Qatar National Library announced the opening of the “Palestine Cultural Week: A Land Worthy of Life,” scheduled to take place between 8 and 12 August. The week will be filled with various educational and engaging activities that showcase Palestine’s art, literature, food and more. The activities will include book readings, a video on Al Aqsa Mosque, and sessions about the history of the Palestinian keffiyeh, Palestinian archives and traditional embroidery.
All seven sessions will be conducted online and will be suitable for all ages.
On the occasion, Abeer Saad Al Kuwari, Director of Research and Learning Services at Qatar National Library commented “We are proud to host Palestine Cultural Week as part of our efforts to highlight the Palestinian cause and empower the public with knowledge about the country’s history, tradition, culture and more. As a guardian of the region’s heritage, it is our responsibility to educate our people about Arab history and heritage. We believe the sessions will help all attendees learn more about Palestinians and understand their fight for freedom”.
The first event, on 8 August, will be a special book discussion on the novel Kilimanjaro Spirit, by Ibrahim Nasrallah. Participants can join the Arabic Book Club and learn about the book, the Palestinian cause and how it is depicted in novels.
On 9 August, attendees will be taken on a virtual “Journey to Al-Aqsa Mosque,” located inside the Old City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif in Palestine. Participants will have an opportunity to learn about the architecture and design of Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the largest and holiest mosques in the world, including watching a video about the holy site. This session will be conducted in Arabic and English for the general public.
On 10 August, attendees will get a chance to immerse themselves in the Palestinian folk dance al dabke. Mohammad Salm will share insights on one of the most important traditional Palestinian art forms and a critical element of Palestinian heritage.
11 August will provide a glimpse into “The Palestinian Keffiyeh: The Symbol of Resistance.” Dr. Yehia Zakaria Al-Agha, Ambassador for Cultural and Educational Affairs at the Palestinian Embassy and Vice-Chairman of the Palestinian Schools Board, will present the history of the garment and its transformation into a symbol of resistance.
On the same day, the Library will host “From the Palestinian Memory,” in which director Bashar Hamdan will shed light on the initiatives and attempts to collect and document Palestinian archives. The session will also highlight the efforts made to safeguard stolen and lost archives and preserve Palestinian cinema archives, and the importance of employing culture, arts and cinema for the sake of further legitimizing the Palestinian cause. The session will conclude with a presentation of Palestinian items from the Heritage Library.
Both programs on 11 August will be presented in Arabic with interpretation in English.
On 12 August, visitors will learn about traditional Palestinian embroidery, a folkloric tradition passed down through generations and a fine art that defines Palestinian women. Feda Allouh will talk about how the decorations on the dress indicate the identity of the village or region to which it belongs. The Library will also provide some participants with embroidery tools to fully experience the engaging and educational session with yarns and needles.
The engaging and interactive Palestine Cultural Week will conclude with a session on Palestinian cuisine on 12 August. Palestinian cuisine is a distinct part of the country’s culture and is influenced by civilizations and nations throughout history. Participants will join a cooking demonstration on Instagram Live with Khwla Alomari, who will prepare a special dish of Musakhan. The hour-long session will be an ideal ending to one of the most interesting initiatives taken by the Library to educate the public about Palestine.
As a research and cultural center, the Library continues to offer a variety of virtual events in all subject areas that educate, engage and empower the public. To learn more about upcoming events, visit the Events page on the Library’s website (www.qnl.qa/en/events).
