INVITATION

International Cultural Festival Along The Wall
Near Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem

By ARAB EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE (AEI) - OPEN WINDOWS

2009 APRIL 30 - MAY 1

During April 30 and May 1 2009, an international cultural festival in the Rachel’s Tomb area in Bethlehem will highlight the consequences of the illegal Wall that splits the community there. At the same time the festival will express the tenacity with which Bethlehemites and Palestinians wish to preserve community life against the odds, and keep hope and perspective upon a just peace.

During those two days, cultural workshops and performances along the Wall will bring Palestinians and internationals together in cultural activities that celebrate life and community as opposed to the message of fragmentation and death emitted by the Wall.

In addition to locals, internationals including artists and social and cultural workers are very much welcome to contribute. Cultural workshops will be organized during the day along the Wall. Performances will take place during the evening under a military watchtower.

All kinds of creative cultural activities are welcome: Singing, clown performances, theater, drawing and painting, filming and making pictures, graffiti or murals, flower arranging, sculpturing, tapestry making, puppet shows, and whatever creative minds can think of. Participants will bring out a message of sumud, the Palestinian steadfastness that upholds and expresses rights and preserves the community spirit.

Those who wish to contribute or like to be kept updated can contact AEI-Open Windows, Fuad Giacaman, or 02-2744030.

About the Rachel’s Tomb area

Below are two videos that document recent cultural activities conducted near the Wall at Rachel’s Tomb, and an informative audio slide show:

• AEI Concert at Bethlehem Wall – a concert with Belgian singer Evi de Jean and local musicians and dancers, a video produced by AEI-Open Windows
• Carried by the Wind (Palestinian West Bank music doco) – the open air concert of composer Merlijn Twaalfhoven with international and local musicians, made by filmer Adam Sebire for La Vie sur Terre

For an overview of the situation at Rachel’s Tomb, see the audio slide show, “The Wall at Rachel’s Tomb: Occupation and Sumud in Palestine“

The Wall which circles around Rachel’s Tomb in the north of Bethlehem, makes
community and civilian life in the neighborhood virtually impossible. The old Jerusalem-Hebron road is only used by inhabitants living along the road and workers who have a permit to go to Jerusalem. Due to the Wall, it is a journey of kilometers to go from one side of the local Hebron road to the other. With the soldiers’ presence and the intimidating watchtowers on top of the Wall, many inhabitants avoid the area. There is no real life for the children. Economic life is crippled. Some 500 people living in the area have experienced a financial disaster, such as shopkeepers who have been losing their clients. Many more thousands have been affected by the traveling difficulties as a result of the building of the Wall in the area.

AEI-Open Windows

Youth House

Milk Grotto Street 96

P.O. Box 681

Bethlehem, Palestine

Tel.: +970 2 2744030

Fax: +970 2 2777554

aeip-ol.com

www.aeicenter.org