Palestine

This project will actively involve Palestinian women, elderly citizens and local grass-root organisations in the preservation of intangible cultural heritage that is in danger of extinction. Traditional songs are no longer in use and are remembered only by old people. Women from Women House Development Center will visit villages and refugee camps in the area of Tulkaram; to make sound and written recordings, assemble lyrics in a booklet and record songs on a CD. The project hopes to be only a starting initiative that will raise awareness of this issue and involve important stakeholders that will assure continuation of this practice.

The project is led by Women House Development Center, a place of gathering, creation and learning for local woman; in partnership with Al-Awda Center for Childhood and the Young Welfare, providing social and educational assistance to children and families in need. Both are non-profit associations based in Palestine.

Links:

Women House Development Center:

http://www.womenhomeland.org/

https://www.facebook.com/WomensHomeland/?fref=ts

Al-Awda Center for Childhood and the Young Welfare:

www.facebook.com/مركز-العودة-لتأهيل-الطفولة-والشباب-Al-Awda-Center-for-Childhood-and-the-You-232002746849352/

Twelve young filmmakers from the Palestinian West Bank will meet, to receive intensive training in documentary filmmaking. These films will focus on environmental issues: lack of recycling awareness, pollution of groundwater, the need for rehabilitation of the sewage system, water resources for farmers, and other problems. The results will be six short documentaries that will be screened on different locations. The screening will be followed by an open debate involving as Palestine citizens in further discussion on environmental issues. The goal is enhancing the role of cinema education in the cultural and social development and highlighting the environmental issues in Palestine.

This project is led by Young Palestinian Filmmakers, a nongovernmental organization based in Ramallah, dedicated to strengthen young cinema in Palestine; in partnership with Khalil Sakakini Cultural Centre, from Ramallah, which uses cultural practice as a tool for artistic growth in the community; and the Cinema Jenin dedicated to activating the cultural life in Palestine through the screenings of daily films and hosting artistic performances in the fields of theatre, music and dance.

Links:

Young Palestinian Filmmakers:

www.youngfilmmakers.ps

https://www.facebook.com/YPFMS/

Khalil Sakakini Cultural Centre:

http://www.sakakini.org 

Cinema Jenin:

http://www.cinemajenin.org/

https://www.facebook.com/cinemajenin/?fref=ts

Related videos:

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Photo by Young Palestinian filmmakers society.

This project uses community theatre as a tool for social mobilisation and empowerment. Through capacity building, the project aims to enable its participants to apply interactive theatre techniques to induce social change. Community theatre methods will bring fragmented populations together in a process of reflection, dialogue and mutual sharing of stories that illuminate narratives of trauma, creativity and resilience, building long-lasting partnerships.  It will include refugees, Bedouins, students, community leaders, activists and social workers, in the Palestinian West Bank, and Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan.

The Freedom Theatre, based in the refugee camp of Jenin, and working on artistic and educational activities for children, youth and women, leads the project in cooperation with Ashtar Theatre, a theatre house based in Ramallah, spreading the culture of theatre in Palestine through training programmes and theatre performances.

Links:

The Freedom Theatre:

www.thefreedomtheatre.org

www.facebook.com/thefreedomtheatre

http://twitter.com/Freedom_Theatre 

Ashtar Theatre:

www.ashtar-theatre.org

www.facebook.com/ashtartheatre

http://twitter.com/AshtarTheatre

Related videos:

This project promotes the child rights through art. The right to education will be addressed through four artistic initiatives: theatre performance, music production, art exhibition and dance performance. Each initiative will focus one issue that schoolchildren are facing such as school violence, the inclusion of student with disabilities and the accessibility of schools. The target groups are Palestinian boys and girls between the age of 14 and 16, their families and the community.

The project is led by the Defence for Children International – Palestine Section, the only Palestinian child rights organisation solely dedicated to protecting the rights of children in Palestine; Yafa Cultural Center, an NGO dedicated to improving cultural and intellectual life of local people; and Al Harah Theater, theatre house dedicated to create socially engaged theatre plays.

Links:

Defence for Children International – Palestine Section:
http://www.dci-palestine.org
https://www.facebook.com/DCIPS

Yafa Cultural Center:
www.yafacenter.ps
https://www.facebook.com/yafa.cultural.center/?ref=ts&fref=ts

Al Harah Theater:
http://www.alharah.org
https://www.facebook.com/alharahtheater/?fref=ts