Stefano Cammelli

The Minaret of Jesus Stefano Cammelli

ForewordOver the course of 2003 I went to Syria with the aim of collecting some life stories. I wanted to use these interviews to contribute to a better understanding of the Near East, overcoming the barriers raised by ideologies and politics. The people I interviewed agreed to work with me knowing in advance that they would receive no monetary reward for this, and that their testimonies would be protected by anonymity. I asked the individuals I interviewed not to talk about issues directly connected with politics and the international situation. While possibly questionable from a methodological point of view, I believe the request was justified not only on account of the huge differences separating us in that respect, but also in order to avoid revisiting issues that are all too well known (Israel and Palestine) and highly topical but about which it seemed to me that everything had already been said. Besides, politics was not my objective. The meetings took place in people's homes, in coffee houses, in the street and in the workplace. They often lasted several hours and continued over time. Although French and English are widely spoken in Syria, an interpreter sometimes had to be used to translate from Arabic. The pages that follow contain the transcription of the interviews which I felt were the most interesting. They are twelve testimonies selected from a much wider collection. Naturally, the names of the speakers have been changed.