Palestine Culture

Culture as resistance

Palestinian culture is an act of resistance. For many Palestinians, the simple act of celebrating their identity, preserving traditions and creating art becomes a refusal to be erased.

When Israel attempts to suppress Palestinian heritage, deny their history and fragment their communities, culture becomes a lifeline. It connects Palestinians across borders and generations. It says: we are here, we are rooted and we will not disappear.

At Amos Trust, we believe that celebrating Palestinian culture is inseparable from fighting for Palestinian justice.

“When we celebrate Palestinian culture, it is far more than just celebrating the arts that we create. We Palestinians live all over the world. We each have different levels of freedom that divide us and are used as labels to identify us: diaspora, refugee, Jerusalem ID, Gazan, etc.

 

But we all share one culture — Palestinian culture. When we celebrate our culture, we celebrate our shared identity. We celebrate that which has withstood. We celebrate that which continues to grow and flourish and which ultimately says that we will not be defeated.” Mahmoud Muna, Educational Book Shop, Jerusalem

Music: Amplifying Palestinian voices

Amos Trust was founded by singer-songwriter Garth Hewitt, and music has always been at the heart of our work. Garth performed frequently in Palestine and collaborated closely with Palestinian musicians, using his platform to amplify their voices and share their stories.

Today, we continue that tradition. We work alongside Palestinian musicians and maintain a thriving collaboration with Palestine Music Expo, showcasing Palestinian talent and bringing their music to UK audiences.

Palestinian music — from traditional dabke rhythms to contemporary hip-hop — carries stories of resilience, longing and hope. When we share these sounds, we’re not just entertaining audiences; we’re challenging narratives, building solidarity and keeping Palestinian culture alive.

Art: Making the invisible visible

Palestinian artists create under extraordinary circumstances — in refugee camps, under siege, in exile. Their work documents reality, preserves memory and imagines freedom.

We work with Palestinian artists, poets and authors to showcase their work and ensure it reaches new audiences. Our On Location galleries feature phenomenal work from Gazan artists. In 2022, we ran the Colours of Gaza exhibition in partnership with the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem, celebrating the creativity that thrives even in the world’s largest open-air prison.

Banksy’s Wall Off Hotel in Bethlehem

Our West Bank partners are deeply committed to finding creative ways to express Palestinian culture within their communities. This includes Alrowwad’s Beautiful Resistance youth arts programme in Aida refugee camp, the Cultural Resilience programme established with Holy Land Trust in 2024 and the Bethlehem Comic Workshop — a new collaboration with the Lakes International Comic Arts Festival and the Power Group.

Food: Gathering around the table

There’s something powerful about sharing a meal. Palestinian cuisine — with its olive oil, za’atar, sumac and generous hospitality — tells the story of a land and its people.

Our work in Palestinian food began with Zaytoun and Sally Azzam in Nazareth through our Taste of Palestine food tours. It grew into collaborations with celebrated chefs Sami Sami Tamimi and Yotam Ottolenghi, and with Fadi Kattan, Palestinian chef and co-founder of Akub Restaurant in Notting Hill, London, bringing Palestinian flavours to wider audiences.

Fadi Kattan, Palestinian chef and co-founder of Akub in Notthing Hill, London

Today, this work has expanded into projects like Souk el Salaam, Mondays at Akub and our Palestinian Supper Clubs, where people gather to eat, learn and build solidarity around Palestinian tables.

Food connects us to the land — to the olive groves, the wheat fields, the herbs that grow wild on hillsides. When those lands are threatened by settlements and occupation, sharing Palestinian food becomes an act of preservation and resistance.

Get involved

Palestinian culture thrives when it’s shared, celebrated and supported. Here’s how you can engage:

• Attend our events
  Join us for concerts, exhibitions, meals and cultural gatherings featuring Palestinian artists and voices.
• Host a Palestinian Supper Club
  Bring people together around Palestinian food and stories in your community.
  Find out how →
• Support Palestinian artists
  Buy their work, share their music and amplify their voices.
• Learn and share
  Explore Palestinian literature, film, music and art — then share what you discover with others.

Explore our events →
Host a Palestine Supper Club →
Support Palestine Justice work →

Why it matters

Palestinian culture isn’t a distraction from political struggle — it’s part of it. Every song sung, every painting created, every meal shared is an assertion of Palestinian identity and a refusal to be silenced.

When we celebrate Palestinian culture, we’re standing with those who refuse to be defeated. We’re saying: your stories matter, your heritage is precious and your right to exist — fully, freely, culturally — is non-negotiable.