Features

We know her as Miss Americana, but Taylor Swift has grown to represent so much more than just American culture. Swift’s Eras Tour, spanning from March 2023 to December 2024, showcased the tortured poet’s unprecedented global reach. Suddenly, the whole world was chanting “more” as reports of the economic and social benefits of the tour hit the mainstream news cycle.

In north-western Iraq, the city of Sinjar once served as a haven for peaceful followers of the Yazidi religion. In August of 2014, ISIS attacked the Yazidis in what the UN Human Rights Panel officially declared a genocide. Now, 70 percent of the previous population remains displaced. Yazidi homes, holy sites, and temples were tragically destroyed.

How Notre Dame de Paris has been built and rebuilt through the centuries.

Often seen as a haven for people fleeing war and persecution, Switzerland has been defined by its neutrality since an officially recognized policy in 1815. However, while the nation has provided refuge to many, staying neutral amid worldwide conflict can be even harder than it sounds. During World War II, Switzerland’s neutrality was repeatedly put to the test. The country avoided direct involvement at all costs, but the proximity of battling nations led to a plethora of difficult decisions. As Nazi Germany began taking over the continent, hundreds of millions of people were fleeing their homes, crossing the border into Switzerland in hopes of safety.

Though his graffiti is renowned worldwide and his artwork consistently sells for large sums, the graffiti artist known as Banksy remains anonymous.