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<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\nCase in point<\/strong><\/p>\n Every year now, since 1993, the Popular Arts Centre<\/a>, a For starters, the celebration is distributed among four Then, there is the festival’s theme this year\u2014\u201clearning,\u201d in American theologian Richard Shaull, drawing on the works of Paulo \u201cThere is no such thing as a Those damn Palestinians. They keep seeking out and learning A glance at the festival\u2019s agenda for 2012 leaves one in awe This year\u2019s Palestine International Festival for Dance More of the same<\/strong><\/p>\n And, as I close this article, I just received a call from the The truth is, you see, that we damn Palestinians do get it. We Now, off to celebrate our humanity. Please join us.<\/p>\n
\nPalestinian organization that promotes professional performing arts, organizes
\nan event known as the Palestine International Festival for Dance and Music<\/em><\/a>.
\nThis year, performances are scheduled over five days, from July 4th<\/sup> through
\nJuly 9th<\/sup>. The festival is loaded with meaning.<\/p>\n
\nPalestinian cities: Ramallah, Qalqilya, Nablus,
\nand Nazareth. The inclusion of
\nNazareth, a Palestinian city inside Israel, is a conscious decision on the part
\nof the organizers: a form of resistance to the cultural siege and systematic
\nisolation imposed by the Israeli Apartheid system on those of us living under
\ndirect military occupation (in the West Bank and Gaza), and those of our brethren
\ninside Israel, whom most Palestinians under occupation are unable to physically
\nreach. The message is clear. We are one people and refuse to allow a forced
\nmilitary separation to keep us apart.<\/p>\n
\nthe non-conventional sense. The theme is meant to showcase the importance of popular
\neducation as developed by the late and renowned Brazilian educator and
\ninfluential theorist of critical pedagogy, Paulo Freire. All the festival activities
\nthis time around have been consciously designed as forms of Freirean popular
\neducation, in the service of Palestinian liberation.<\/p>\n
\nFreire, has written:<\/p>\n
\nneutral education process. Education either functions as an instrument which is
\nused to facilitate the integration of generations into the logic of the present
\nsystem and bring about conformity to it, or it becomes the \u2018practice of
\nfreedom\u2019, the means by which men and women deal critically with reality and
\ndiscover how to participate in the transformation of their world.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nfrom examples from around the world instead of accepting their predicament of
\ndispossession.<\/p>\n
\nat the breadth of global solidarity. In addition to the cream-of-the-crop of
\nPalestinian dance troupes, Irish, Chinese, and Egyptian performers are all participating.
\nThe festival will open with the Irish musical stage show, \u201cRhythm of the Dance<\/a>\u201d ,
\na two-hour dance and music extravaganza of Irish talent depicting the epic journey
\nof the Irish Celts throughout history. The festival\u2019s closing performance, \u201cOne
\nHundred Hands,\u201d will be performed by the China Disabled People\u2019s Performing Art Troupe<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nand Music<\/em> will mobilize over 200 volunteers and tap an unprecedented level
\nof support from Palestinian private sector sponsors and donors. UNICEF and
\nthe Consulate of Sweden are also supporting the festival.<\/p>\n
\nFreedom Theatre<\/a>
\nin Jenin Refugee Camp. I\u2019m being asked to participate in the events of the
\nupcoming Freedom Bus Tour<\/a>,
\na nine day procession across the West Bank which will
\nvisit 14 communities to engage them in expressing their oral history, through
\nan interactive theater technique termed Playback Theater.<\/p>\n
\nunderstand very well that justice will ultimately prevail. We have studied world
\nhistory closely and know that no people in struggle have lived under military occupation
\nforever and no people who maintain a living collective memory will remain
\nrefugees forever. We get it\u2014discrimination, in all its shapes and forms, is
\ndestined to crumble at the feet of all those who actively support it, fund it,
\nor turn a blind eye to it.<\/p>\n