Guides of the Ground

Growth rarely happens where life feels safe. In this powerful Round Table conversation, Mahmoud Alntsha shares his perspective on hospitality, identity, cultural assumptions, and why getting uncomfortable may be one of the most important steps toward human connection and global understanding.

What happens when curiosity replaces fear? In this three-part SEJ Round Table series, Midhat Zwayen shares powerful insights on Iraqi culture, leadership, hospitality, entrepreneurship, and the human side of doing business in the Middle East. These honest conversations challenge stereotypes and reveal why meaningful relationships remain the foundation of global success.

In this Sacred Earth Journey Round Table, Ritika Kothari shares her experience building across cultures in Dubai—from intercultural marriage to entrepreneurship, identity, and community. A grounded, human conversation on what it means to live and create between worlds.

In Nigeria, culture is not simply observed—it is lived through identity, respect, and daily human interaction. In this Guides of the Ground feature, Faith Afolabi offers a grounded perspective on Yoruba culture, where meaning is carried through language, tradition, and the quiet structure of everyday life.

There are places that don’t ask to be seen. They don’t rush to be understood. In Molise, Italy, life moves differently, shaped by rhythm, relationship, and a deep sense of belonging. Through the work of Walter DiLello, cultural stewardship becomes more than travel. It becomes a way of seeing, engaging, and living within a place as it truly is.

Egypt is more than ancient ruins. Through the voice of a local cultural steward, discover how history, hospitality, and modern Egyptian life intersect in ways most travelers never see.

Egypt is not a single story. It is not only pyramids, nor only pharaohs, nor only headlines. It is layered, complex, alive. “In Egypt,” he explains, “we have many mentalities, different thoughts. It is my role to clarify these things for you in the easiest way.”