Shareef Sarhan On Location
“To take that which has been destroyed and turn it into a literal ‘beacon’ of hope is very powerful.”
Holy Land Trust, in Bethlehem, enables creative programmes and projects – both locally and globally – that foster understanding, healing and empowerment of individuals and communities affected by the Israeli occupation.
Their community outreach team works tirelessly to strengthen communities and to unite local people in acts of non-violent resistance against the occupation.
Training programmes are run for all ages in non-violence and leadership – with unique workshops for women and children to enable them to rebuild self-esteem, and equip them with practical and creative strategies to deal with, and challenge, the oppression they experience daily.
The Trust’s 'Peace Research and Learning Centre' is a vital hub, from which they host conferences, run courses, offer outreach seminars and provide a comprehensive library. It also attracts scholars, experts and students from different fields from around the world – inspiring pioneering teaching and research on issues such as non-violence, peace, conflict resolution, non-linear thinking and healing traumas.
Please watch our short film which explains more about the work of Holy Land Trust and their unique relationship with Amos Trust.
Take a look through our range of resources, blog posts, downloads and products to find out more about our Palestine Justice work.
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.
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.
“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.”
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.
“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.”
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.”
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.
“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 Trust
7 Bell Yard, London
WC2A 2JR
UK
Telephone:
+44 (0) 203 725 3493
Email:
[email protected]
Registered Charity No.
1164234
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