Building Bridges Through Stories: An Interview with Zeina Dowidar, Co-founder of Hekayyatna

November 4, 2024

May Allam

Zeina Dowidar is an award-winning audio producer and storyteller. Zeina is a passionate advocate for community-driven storytelling. With background in development and supporting marginalised communities, She is fascinated with stories of archives and saving what was once thought lost. Zeina brings a unique perspective to her work. She co-founded Hekayyatna, a platform that has successfully connected people through immersive events and discussions, cultivating curiosity and a sense of belonging. 

WoE: How did the initial idea of “Hekayyatna” was born and how did it develop into a series of events and podcasts? 

Zeina Dowidar: My co-founder Al-Hassan and I both came from storytelling backgrounds. We met working at a podcast network, where we were producing audio documentaries on a range of subjects. We loved the work we did but wanted to find a way to connect with the community by listening to our podcasts – and also building our own communities. We’ve lived in big cities all our lives – London, Cairo, Barcelona, New York, Tokyo, and more – and we knew the importance of having a community and a space where you can come as yourself, learn something new, and leave feeling re-energised and ready to tackle your day and your week. We wanted to find a way to create that community space while sparking curiosity and intimacy, and that’s how Hekayyatna was born! We like to bring people together in creative and exciting ways. Each event unpacks a big question, such as “How do archives shape our identities?” or “How do we rebuild lost heritage?” through facilitated discussion, storytelling, and activities. Whether it’s learning about the history and heritage of boardgames conducted in a gameshow style or hearing all about coffee culture hosted in a Yemeni cafe, our guiding principles are curiosity and community. 

WoE: Please introduce the founding members of this project. Do they have other jobs? How much time do they dedicate to Hekayyatna? ZD: The founding members of Hekayyatna are Al-Hassan and I – we started it together after long conversations about our shared values and the importance of community in our lives. Al-Hassan continues to work in the production space, producing fantastic podcasts for various clients and companies. Outside of Hekayyatna, I work in development, which is what my background is in. I love the opportunity to support the livelihoods of vulnerable groups across the world and do that alongside Hekayyatna. 

WoE: How was the public’s reception to the idea behind this initiative? ZD: We’ve received fantastic feedback on our events, highlighting just how needed it was, especially in London! All our events so far have sold out, and we continue to work hard to host at least one event a month in the city. London as a city really lacks ‘third spaces’. The idea of a third space is the idea that most people need a space outside of their home and their workplace where they can meet friends, engage in social conversations, and relax. London’s third spaces are either expensive, nightlife-focused, or exclusive – which is why initiatives like Hekayyatna are so, so necessary. 

WoE: Are most of the event attendees of Arab or MENA region origin, or are Westerners also interested in learning about various cultural practices and ideas? ZD: We don’t explicitly say that our events are for one group of people or another, but all our case studies and stories that we share tend to come from the South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region. We find that around half of our attendees are from SWANA, and the rest are from other places: British, European, South/South-East Asian, and more. It creates a really vibrant group for events as discussions span across the world, and we find out more about what connects us across cultures and nationalities. 

WoE: Do you host events outside of London? Are the events open to attendees of all ages? ZD: We host events outside of London wherever possible! It’s difficult as it requires a lot of logistics, but we do try to, especially as collaborations. Most recently, we hosted an event in Paris in collaboration with an organisation called Kalam Aflam. We’re hoping to host an event in Cairo soon! The events are open to all.

WoE: What topics does your podcast cover?  ZD: We’re still building out the production side of Hekayyatna. At the moment, we’re only producing podcasts for clients based on their own outputs and goals. We hope to start original production soon – it’s one of our goals for 2025.

WoE: How do your partner organizations contribute to the success of this project?  ZD: We are not the first community organisation, or the first SWANA-focused organisation in London, nor will we be the last. It’s important for us to continuously collaborate with partners and creatives as we can join our strengths together to provide more meaningful events to the city. It’s also important for us to feel like we’re not overstepping on another creative’s project – if we want to do a topic that we think a partner is an expert on, we’ll bring them in to showcase their experience and platform them at Hekayyatna. We’re all about growing together, not against each other! 

WoE: How can volunteers help you spread the initiative or organize events? ZD: Hekayyatna is entirely volunteer-run – Al and I are working as volunteers, and our small team is working with us out of their love for the mission. We’re always looking for volunteers that can help us, whether it’s for small things like photographing or ushering at events, to more big picture support such as marketing/operational/strategic input.

WoE: On a personal level, what are your dreams and aspirations for “Hekayyatna”?  ZD: I have so many, it’s almost hard to keep track! I would love for Hekayyatna to turn into a true community space, with a physical home in London. I also want to grow Hekayyatna to other cities – I think many cities, including Cairo, could benefit from inclusive spaces that foster intimacy, storytelling, and learning. Speaking of learning, I think my ultimate goal for Hekayyatna is to really grow the learning aspect of it. I would love for us to bring in experts for masterclasses or courses for accessible prices to our audience. I would also love to work with schools and lifelong learning educations to investigate how we can strengthen and bolster curriculums with storytelling and multimedia elements. I think we can never stop learning – and I want Hekayyatna to be a vehicle for other people’s learning journeys.