Shareef Sarhan On Location
“To take that which has been destroyed and turn it into a literal ‘beacon’ of hope is very powerful.”
Beautiful Resistance
Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society is based in Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem. It provides dynamic community arts projects, promoting the cultivation of creativity as an alternative to violence. They call it ‘beautiful, non-violent resistance’ to empower children, young people and women.
As well as offering a child-centred, safe and inclusive space, the centre uses creative opportunities as a platform through which individuals can build confidence, express themselves and tell their stories – through theatre, dance, music, photography and film.
Artistic performances have toured throughout Palestine, as well as many countries in Europe and America, helping to raise awareness and preserve Palestinian traditional culture.
In addition to providing free pioneering training, equipment and supportive education, the centre runs an outreach programme to marginalised villages and refugee camps in the West Bank, where they partner with nurseries, schools and cooperatives to perform, exhibit and provide training and resources as needed.
Training programmes have also been developed to acknowledge and support the specific needs of women, including computer training, job creation projects, fitness and empowerment programmes. These help to reinforce the value of the women’s role in the community by improving their self confidence and encouraging their creativity.
To see the important work that takes place at Alrowwad and to find out more about 'Beautiful Resistance', please take a look at our short film.
Palestine Justice resources
Take a look through our range of resources, blog posts, downloads and products to find out more about our Palestine Justice work.
Palestine Justice
Majed Shala On Location
These graceful, moving and poetic drawings show tenderness and fragility in the midst of war. Ghostly figures locked in a tender embrace, defiantly looking at the sky in resilience and dignity. Majed Shala beautifully documents the human and emotional cost of war in Gaza and its tragic consequences on relationships and everyday life.
Palestine Justice
Mariam Salah On Location
Mariam bravely and fiercely creates artworks exploring the practice of Palestinian political prisoners smuggling sperm out of Israeli jails so that their wives can become pregnant. A doctor at a fertility clinic in Nablus stated that 22 women had undergone insemination using smuggled sperm. The success rate was low because of the difficulties of keeping sperm fresh during transportation from prisons in Israel to the West Bank.
Palestine Justice
May Murad On Location
“My current work is an echo of my exiled self. The employment of digital windows and messages is emblematic of my artistic method. My screen connects me to the world but detaches me from it. Although I no longer live in Gaza, I am still affected by feelings of isolation and captivity. My artwork is a dialogue with a new reality and a pursuit of an evasive happiness.”
Palestine Justice
Maha Daya On Location
Picasso stated: “Every act of creation begins with an act of destruction.” This is horribly true of Maha Daya’s paintings which document the consequences of Israeli warplanes’ strikes on Gaza. There is no beauty or life in these haunting artworks. The buildings have not collapsed. They are defiant and resilient and refuse to fall. They are monuments to injustice and devastation.
Palestine Justice
Mohammed Alhaj On Location
“Mohammed’s characters feel anonymous. The figures appear of varying origins — endless and with infinite colour. They are shadow characters with no rights in soil, sea, or sky. The displaced and alienated move through hazy colour spaces as if from a dream. They are escaping a brutal and painful reality in a desperate search for peace.”
Palestine Justice
Zainab Al-Qolaq On Location
At precisely 1 am on 16th May 2021, Israeli jets bombarded a densely populated residential area in the centre of Gaza City. Zainab was trapped under the rubble of her apartment block for 12 hours. She lost 22 members of her family in the attack. At the launch of her exhibition, she said, “I hope that you will not praise my paintings or document my achievement with joy. Instead, I hope you will help me spread my cause and raise my voice to hold this occupier to account.”
Palestine Justice
Mahmoud Alhaj On Location
Mahmoud uses medicinal blister packs to construct intelligent, sophisticated and meticulous architectural cityscapes. The symbolism of the impact of the ongoing conflict in Gaza and its affect on mental health is profound. A recent report by Save the Children stated that over 80% of children in Gaza suffer from mental health problems.
Resources
Stories of Hope Doing Hope... in Aida Refugee Camp
“While our expertise is in arts and culture, the harsh realities on the ground have made relief work an unavoidable responsibility.” In this month’s Stories of Hope, we hear from Ribal Alkurdi, Executive Director at Alrowwad Cultural Centre, who explains why they feel compelled to undertake food programmes in Aida Refugee Camp.
Amos friends
CONTACT US
Amos Trust
7 Bell Yard, London
WC2A 2JR
UK
Telephone:
+44 (0) 203 725 3493
Email:
[email protected]
Registered Charity No.
1164234
AMOS SOCIALS
