Culture in confinement

In Lebanon the car has reigned supreme, with little managing to steer people away from the mighty automobile. But now, the economic crisis is succeeding where everything else failed by challenging Lebanon's national passion for automobile ownership, and driving growing numbers towards greener or more collective transport.

“If you live in Nigeria, you can survive anywhere,” and it’s not by chance. The Soro Soke generation has shifted the narrative, creating an online and offline movement that seeks to effect change, a change that cuts across national boundaries. Amid these calls for change is The Culture Squad echoing the demands of the people for all who need to hear it. These select few are the VJs who highlight societal issues that spark change and revolution in the hearts of many youths. Grab a copy of Guardian Life tomorrow as Nenny B, Folu Storms and Ilo take us on a journey on the impact of ViacomCBS on youth expression.

Tanzania is know for its high-quality coffee beans. And its capital Dar es Salaam also has a thriving coffee culture that attracts customers day and night.

This week, we head to the Polish city of Poznan, where Breton culture is thriving. That's thanks to a strong bond created when people in the French region of Brittany set up humanitarian convoys to Poland during the dying days of Communism. Friendships and cultural exchanges continue to this day. In central Poznan, Dom Bretanii or the "House of Brittany" allows Polish people to discover and appreciate Breton dance, music and Celtic legends. FRANCE 24's Luke Brown and Isabelle Romero report.

In China, all eyes are on the ongoing Winter Olympics. Although the Games have come under scrutiny for a number of reasons beyond sport, they are also the culmination of an impressive campaign to convert more than 300 million people into winter sport aficionados. Our correspondents report. We also speak to Susan Brownell, a professor of anthropology at the University of Missouri–Saint Louis.

For the past 65 years, the Danish Church has brought together Danes of all generations in the French capital. It's a haven of peace located a few steps from the Champs-Élysées. Frederikskirken is part of the Lutheran Evangelical Church of Denmark. For Pastor Malene, the sense of community this institution offers is important. It's also a place for Danes to introduce Parisians to their culture and broaden their horizons. Our team reports.

An estimated 10 million jobs were lost in the creative industries in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a report from the United Nations' cultural agency UNESCO. The organisation estimates that shutdowns and other restrictions incurred a loss of $750 billion to the global economy. The UN body is calling for better social protection for workers in the arts, many of whom lost their income for long periods during the pandemic. We discuss the report's findings with UNESCO's Berta de Sancristóbal.

The head of the jury for the Series Mania television festival, Ukrainian producer Julia Sinkevych, speaks to Eve Jackson about the importance of festivals during times of conflict, how "culture is a powerful tool to stop aggression" and why Russian dissidents should not get help from the French government.

Domestic violence is on the rise, but under-reported in Cameroon. Campaigners say official figures account for only a fraction of the women who have suffered - or even died - at the hands of their partners. And for those seeking justice, advocates say successful prosecutions are rare due to the failings and corruption within Cameroon's judicial system.

Some North Koreans are defying strict fashion and style regulations to fight conformity. But their expressions of individualism could cost them their freedom.

He's probably the most awaited director at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Dissident filmmaker Kirill Serebrennikov is the only Russian with a film in the official selection. In previous years, Russia banned him from going to Cannes. Now in exile in Berlin, his film "Tchaikovsky’s Wife" is competing for the top prize. Eve Jackson speaks to him about what it means to be there in person, why his film is not about Tchaikovsky's homosexuality and why it's important to defend Russian culture.

No art form is better suited to interrogating the representation of the body, and the value society attributes to our bodies, than dance. The dance collective (La)Horde has headed up Marseille's National Ballet since September 2019. For more than 10 years, Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer and Arthur Harel have been coming up with new and exciting ways to conceive of the medium of dance, both classical and contemporary. They are also shaking things up on the fashion front. We take a closer look.