The lectures indirectly and/or directly discussed the positive role that design and typography can play in changing perspective- especially in contemporary Arabic youth culture- and in generating productive collaborations and mutual respect between Arab and Western societies. The symposium wanted to present a ‘real’ and non-stereotypical image of the contemporary Arab world that is rarely portrayed in current western media. The symposium aimed at presenting the five new Arabic typefaces developed within the framework of the Typographic Matchmaking project, and to set them within the bigger context of Arabic visual culture. The Khatt Kufi & Kaffiya | Symposium on Arabic Visual Culture This project, and its presentation though the symposium in Amsterdam, has marked the turning of a page in the history of Arabic type design.
It was an infectious viral idea that attracted many, and brought about a very heart-warming spirit of collaboration between roughly 50 people from different cultural backgrounds, origins, and professional interests.
With all these activities and products that were generated as a result of this project, the project in its totality has overshot and exceeded its original goals.
