Festival Resumes After War-Induced Hiatus
Ramallah's Contemporary Arts Festival, one of the largest cultural events in the occupied West Bank, resumed Monday for the first time since the war in Gaza halted most cultural activities in the region. The festival had been suspended for two years due to the conflict.
Director Cites Genocidal War as Cause
Khaled Aliyan, the festival's director, told AFP that the event returned "after a forced two-year suspension due to the genocidal war on the Gaza Strip." He noted that the festival, previously limited to contemporary dance, has now expanded to include Palestinian artists from all disciplines.
Art, theatre, and film festivals that were once held in Ramallah and other parts of the West Bank came to a standstill amid escalating violence, Israeli military raids, and attacks by Israeli settlers after October 2023. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.
Cultural Identity and Struggle
"Culture and art historically play an important and distinctive role in our struggle... because they reflect our identity and reinforce our role as a Palestinian society," Aliyan added.
The festival opened Monday at Ramallah's Cultural Palace with a performance of Al-Sirah Al-Hilaliyyah, a musical play based on an Arabic epic poem about the Banu Hilal tribe. The Khashabi Theatre, a Palestinian acting company based in Haifa, northern Israel, performed the play for the first time in the Palestinian territories after touring Europe.
Attendees Express Hope
Ola Hanna attended the opening with her family from the Arab town of Ramleh in northern Israel. She expressed hope that Palestinian cultural life would return to its pre-war state: "Without music and joy, for me there is no life."
Festival Features 48 Artists and International Forum
The festival will run until July 16, featuring 48 artists and artistic groups, including dance, theatre, circus performances, and video art. It will also host the Palestine Arts Forum, bringing together 22 artists, cultural programmers, and arts institutions from 15 countries.
Art Critic Calls Festival an Act of Resistance
Art critic Youssef al-Shayeb told AFP that hosting such a large festival with a diverse programme of contemporary performing arts despite the hardships in the West Bank was an achievement. "Simply continuing life is, in itself, an act of resistance," he said, pointing to settler violence, increased checkpoints, and Israeli military operations in the West Bank.
