In addition he regularly sits on panels, chairs meetings and leads debates. Since 2009 he is a guest lecturer at Fontys Hogeschool voor Journalistiek in Tilburg and since 2011 has hosted tv programmes for NTR (Mijn moskee is top). Umar did the minor People and Society at Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam and in 2012 completed his Master's at the Technische Universiteit Delft. He was elected one of the twelve Best Graduates of the Netherlands. He is working on a new television programme. www.umarmirza.nl.
Past events
Around the World with Umar - LOL
Are writers present-day jesters and do they get away with mockery, as long as what they say is meant in jest? Three Pakistani writers, Wajahat Ali, Mohammed Hanif and Umar Mirza, cross swords, or rather: words, on this topic. With a humorous performance by Rodaan Al Galidi and music by the Iranian percussionist Mohammad Reza Mortazawi. English spoken.
Around the World with Umar - Among the Believers
In countries like Indonesia and Turkey religion gets a hold over politics. Is religion taking over or is there still a future for a country separating religion and state. Umar Mirza talks to Ece Temelkuran (Turkey) and Ahmad Tohari (Indonesia) on the influence of state-imposed ideals. With music by the Iranian master of percussion Mohammad Reza Mortazawi. In English.
Around the World with Umar - Stories from Home
Umar Mirza (My Mosque is just it) talks to writers about migration. The barren cold, the great getting-used-to, we know about those aspects of migration by now. But what goes on beneath the surface? Reggie Baay, Nadia Bouras and Fidan Ekiz offer a rare view of the inside of uprooted lives. With music by the Iranian master percussionist Mohammad Reza Mortazawi. In Dutch.
