arab

The Freedom Bus’s New Initiative “The Ride for Water Justice”

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Details Published on Monday, 05 November 2012 08:46

PNN

Thirsting for Justice Campaign said in a press release that during November 2012, the Ride for Water Justice! is taking place in communities impacted by Israel’s illegal appropriations of Palestinian water resources.

The Ride includes guided walks, Playback Theatre performances, and community discussions about water apartheid and the broader struggle for freedom and justice in occupied Palestine. Audience members share autobiographical accounts and watch as a team of actors and musicians instantly transform these accounts into improvised theatre pieces. Playback Theatre provides opportunity for education, advocacy and community building.

The Ride started on Friday, November 2, in the village of Faquaa (in the Jenin district), one of many Palestinian communities impacted by Israel’s illegal appropriations of Palestinian water resources.

In the next Fridays, Palestinian and international activists, students, journalists, artists and the wider public are invited to join any or all of the Ride for Water Justice events:

November 9th: Attuwani, South Hebron Hills

November 16th: Al Hadidiya, Jordan Valley

November 23rd: Gaza via Video Conference

This four time event is organized by the Freedom Bus and EWASH’s West Bank local partner Juzoor.

The Freedom Bus is an initiative of The Freedom Theatre that uses interactive theatre and cultural activism to bear witness, raise awareness and build alliances throughout occupied Palestine and beyond.

Juzoor for Health and Social Development is a Palestinian non-governmental organization based in Jerusalem working at the national level, dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Palestinian families and promoting health as a basic human right.

The Emergency Water, Sanitation and Hygiene group (EWASH) is a coalition of almost 30 organisations working in the water and sanitation sector in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The Freedom Theatre: http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org/

Thirsting for Justice Campaign: http://www.thirstingforjustice.org/new

Juzoor: http://www.juzoor.org/portal

For further information about the event, visit

https://www.facebook.com/events/429492253776932/?ref=ts&fref=ts

Palestinian artists launch art festival to protest Israel’s barrier

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By REUTERS
WEST BANK

Sunday, 04 November 2012

Palestinian artists showcased their art work at West Bank’s Qalandia International Festival on Thursday framed as part of a creative reaction to the Israeli barrier that separates Palestinian villages from each other.

Israel has said the barrier, a mix of electronic fences and walls that encroaches on West Bank territory, is meant to keep suicide bombers out of its cities.

Palestinians call the barrier — whose course encompasses Israeli settlements in the West Bank — a disguised move to annex or fragment territory Palestinians seek for a viable state.

The International court of Justice declared the planned 600-km (370-mile) barrier, more than half of which is completed, illegal but Israel has ignored the non-binding ruling.

Qalandia International Festival Art Director, Jack Persekian, said it was an important way for Palestinians to channel their emotional reactions to the barrier.

“The wall and the road that was constructed recently connect the Israeli settlements together and separate the Palestinian villages from each other. The reaction to this separation was a cultural festival. It is an important and a good reaction — it shows a positive, artistic and cultural spirit in a painful situation that should be stopped,” he said.

The festival, which showcases Palestinian contemporary art projects, performances, films, and other cultural activities, kicked off on Thursday at Qalandia village northern of Jerusalem and ends on November 15.

According to the festival’s organizers, over 50 local and International artists came together for the launch of Qalandia International, ‘a milestone contemporary art event’.

Palestinian artist Khaled Jarar screened his 2 minutes film at the festival. His film, too, addresses barrier issues and Palestinians’ reactions to it.

“I went to the wall and I cut out some pieces of it. I smashed them then I mixed them with cement and water and I made a ball which children play with. My message is that the wall is an ugly thing, so we should seek out ways in which to use it and the occupation for our benefit,” he told Reuters television.

The festival was organized by seven Palestinian institutions- Riwaq, Al Ma’mal Foundation for Contemporary Art, A. M. Qattan Foundation, Palestinian Art Court – Al Hoash, International Art Academy – Palestine, Sakakini Cultural Centre and the House of Culture Arts – Nazareth.

Palestinian band ‘Dar Qandeel’ performed traditional and modern music at the festival’s opening ceremony and people from various Palestinian villages and cities as well as Internationals came to attend.

Yara Bayoumi, a visitor at the festival, said the cooperation involved in hosting such a festival was wonderful.

“The festival is very nice. It is the first of its kind in Palestine. It is the first time seven organizations have worked together to organize such a festival. I hope it will have a good effect, and put Palestine in the world’s contemporary art,” she said.
The festival is expected to tour Jerusalem and other West Bank cities.

This article appeared in http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/11/04/247588.html

Arab revolutions inspire sheep mutiny!

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This year even the sheep have started to exhibit signs of rebellion!  A collection of funny Arabic toons with English translations.  Eid Said everyone.

On the left the sign says imported for Eid sacrifices, on the right a representative from “Sheep without borders” says ‘you are accused of war against barns and collective genocide against foreigners.

A sheep protest calling for an end to the ‘butcher regime’

One sheep says to the other ‘no need to worry, this year humans are busy slaughtering their leaderships’

Sheep disguised as a chicken carrying a banner “Watch out for bird flu”

Sign reads “A happy and blessed Eid, this year ask about friends and family before you ask about what you should eat.”

 

 

 

THE 7ARAKAT CONFERENCE: THEATRE, CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

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Friday 2nd and Saturday  3rd of November 2012 – Melbourne australia

The conference will explore practice, research and advocacy in the performing arts with a particular focus on Palestinian Theatre, Arab/Australian Theatre, and Applied Theatre with refugee/migrant groups. The conference will bring together theatre-makers, scholars, creative producers and community development workers to examine various issues of exclusion within the sector of performing arts and the theatre’s role in providing networks of participation and social inclusion.

For information and to register