Fighting for Palestinian
justice through culture
'The 3rd Intifada will be a cultural one'
- JULIANO MER KHAMIS
JOIN A GLOBAL
ARTISTIC
COLLABORATION
The Revolution's Promise
MAP OF PERFORMANCES, READINGS & WORKSHOPS SO FAR
'As our borders become harder to cross, our funding removed, and censorship of our voices continues, it is crucial that we find new ways to mobilise as Palestinian artists. The Revolution's Promise makes sure our voice is still heard internationally, whilst putting pressure on Isreal to stop the attacks on artists.'
- Ahmed Tobasi, The Freedom Theatre
The Revolution's Promise is a collection of testimonies from artists across Palestine, celebrating cultural resistance and highlighting censorship and attacks on artists.
We are inviting friends, activists, and artists worldwide to join this collaboration by telling these stories in the community you live, work or organise in.
There are many ways to get involved, a few include:
- organise a public reading of the full script,
- read a testimony at your university, union, community group, or cultural venue
- organise a reading group and create participatory discussion,
On this website, you have all the information you need to get started including individual testimonies and the full script, practical resources, and educational materials. ›
Get involved and participate in a creative mass-mobilisation project that aims to build a global conversation about censorship of Palestinian culture and the role arts play in fighting for justice, equality and self-determination.
Photo @ Gavin Connolly
'Art penetrates borders, physical and intellectual barriers,
opens doors to find solutions,
and create human cooperation.'
- Dareen Tatour,
imprisoned poet
Objectives
GLOBAL SOLIDARITY
Platform multiple readings / performances world-wide and build a global solidarity network.
CREATE AWARENESS
Highlight and create awareness of the obstacles and censorship Palestinian artists are facing.
STOP THE ATTACKS
A generation of artists are at risk, we hope by creating global conversation and world-wide solidarity it will put pressure on Israel to stop the attacks.
CONNECT
Connect students, artists, activists, unions and anyone interested, to Palestinian arts and culture.
CONVERSATION
Begin a conversation with your local community, theatre, or university on the role of culture in fighting for change in Palestine and beyond.
CELEBRATE
Celebrate one of the worlds most radical and exciting arts sectors and the people at the heart of it.
JULIANO MER KHAMIS & CULTURAL RESISTANCE
Commemorate Juliano Mer Khamis and his legacy of using culture as a form of resistance and the role this plays in the fight for justice, equality and Palestinian self-determination.
Who
The Revolution's Promise is a mass-mobilisation project with many people around the world contributing to make it happen. It was initiated as a collaboration by The Freedom Theatre and Creative Destruction.
The Freedom Theatre
The Freedom Theatre is one of the worlds most exciting political theatres. Based in Jenin Refugee camp in Palestine it was co-founded by Zakaria Zubeidi leader of Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and actor and director Juliano Mer Khamis. The theatre was established at the end of the second intifada and is famous for its use of cultural resistance and using arts to fight for justice and a free Palestine.
The artistic and practical challenges have been immense, the building has been attacked by the Israeli Army, death threats have been sent and members of the theatre have been arrested, interrogated, imprisoned and psychologically tortured. On April 4th 2011 Juliano was murdered on the doorstep of the theatre.
ARTISTS ON
THE FRONTLINE
Artists On The Frontline is a creative space and platform for radical artists working on the frontline of social and political change.
Projects bring together agents of change who are challenging and rethinking the injustice systems we live in, finding ways to disrupt the status quo and contribute to large-scale systematic transformation. Whether through the latest digital technology, on the streets, or by inventing new prototypes, our work creatively responds to the multiple crises the world is facing.
CREATIVE TEAM
Ahmed Tobasi, Mustafa Sheta, Zoe Lafferty,
SCRIPT
Zoe Lafferty
ASSOCIATE ARTIST
Alia Alrosan
DRAMATURGY
Micaela Miranda
TRANSLATION & TRANSCRIPTION
Alia Alrosan & Rachel Vogler
FEATURED ARTISTS
Ahmed Tobasi, Ali Abu Yaseen, Arna Mer Khamis, Dareen Tatour, Juliano Mer Khamis, Loai Tafesh, Mariam Abukhaled, Mohammad Al Azza, Mohammed Bakri, Mohammed Saba’aneh, Omar Barghouti, Rania Elias, Suhail Khoury, Yousef Swaitat, Zakaria Zubeidi. Find out more on featured artists >>
ARTISTS MENTIONED
Nuh Ibraham, Kamal Nasser, Ghassan Kanafani, Naji Al Ali
ADDITIONAL INTERVIEWS
Iman Aoun (Director Ashtar Theatre), Mohammad Abu Sakha (Palestine Circus School), Ramzi Abu Radwan (Founder Al Kamandjati) Amer Shomali (The Wanted 18)
WOLRDWIDE COLLABORATORS
To find out more about the companies and individuals worldwide who have collaborated on The Revolution’s Promise click on the map above
READING GROUP FORMAT
Sonali Bhattacharyya & Zoe Lafferty
Values & Principles
BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT, SANCTIONS
& THE CULTURAL BOYCOTT (BDS)
BDS is a vital non-violent grassroots Palestinian movement that plays an essential role in the Palestinian community. It is often misunderstood internationally and we ask that you take the time to read about the movement and familiarise yourself with its aims, principles and FAQs:
www.bdsmovement.net/cultural-boycott#guidelines
ETHICAL FUNDING
If you need to apply for funding to make your reading or performance happen we ask that you consider the ethics of where you apply and do not take funding from the Israeli government, embassies, or lobby groups in line with the cultural boycott.
NORMALISATION
In the Palestinian context, normalisation refers to Israeli and Palestinian collaborations that create the impression that both are equal in their power, rights and role in ‘the conflict’. It hides Israel's ongoing crimes, oppression and occupation of Palestinians and ignores the three basic rights of Palestinians three basic rights; ending the occupation, ending the Apartheid, and the right of return for refugees. For further reading: www.972mag.com/what-is-normalization/
ANTI-RACISM & ANTI-DISCRIMINATION
Our work and this project are embedded in the fight against anti-racism and for equality and justice. We ask that all collaborators take this mission seriously, by not only standing in solidarity with Palestinians but by making sure that everything possible is done to stand up to racism and discrimination in your working dynamics. Including but not limited to islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, sexism and white supremacy.
INCLUSION
Access is a human right. We ask that you consider how your project can be assessable to deaf and disabled artists and audiences. Unlimited's Cards For Inclusion is a brilliant resource: https://weareunlimited.org.uk/cards-for-inclusion/
