Culture
How Gorizia and Nova Gorica turned a divided Italy-Slovenia border into a cultural bridge
Once defined by conflict and division, the border cities have reinvented themselves as Europe’s joint Capital of Culture, using art, collaboration and a year of shared events to reshape their future.
Latest in Monocle Radio
Latest
‘Chroniques d’en Haut’: A public TV programme spotlighting the lives of French residents living on higher ground
TV presenter Laurent Guillaume journeys through France’s highlands to chronicle the lives of those who call them home. We join him behind the scenes before the cameras roll.
‘The Winter Warriors’ by Olivier Norek tells the unknown stories of Finnish soldiers and their quiet heroism
The French author travelled to Finland’s icy forests to get closer to his subject – sniper Simo Häyhä and the Finnish soldiers whose bravery helped to change the course of the Second World War.
How singer Charlotte Dos Santos channels Norway’s winter landscapes on her ‘Neve Azul’ EP
Charlotte Dos Santos has many rare gifts, including synaesthesia, which helps her to form musical ideas. Monocle meets her to discuss the city’s evolving cultural scene and her new EP, ‘Neve Azul’.
Switzerland: The Monocle Handbook
The latest in our Handbook series is a practical and inspirational guide to one of Europe’s most admired nations. Order your copy today.
Vhils’ sculptural door installation for Cairo’s ‘Forever Is Now’ confronts the weight of Egypt’s layered history
At the foot of the Great Pyramids of Giza, Portuguese artist Vhils presents ‘Doors of Cairo’ – featuring 65 salvaged doors that carve personal and collective histories into a collage of endurance, and memory.
Saudi Arabia’s latest alcohol policy shift lowers the bar for raising a glass
Riyadh looks set to loosen alcohol prohibitions for select foreign residents in the kingdom. The discreet change widens access to booze in the country’s only liquor store amid suggestions that additional outlets will soon…
What other countries can learn from Finland’s world-beating media literacy
Finland claiming the top spot in the Open Society Foundations’ annual Media Literacy Index has become an inevitability. The Nordic nation has placed first every year since 2017, when the list – which compares…
Monocle’s December/January issue is here to offer you a steer on the new year
As we hurtle from a particularly eventful and consequential 2025 into a new year full of promise, we reflect on all that Monocle has achieved over the past 12 months.
Radio Shinyabin has found the secret to connecting ever more isolated young people: Late-night broadcasts
Japanese national radio’s late-night stalwart is finding a younger audience by lending a sense of connection and community.
It’s time to raise soft boys and tough girls: Here’s how Iceland breaks down gender stereotypes
The Nordic island nation’s radical education method is challenging gender-driven societal norms. But could it work outside the country?
