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Al-Rawda Café in Damascus: A Welcoming Gateway for Returnees and Commemorating Artist Khaled Taja
Al-Rawda Café, a historic landmark in the heart of Damascus, has transformed into a vibrant center welcoming Syrians returning to their homeland, featuring receptions characterized by traditional Damascene atmospheres, including music and folk dance. This event witnesses diverse participation from civilians, journalists, artists, intellectuals, and politicians, collectively expressing their welcome to the returnees.
In a special event held recently, Kurdish-Syrian artist Khaled Tajab was honored, known for his bold anti-regime stances and support for the Arab Spring revolutions. This initiative came as a tribute amidst the controversy surrounding his death in 2012, with speculations suggesting he died due to torture in Syrian security branches because of his political positions, although his family denied this, affirming that he passed away from lung cancer.
Celebratory events continue in Damascus, with political and human rights seminars and performances organized at this historic café, which is considered an integral part of the history of Damascene culture.
Established in 1937, Al-Rawda Café represents a cultural and social symbol in Damascus and serves as a primary gathering place for intellectuals and politicians, where they engage in discussions on national and cultural issues.
Khaled Tajab passed away at the age of 73 due to a terminal illness affecting his lungs. He distanced himself from art for 12 years, but these years didn’t deter him from returning with strength and a notable presence in Syrian drama, concluding an artistic journey that spanned nearly half a century, which ended with the return of illness more aggressively than before, leading to his death in April 2012.
Born in Damascus's Rukn al-Din neighborhood in 1939, Khaled Tajab grew up aspiring to achieve something significant in his life. At the age of ten, his ambition was to stand out from his peers and change his ordinary life, which led him to frequent the theaters of Damascus, profoundly influencing his artistic career later on.
Doubt and ambiguity still surround Tajab's death in Damascus due to illness, as Syrians believe that "Tajab" was eliminated in the hospital by regime loyalists due to his early public opposition statements, in addition to his participation in the Damascene intellectual movement in July 2012.
