Mia Grondahl is a swedish journalist and photographer
who has been covering the Middle East for years, working for the press,
radio, and TV. When the "Peace agreement' was signed in 1993, she made
frequent visits to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, deepening her understanding
of Palestine, the people, and their land. As a result, she is now based
in East Jerusalem since 1996. The photo exhibition is being shown throughout
Sweden and Palestine.
The exhibition is touring major Palestinian
cities under the auspices of the Consulate General of Sweden in East Jerusalem.
A Palestinian musician and singer, Al Kurd
became famous in the 70s for his nationalist songs which were popular during
that period. In the 80s he established the Arabic Music Center- Jerusalem
where he, and other teachers, teach Arabic instruments. Al Kurd was educated
in Germany. His new repertoire entitled "Safa'" or tranquility, includes
songs for Jerusalem and its people. He is accompanied by Fadel Manna' (violin),
Claudia Out (Flute), Hani As'aad (percussions), and Samer Khoury (percussions.)
Jerusalem, 05 August 19:30, Palestinian National Theatre.
Jenin 09 August 20:30, The Izz Ed Din school
playgrounds (The Marj bin Amer Festival)
The Palestinian National Theatre productions
Written by: Salman Natour
Director: Mazen Ghattas
Music: Mustafa al Kurd
Actors: Emad Mize'ro and Taher Najeeb
After a long and complicated separation between
two brothers, they finally thought it was possible for them to see each
other again. They try to meet in a place that is reachable to both. One
of them is coming from the occupied homeland, and the other from exile.
The arrival to the meeting point turns out to be full of obstacles and
requires a lot of border crossings. The first brother fails to cross the
border and is arrested by a tyrant interrogator who tortures him and charges
him. The second brother faces the same fate with another tyrant interrogator.
Jerusalem, 13,14,15 August 19:30, The Palestinian
National Theatre.
Palestinian National Theatre productions
Written by: Ghassan Kanafani
Director: Yacoub Ismail
Music: Mustafa al Kurd
Actors: Emad Mize'ro, Faten Khoury, Adel Tartir,
Taher Najeeb, Ra'eda Adon
The strange thing happens to a man who lacks
everything: he is always in debt and cannot repay his debts. He loves a
woman but cannot marry her, she gets pregnant and he can't afford to pay
for an abortion. Then, suddenly,the thing falls in his hands. It is strange,
enticing, and valuable. He refuses all temptations to give it up, even
when he sees that "thing" transformed into a hat on the heads of others,
even though he feels that it comes from inside the head rather than outside
it. He then realizes that this rare alien thing cannot live in a world
ruled by materialism. This play is adapted from Ghassan Kanafani's play
"The Hat and the Prophet" which is an intellectual play where Kanafani
reveals the estrangement of the intellectual in a materialistic world.
Jerusalem 01 August 19:30, The Palestinian
National Theatre
Two young and talented musicians, Lara Harb
(piano) and Lema Bashir (flute) will be performing together their first
concert in Ramallah. The program includes pieces by Mozart, Brahms, Debussy,
Bloch, and Dello Joio. Lema Bashir (Haifa) just finished her first year
of college at the University of Nebraska. She studied flute for nine years
with Cathie Sutten and continues to study flute seriously in college with
Willie Ross and Nestor Herszbaum. She had several performances in the US
with the All City Orchestra, the All State Band, and the UNO Symphonic
Wind Ensemble. Lara Harb (Ramallah) just finished High School and is going
to attend Brown University in Rohde Island. She studied with Nadia Mikhail
Abboushi for 9 years, privately and also as a student of the National Conservatory
of Music in Ramallah. During the past year she studied with Benjamin Whitten
in Philadelphia. She participated twice in the Apple Hill Festival for
Chamber Music in New Hampshire, USA.
Ramallah, 14 August, 20:00 Khalil Sakakini
Cultural Center
This group was established in Bethlehem to
mobilize Palestinian youth in forging closer relationships with their identity,
heritage, and folklore. The 80 youth already members of the group perform
a production combining songs and dances from a variety of Palestinian cities
including Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho, Beer as Sabe', Beit Dajan, and
Gaza.
Bethlehem, 05 August 20:00, Bethlehem University
Amphitheatre
This dance theatre group was established in
New York in 1990 and is the first such national company of American Indian
dancers and musicians. The members represent 16 different American Indian
tribes and they perform a repertoire ranging from ancient rituals to contemporary
interpretations of traditional dance and music.
Bethlehem, 06 August 20:30, Bethlehem University
Amphitheatre
Ramallah, 08 August 20:00, The Teachers' Training
College
A pioneering dance group, since 1983 Mawal
have attempted to take Palestinian dance into a more contemporary dimension
through new choreography that is less rigid and more open to interpretation.
Based in Nazareth, they have performed locally, regionally and in international
festivals.
Bethlehem, 09 August 20:00, Bethlehem University
Amphitheatre
Jenin, 10 August 20:30, Izz ed Din School
Playgrounds
Al Hannouneh is a Palestinian folkloric dance
troupe established in Jordan a few years ago. Its roots go back to a folkloric
dance group that was well known amongst the Palestinian community in the
Gulf. They re-grouped in Amman and quickly regained their prominent position
as a leading Palestinian folkloric dance group. Their repertoire contains
a true-to-life depiction of Palestinian folklore and heritage in dance
and music, performed by their 50+ members of all ages.
Ramallah, 03 August 20:30, The Teachers' Training
College
Bethlehem, 05 August 20:00, Bethlehem University
Amphitheatre
Coming from Jordan, this group performs music,
songs and dances from the Arab classical tradition (Muwashahat etc…), in
addition to Jordanian and Palestinian folkloric dances and songs.
Bethlehem, 08 August 20:00, Bethlehem University
Amphitheatre
From Another Star
The Palestinian National Theatre 1999
Director: Sameh Hijazi
Adapted from Karl Vitlenger's play: Do you
know the Milky Way?
Actors: Doreen Munir, Al Hakem Massoud, Fadi
Abdulwahhab, Mohammad Eid
It
is the story of a woman, not a unique woman, but one who can be a symbol
of every heavy return, not only because of absence alone, but because of
what she carries with her since childhood. She carries the experiences
of dispossession and constant travel, experiences that qualifiy her to
find loving hands waiting for her. But the sharp teeth of the times attack
her, and she becomes a target for the patriarchal society, the man who
has power of decision and authority, and who has a vested interest in keeping
the status quo. The woman, should she decide to revolt, has only one final
solution ahead of her: to commit suicide.The original play, "Do You Know the Milky
Way" was first performed in 1955 in Berlin.