In May the Arab Culture Association (ACA) held a number of exciting and innovative projects for our scholars.
During the week of 15th May, a full schedule of workshops and lectures was held to mark “Return Week”. The week saw seven days of lectures and workshops, all with a theme of Al-‘Awnah (the concept of helping each other/a deep-seated sense of community that is instilled in Palestinian society and traditionally linked to the olive harvesting season and Palestinian farmers). Dr Shukri Arraf, a 94-year-old researcher and lecturer who remembers the Nakba, delivered a lecture, and researcher and psychologist Asrar Kayal spoke about al-‘Awnah and student movements. Workshops were also held on imagining the Return through AI. A lecture was also held with Honeida Ghanem from Madar Research Forum in Ramallah on the subject of Khirbeh (ruined settlements and archaeological sites).
In addition to Return Week, the ACA also held an Alternative Student Day in Haifa, in partnership with Baladna and the student movements in Haifa. The day was an alternative to traditional Israeli student days. At least 500 students participated between the hours of 2pm and midnight. Activities included printing on t-shirts, Palestinian embroidery or tatreez, and an Augmented Reality (AR), Pokemon-Go style interactive tour called “In the Steps of Return” where students could explore the city of Haifa.
Alongside these special events, ACA’s usual activities continued apace, and slides put out on social media channels addressed “the experiences of fear, incapability, silence and anxiety” that many students are facing in these challenging times.
We are also proud that at least three of the participants in the ACA’s Leadership Programme are playing more of a role in organising ACA events, and we hope that you, like us, will feel inspired by the activities outlined above.
