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Home , Aida Camp, Jenin, Nablus

Welcome to the Freedom Bus Ride for Justice

For the next nine days you’ll be travelling with us across the of Occupied . Included in this booklet is everything you’ll need to know for the journey - events itinerary, introductions to the cast and crew, summaries of communities we’ll be visiting, and a brief summary of seminars and speakers. But before we get to that, you’d probably like to know a little about us.

The Freedom Bus From September 23rd to October 1st, people from around the world will join Palestinian artists in a solidarity ride through the West Bank, taking part in interactive theatre and music performances that give voice to life under occupation.

The Freedom Bus project of uses interactive theatre and cultural activism to bear witness, to raise awareness and to create alliances in occupied Palestine. In practice, this will offer a unique opportunity to activists, artists, bloggers, photographers and many others to come together and establish grassroots contact with communities engaged in day to day struggle to survive and resist occupation.

About the Organizers The Freedom Bus is coordinated by The Freedom Theatre, a Palestinian theatre and multi-media centre based in Refugee Camp, occupied Palestine. A range of other Palestinian community based organizations andassociations are involved in the design, development and delivery of the Freedom Bus initiative.

The Freedom Theatre The Freedom Theatre is a community-based cultural centre in Jenin Refugee Camp in the northern part of the occupied West Bank. Convinced that the arts have a crucial role to play in building a free and healthy society, The Freedom Theatre offers a unique programme of activities in performing arts and multimedia, including acting, psychodrama, playback theatre, stage design, filmmaking, photography and creative writing.

While emphasising professionalism and innovation, the aim of The Freedom Theatre is also to empower youth and women in the community and to explore the potential of arts as an important catalyst for social change.

Through its work, The Freedom Theatre aims to: • Raise the quality of performing and visual arts in the area; • Offer a space in which children and youth can act, create and express themselves freely and equally, imagine new realities and challenge existing social and cultural barriers; • Empower the young generation to use the arts to promote positive change in their community; • Break the cultural isolation that separates Jenin from the wider Palestinian and global communities. ITINERARY inIsrael/Palestine‘48 Theme: Stories from 8:00pm -9:30pmPlaybackPerformance, 7:30pm -8:00pmTalk byAbirKopty, AidaCamp 1:00pm -6:00pmFreeAfternoon 10:30am - 12:00 pm - Playback Theatre - Main Stage, Al-Quds University 9:00am -10:30amTour ofPrisonerMuseum 8:00am -9:00amTravel toAbuDis 4 Wednesday, -Day 26th September Balad Band,CharlieRishmawi,Tunes forPeace andMusicNightfeaturingAwlad Al- 7:30pm -9:00pmPoetry Building, Al-Bireh 2:30pm -4:00pmPlaybackTheatrewithGazaviavideolinkatJawwal 9:50am -12:00pmSeminarinKamalNaserHall,BirzeitUniversity 8:00am -9:00amTravel toRamallah Tuesday, 3 -Day 25th September 7:30pm -9:00pmPlaybackPerformance 5:00pm -6:00pmTravel toNabiSaleh 3:00pm -4:30pmPlaybackPerformance 1:00pm -2:00pmGuidedvisitofOldCityNablus Najah University An- 9:30am -12:00pmSeminaronRefugeesandtheRightofReturn, 8am -9amTravel toNablus Monday, 2 -Day 24th September of“TheCaretaker” 7:30pm -9:30pmOpeningnightperformance 5:00pm -5:30pmTravel toJenin Faquaa 3:00pm -4:30pmPlaybackPerformance 1:30pm -2:30pmGuidedVisit ofFaquaa 1:00pm -1:30pmTravel toFaquaa 10:30am -12:00pmGuidedvisitofJeninRefugeeCamp oftheFreedomTheatre 9:30am -10:30amOverview Sunday, 1 -Day 23rd September 7:30pm -9:00pmPlaybackPerformance 3:00pm -5:00pmScreening 1:30pm -3:00pmWelcome Orientation andParticipant 0 22-Day September Saturday Roadmap toApartheid followedbyQ&A 8:00pm - 10:00pm -Freedom RideConcert 7:30pm - 8:00pm -Travel toBeitSahour Participants for 3:00pm -4:30pm Playback Performance 1:30pm -2:30pm Evaluation withparticipants 10:00am -12:30pm -Actionplanningforparticipants 9:30am -10:00amTravel toAICCafe Saturday, 9 -Day 1st October 7:30pm -9:30pmPlaybackPerformance 6:30pm -7:30pmTravel toAttuwani Building, HebronUniversity 1:50pm -4:00pmSeminarinAuditorium Number3, 8:00am -1:30pmSurpriseeventinHebron 8 Sunday, -Day 30th September 7:30pm -9:00pmPlaybackPerformance Yasser ArafatBuilding, HebronUniversity 1:50pm -4:00pmSeminarinAuditoriumNumber3, 9:30am -12:00pmGuidedvisitofHebronOldCity 8:00am -9:00amTravel toHebron 7 -Day Saturday, 29th September 7:30pm -9:00pmPlaybackPerformance 6:15pm -7:30pmTravel toKhanAlAhmar Struggle Project Qandeel, Talha WiseWolf, PalestineStreet,United featuringDar 3:00pm -4:30pmMusicalPerformance 2:30pm -3:00pmPlaybackPerformance ’s House 1:30pm -2:30pmProcessionfromvillagemosqueto 12:00pm -1:00pmLunchinAl-Walajah 11:30am -12:00pmTravel toAl-Walajah 8:00am -11:00amFreeMorning 6 Friday, -Day 28th September 7:30pm -9:00pmPlaybackPerformance 7:00pm -7:30pmTravel toAidaCamp University Hall, 1:50pm -4:00pmSeminaratFurno 12:00pm -1:00pmTravel toBethlehem &Picnic 10:30 -12:00pmGrapeHarvest 9:30am -10:30amTalk withYounes Arar 8:30am -9:30amTravel toBeitOmar Thursday, 5 -Day 27th September WEST BANK, PALESTINE Beit Omar Nabi Saleh Al Walaja Bethlehem Attuwani Faquaa Jenin struggle movement. popular unarmed organized, well a with violence settler and aggression military occupation, Israeli Zur. Karmi and Etzion Gush to responded has Omar Beit colonies nearby from Settlers by destroyed Farmers from Beit Omar also have their of youth, and crops unlawful detainment without charges. reguarly arrests confiscatio raids, night ongoing violence, military land with against demonstrations weekly town’s the to react Forces Occupation Israeli The Hebron. and Bethlehem between halfway located Beit Omar is a small town of about 14,000 people Beit Omar would connectthefamilytoAl-Walajah. a 5 million shekel ($1.3 million) underground tunnel that ruled again only tribunal, months was later by a military exit, only The world. the of rest the from family Hajajlah a four meter high electric fence, effectively cutting off the ruled to allow engineers to surround his family home with of court high the 2010 In demolition. to home his surrender to refusing government, Israeli the with battle Local hero Omar Hajajlah has fought a long and difficult confiscated and declaredanIsraeliNationalPark. was groves, many containing land year,village same That village. the from land of tracts the Separation Wall had been for finalized, plans annexing the 2010, further In supplies. water and lands farm valuable it with taking annexed, was land the of half the village’sland. Eighteen years later, in 1967, another hilltop. In 1949 the armistice again took 70 per cent of neighbouring a to temporarily relocate to forced were completely in the destroyed 1948 exodus and the village was residents village Israeli original for The area confiscation. prime land a it made has Bethlehem and to closeness the land, ample natural resources and proximity to both Jerusalem fertile and groves olive of full once the largest village in the West Bank. Atop hillsides was Walaja Valley, Al Crimesan lush the in Residing Al Walajah help youunderstandthecommunitiesalongway. to A briefcollectionofcommunityprofilesandkeyterms Community Profiles Attuwani Gaza army killed around 1400 people, destroyed At-Tuwani is a village without running Faquaa The has long been the most 800 springs, 15 of 27 , 43 of 110 primary care institutions, 100,000 farms, water. Despite years of fighting for access A village most notably affected by the water well-known part of Palestine, owing to its 186 green houses, left 50,000 Palestinians to an otherwise ample supply for Jewish apartheid system of Israel, Faquaa is a town long history of brutal violence and extreme homeless, half a million people without water, settlements only 500 meters away, the of 4,000, located in the Jenin Valley. Since a treatment from the Israeli government. The one million without electricity and began an people of At-Tuwani have been unable to barbed wire barrier was built beside Faquaa population of the Gaza Strip is about two acute food shortage crisis which lasted the successfully petition Israel to allow for water Israel has taken control of the water supply million people. More than half of them better part of 14 months. access. Existing in Area C, they are under located below the village. To add insult the jurisdiction of the Israeli government, to injury, since 2005 those same springs are considered refugees although a vast and are thereby barred from constructing have been left unused by Israelis, having majority was born in Gaza, as descendants anything without permission from Israeli Civil evacuated the settlements Kadin and Ganim, of Palestinians fleeing from what is today Administration. but maintaining them for future Israeli use. Israel when the state was created in 1948. Home of the only school in the area, At-Tuwani “We use the word Freedom Currently, Faquaa has permission from the Housing the largest city in Palestine with a has children commuting from neighbouring very freely, but it is for all Israeli Civil Administration to access 300,000 population of 450,000, is over villages Tuba and Maghaer Al Abeed. In litres of water per day through Mekorot, the 5,000 years old. The strip was occupied of us an aspiration, not 2004 an armed guard from the IDF was corporation responsible for most of Israel’s in 1967 and signed over to the Palestinian issued to walk these children every day to a reality. All we know water supply. With a filling station 6 km Authority in 1993. In 2005 Israel withdrew school, due to the extreme violence against away from the village, this still greatly limited all troops and settlers from Gaza but kept through direct experience them from settlers in nearby Havat Maon. water comes at a high price. Divided evenly full control over the area. its barriers – visible and Along with the school, and homes between the villagers, only 75 litres a day per in the area, the nearest clinic in At-Tuwani person is allotted, well below the 100 litre atrocious or hidden. The is scheduled for demolition. Built and minimum put forward by the World Health Gaza has been under siege by Israel and journey of the Freedom funded by a European NGO in 2005, Organization. On top of this, the villagers thereby completely blockaded from the rest Bus is an opportunity to this clinic struggled to get past the many have to hire expensive tankers to collect the of the world for several years. In 2008 demolition orders the Civic Administration water from the filling station and transport it a coalition of human rights organizations renew once again this issued against it at its founding. The clinic back to the village. charged the Israeli blockade as responsible fundamental human goal houses a media lab for youth as well as for the worst humanitarian condition of the ... Every wish to the Bus as it a museum commemorating notable non- Palestinians since the 1967 war. At the violent resistance in the region. Present once end of that same year Israel commenced renews its explorations.” weekly, the doctor at the clinic faces huge a 22-day war on Gaza in response to - Peter Brook, Theatre demand from villages south of At-Tuwani. continued mortars aimed at Israeli towns. The next nearest is ten kilometers Palestinian militants claimed the mortars Director away, separated by a military checkpoint. were in response to the many Israeli military Most residents who would use this hospital excursions within the Gaza Strip, as well are denied the proper travel documents to as the blockade. The assault by the Israeli enable them passage through the checkpoint t t

Hebron Khan Al Ahmar Nabi Saleh In 1997 an international unarmed civilian Hebron is the largest city in the West Bank. observer force, known as the Temporary Khan al-Ahmar is a encampment in Nabi Saleh is a town where weekly protests Known for it’s marble exports that make up International Presence in Hebron (TIPH) was the West Bank of occupied Palestine. It sits are as much a part of life as Friday prayers, and one third of the region’s GDP, as well as glass established to create a buffer between the two between the Israeli settlements Ma’ale Adumim they define this small town only 20 km north blowing, pottery and figs, Hebron is a region people until such time as peaceful coexistence and Kfar Adumim. The people of Khan Al- of Ramallah. In 2009 an , that has seen many rulers, as well as many can be maintained. TIPH is still a part of the Ahmar are 1951 refugees, originally from Tel now called Halamish, was built in the area, divisions. social landscape in Hebron today, along Arad in historic Palestine. The Mukhtar refused claiming the one spring on which the village As the only city left out of the Oslo Accord, it with other groups such as CPT, the Christian to sign his men into the Israeli army, thus, in relied. Privately owned by Mustafa Tamimi, has had unique struggles to survive. In 1997 Peacemaker Team and EAPPI, the Ecumenical 1951, nine Jahalin were killed by the IDF, this was an obvious affront to the sovereignty Hebron was divided into two sections. H1 Accompaniment Program in Palestine and 15 tents were burned down and many flocks and rights of the village. Two years later, the consisted of about 120,000 Palestinians at Israel. confiscated. The Jahalin consequently fled to first casualty of the demonstrations was logged the time, and disallowed any Jewish-Israeli the South Hebron Hills. All the people in Khan when the IDF shot a canister of tear gas into citizens from entering the area. H2, a region Nablus el Ahmar are Jahalin... one whole sub-family Mustafa Tamimi’s face, causing severe wounds of 30,000 Palestinians was created for the or hamulla. The people of Khan Al Ahmar and eventually death. 500 Jewish settlers living there, disallowing The bustling city of Nablus, home to many remain in constant threat of forced expulsion, The use of tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets new Palestinian residents and placing strict icons of Palestinian culture, has long been a home demolitions, and settler violence. In and skunk guns in Nabi Saleh are a normal rules for those Palestinians unwilling to leave city won and lost by empires. Most notable particular, the Israeli Civil Administration has occurrence, as it is in all other Palestinian towns by force. These rules include tight curfews in the 2,000 years of Nablus’ history are the plans to forcibly relocate 27,000 Jahalin and villages that dare to protest against the for Palestinians, 16 checkpoints within the empires of Rome, , the Crusaders, residents from the area. This plan, would Israeli occupation. The IDF refuses to allow the area, commercial activity restrictions and a Mumluks and Ottomans. During the second allow for the expansion of Jewish settlements villagers their right to demonstrations, regularly law forbidding any Palestinian to approach Intifada Nablus was one of the strongholds of and would result in the effective separation making night raids and arresting those a settlement without a special permit issued the Palestinian resistance.In 2000, Nablus was of the north and south of the West Bank. This involved in the protests. While demonstrations by the Israeli government. More than half the still a city that experienced relative economic is turn would seriously disrupt economic links are mostly peaceful, it is also not uncommon shops in H2 closed their doors within a year prosperity. However with the construction of between Ramallah, Jerusalem and Bethlehem to see Palestinian throwing rocks at the IDF in of the division. the Separation Wall, the violence ensuing and would also end any possibility of a Two response to their violence. This is also cause The market streets in Hebron are infamous the and a series of Israeli State Solution. for arrest. In July 2, 2012, headlines were for wire-netting above them, built to help military checkpoints closely encircling the city, remarking about the children of Nabi Saleh protect the Palestinians from being injured by unemployment rates skyrocketed from 13.4 being able to approach the spring without the the settlers living above. Violence, property per cent in 2000, to upwards of 60 per use of dispersement methods such as rubber damage and injuries are daily occurrences for cent in 2004. Because of the IDF essentially bullets and tear gas. Here, the newsworthy Palestinians in both sectors of Hebron, and the shutting off the city, many of the once thriving story is not that children are getting shot at, it continued expansion of the settlements there businesses have been forced to close or move. is that they are not. give rise to constant tension. SEMINARS AND SPEAKERS D U S ideas regarding the return ofPalestinianrefugeestotheirhistorichomeland. ideas regardingthereturn ProjectatZochrot,whichpromotesdiscussionand nates thePracticalReturn tours inPalestinianvillagesandcitiesoccupiedsince1948.Umarcoordi zation inTel Aviv. HeteachesabouttheNakbainHebrewandarranges He worksasagroupfacilitatorandpoliticaleducatoratZochrotOrgani than 100articles. ences, aswellconductedanumberofseminarsandpublishedmore forCareofDisabled.He’sOffice interpretedmanyworkshopsandconfer Migrationandworkingasacoordinatorforthe Program fortheInvoluntary rights anddemocracyforPalestinians,includingCoordinatingtheAcademic English asaForeignLanguage.Hehasworkedextensivelyaroundhuman Samer AqrouqisoriginallyfromNablusandhasanM.AinTeaching movement Zionist andthe –TheNakba amer Aqrouq Umar al-Ghubari is a Palestinian from Musheirfe villagenearNazareth. Umar al-GhubariisaPalestinianfromMusheirfe ofReturn mar al-Ghubari –Practicalities Dr. SwalmehAdaweyahisaprofessoratAn-NajahUniversity. r. SwalmehDiaspora Adaweyah the From -Experiences Monday September25th An-Najah University 9:30am -Noon - - - D H I M rights fromBirzeitUniversity. sociology &anthropologyandanM.A.in democracyandhuman of theBoycottYour Occupation campaign.HanaholdsaB.A.in Palestinians, andtheBDScampaign.Hana isalsoacoordinator democracy, against humanrights,theroleofyouth,apartheid campaigns. Hanahaspresentedatmany conferences about where sheworksonsocial,economic,human rightsandpolitical & DevelopmentasanAdvocacyLobbying ProgramOfficer, Hana AbudayehisemployedattheBisan CenterforResearch Palestine. economy, financial institutions,anddevelopmentin international UC Berkeley, hisresearchinterestsinclude Palestinianpolitical Institute (MAS).HestudiedattheuniversitiesofBirzeit,, and associate researcheratthePalestineEconomicPolicyResearch at Al-QudsUniversityinAbuDis.Ibrahimhasworkedasan the IHLresourcecenteratDiakonia.Healsoteacheseconomics Ibahim Shikakiisaneconomicresearcherwhocurrentlyworksat University, University. UniversityandCoventry Harvard Struggle CoordinationCommittee.ZawahrastudiedatBirzeit Ma’sara PopularCommittee.Heisoneofthefounders Mahmoud ZawahraisapoliticalactivistandcoordinatoroftheAl- Population West Bank. DawoodholdsaB.A.inMathematics. state complicity with Israel, and Israel’s future economic vision for the foreign sector,aid, private foreign the Wall,settlements, the about grassroots Palestinian the articles written has He 2005. Wallsince campaign anti-Apartheid in worked has Hammoudeh Dawood Flavor a Palestinian with Shikakibrahim - Neoliberalism Speech New andthe ana Abudayeh -Apartheid History &Future History Wall, awood Hammoudeh - The Apartheid Settler Violence Against the Palestinian Palestinian the Against Violence Settler and Aggression -Military ahmoud Zawahra Tuesday September25th University 9:30am-Noon physically, onthis assuredly moving which terrors and out ofahistory that neverdiesin the humansoul.” can, takeaseat, many terrors that spirit. Forweare one’s life!Those sit onthebusin “Letthosewho horrors are well - AliceWalker, bus. Thismight known to harm known toharm us severely but do thisinbody held humanity into afuture in not tobreak a the journey of the journey will tobefree can certainly well become captive, but who cannot Author Bethlehem University Hebron University Thursday, September 27th Saturday September 29th 2:00pm - 4:00pm 2:00 -4:00 pm rchbishop Theodosius Hanna - in “The freedom Athe Struggle for Freedom and Justice azin Qumsiyeh - History of Palestinian ride represents Theodosius (Atallah) Hanna attended Clerical Patriarchate School in MPopular Struggle the aspirations Jerusalem, Thessalonica University in Greece in the Faculty of Theology and rofessor Mazin Qumsiyeh teaches and does research at three of the Palestinian universities in Palestine. He previously served on the faculties of the has completed a master’s degree and doctorate. He was appointed Head of P people to be the Department for the Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem. A member University of Tennessee, Duke and Yale Universities. He is chairman of the Composition Committee, and an active member of the international of the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People and freed from ecumenical movement both at local and the regional level, he has enhanced serves on the board of Al-Rowwad Children’s Theater Center in Aida an illegal Refugee Camp. He published several books including “Sharing the dialogue in bringing various churches together to work towards Christian occupation, unification. He is also an active member of Christian Islamic Discussion Forum Land of Canaan: human rights and the Israeli/Palestinian Struggle” in Palestine. Theodosius is a well-known author, and has received numerous and “Popular Resistance in Palestine: A history of Hope and to exercise honors and awards from many Arab and Islamic countries. Empowerment.” rights of self- determination, inda Tabar - Normalization and its Pitfalls mar Barghouti - BDS Global Solidarity for and to demand Linda Tabar is a member of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and L OComprehensive Palestinian Rights justice after Cultural Boycott of Israel. Linda holds a PhD from the School of Oriental Omar Barghouti is an independent Palestinian researcher and and African Studies, University of London. She has spoken about the BDS decades of movement in Canada, the UK and the occupied . human rights activist. He is a founding member of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel oppression. The freedom ride azin Qumsiyeh - The Only Durable Solution – The One (PACBI) and the Palestinian Civil Society Boycott, Divestment Democratic State and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. He holds a represents as well MProfessor Mazin Qumsiyeh teaches and does research at three universities in master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Columbia the freedom of Palestine. He previously served on the faculties of the University of Tennessee, University, and a master’s degree in philosophy from movement and Duke and Yale Universities. He is chairman of the Palestinian Center for University. He is the author of, BDS: The Global Struggle for a movement for Rapprochement Between People and serves on the board of Al-Rowwad Palestinian Rights. His commentaries and interviews have been freedom. Those Children’s Theater Center in Aida Refugee Camp. He published several featured on CNN, BBC, The Guardian, Aljazeera, Huffington who ride for and books including “Sharing the Land of Canaan: human rights and the Israeli/ Post, The Nation, AP, Democracy Now!, among others. Palestinian Struggle” and “Popular Resistance in Palestine: A history of Hope with Palestinians and Empowerment.” alastine Al-Saleh - BDS Movement In answer the abab Tamish - Critical Thinking and Popular Education FPalestine: Challenges and Success call for global Dr. Rabab Tamish is the Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching Falastine Al-Saleh is a writer and activist from Nablus. She’s solidarity, and Rand Learning at Bethlehem University which aims at enriching the environment been the coordinator of the Palestinian Campaign for the demand a free of teaching and learning at the university. Rabab is also a faculty member at Cultural and Academic Boycott of Israel since 2009, and ever Palestine. We all the faculty of education and for more than 15 years she has been involved in since she’s been active in organizing and mobilizing for the must heed that several community projects and consultancy activities with international, local BDS movement, both locally and internationally.” and regional organizations on issues related comunity activims, adult educa- call. tion and teachers’ thinking. Her approach is emanated from the principles of – Judith Butler, the critical theory in which she studies the influence of the political social and cultural context on learners’ thinking, attitudes and practice. Author and Philosopher” SEMINARS AND SPEAKERS SEMINARS AND SPEAKERS B K S Intifada, Ma’anNewsAgencyandBeyond Compromiseamongothers. Electronic the for contributor occasional an is Budour Jerusalem. occupied of part eastern the in Budour empowerment disability.women for clinic with legal a persons co-directed also for association an Manara, Al and Rights Human for Rabbis Rights, Civil for Association the as such ’48 Palestine in Law. Budour worked of and volunteered with Faculty several human Jerusalem, rights organisations in University Hebrew the from graduated recently has Sell-Out ofaHomeland. National The Palestine: Globalized titled is book latest His Education. and in English and Arabic, on Palestinian Society,articles, development, NGOs, external Dr. on Nakhleh authored and published a large number dependent of academic books and not society, financial aid. In his long career as an self-generating academic and applied anthropologist, and free productive, people from an occupied, colonized, and fragmented society to a liberated, Israel/ , and society Palestinian transform to how on focused preoccupations applied the from anthropologist Palestinian Palestine, with a Ph.D. from Indiana a University, USA. His main academic and is Nakhleh Khalil and Palestinians. been has and affairs widely published. Sam is co-editor of Palestinian HOMELAND: of Oral Palestine History on frequently writes Sam organizations. community several in capacities various in serves and Bank Islamic Arab the full at Director a University.is a Birzeit He Trusteesat of member Board completed a as term recently and Center Shopping Telecommunications PLAZA Palestine the and the Company of establishment the in instrumental Sam was start-ups. on focus niche a with development business in specializing freelance business consultant operating as Applied Information Management, a is He Al-Bireh/Ramallah. in based Palestinian-American a is Bahour Sam Under Occupation and Onward OccupationandOnward Under Sector Private Palestinian am Bahour-Role ofthe Budour Hassan is a Palestinian anarchist from occupied who Nazareth occupied from anarchist Palestinian a is Hassan Budour Activists udour Hassan - Role and International ofIsraeli Money InOccupiedPalestine Role -TheDestructive OfTransnational halil Nakhlel Sunday, September30th Hebron University 2:00pm -4:00pm

[1] Salas, J. (2011) Stories in the Moment: Playback Theatre for Community Building and Justice. In Acting P.O.In Walker.Justice. and Building Community for Theatre Playback Together: and the Creative Transformation Performance Moment: of Conflict. Volumethe II. Eds. C. Cohen, R.G. Varea, and in Stories (2011) J. Salas, [1] occupation. andmilitary from colonization,apartheid results that alienation and fragmentation social the overcome to helps also encampments Bedouin and camps refugee villages, towns, between communication Palestine, In experiences. and knowledge stories, of sharing communal the through solidarity builds also Playback of use The honored. and acknowledged fundamental human need to share one’s and story have it heard, the to response a as theatre playback utilizes Bus Freedom The welcomed tothestage. then is teller new A audience. the to returned and thanked are experience oftheeventsdescribed.If tellerissatisfied,they subjective their with resonated enactment the if see to teller the At the conclusion of the enactment, the conductor checks in with and music. sound improvised with enactment the accompany space acting central the teller’sof the side of the themes to sit the who story.Musicians portray to text and movement sound, using theatre the enter as piece a stage of short the area improvised story and perform actors the account, their narrating finished has the teller Once story. their from characters central two or one play can who ensemble the from actors select to invited also is teller The significance). and plot place, relationship, time, emotion, (i.e. characters, story their of elements basic the establish teller to the help that questions During asks conductor the them. interview, interviews this then conductor the where of stage side the the at sit to welcomed are they forward, steps “teller” feelings, thoughts, share to stories and experiences from audience their own life. the When an individual of “conductor”, the members as invites known facilitator, a Theatre, Playback In festivals, arts camps, refugee community centres,prisonsandschools. shelters, homeless theatres, used in over 50 countries in a wide variety of settings, including Today, form. is the Playback developing in role instrumental an Jo Salas and the original Playback Theatre company also played life.” ofordinary to itsplaceasanaccessiblepart stages proscenium it return and characters, fictional of stories crafted finely the and of world release rarefied would the theatre from This magic drama’s people. ordinary other of stories true the from spot the on theatre make would people ordinary mid- the during 70’sFox’sJonathan with which in theatre “grassroots a of vision America North in emerged Theatre Playback Theatre Playback

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Theatre includingAl-MiidanTheatre,number oftheatres Fringe Emsemble, well asunite 1948 thepeoplefrom and1967, hehasworked witha 1948 territory. Believing thewall, willhelpbreak thattheatre as Hassan Taha wall, in lives ontheopposite sideoftheApartheid Hassan Taha -Actor Festival. Festival. calledYaffate,a monodrama which was intheMasrahed featured was major performance shows Herlast produce withGbenetheatre. involvedHighly withchildren alsoworks to Nagam intheatre, Freedom BusbutwithFreng, aplayback based inNazareth. group and isanactively involved with the inplayback not only theatre ofHaifa, University a degreeinSocialTheatreandEducationfrom Reine from Bsoulisanactress Nagam Shehas villagenearNazareth. Bsoul-Actor Nagam he is feeling for the first time what freedom means. timewhatfreedom he isfeelingforthefirst ontelevision neverleaving and,having expected such anevent, says is thatMubarak time,hears year-old boy thefirst who,for inCairo ofa7 includesthestory playback performance 2009. Herfavourite working asadirector, teacher actress, andteaching managementsince actingschool sincethefounding oftheprofessional Theatre in2008, both adirector, andclown. actress ShehasbeenwiththeFreedom worked as inseveral inphysical andperformances countries theatre telling andimprovisation, shehas apassionfor story With producing. acting to devising from directing, aspects oftheatre, new and scripts has beeninvolved ageMicaelaMiranda Since anearly inseveral -Actor Micaela Miranda deal with oppression, genderissues,sexuality,deal withoppression, andrelationships. working withAlkasaba to productions theatre Theatre,shefacilitates and television asmediumstowards hersocialadvocacy. Currently andusesphotography, Theatre, with Ashtar films,theatre short advocate women for inPalestine. workshops Shehasleadtraining been a and strong honour killings,Hanin has always rape marriage, with GenderissuescommonamongPalestinians, includingearly dealing five plays Theatre last Forum inthree years. Taking part inJerusalem’s groups social welfare Palestinian communityfor the HaninTarabay inJerusalem, University hasworked withwomen’s Hebrew from andGenderstudies Theatre ofArts, aMasters With Hanin Tarabay -Actor PRODUCTION CREW moving to London to complete her masters in Performance Arts. Arts. inPerformance moving to Londonto complete hermasters theFreedom BusRide,Rihamwillbe touched bytold. After thestories withtheaudienceandlearning, growingintimately andbeing a community. oftheFreedom Busisspeaking part Herfavourite to affect playbackways to theatre beoneofthebest she considers fullofcreative challenge, andimpact, purpose sheconsiders a project many both theatres, Palestinian andInternational. to Thrilled work in , April2012. Anative Bethlehem,shehasworked from in in attending aworkshop Freedom by Bustroupe chance after RihamIsaacjoinedthe sixyears, thepast actressfor A freelance Riham Isaac-Actor international level.international of givingvoice to Palestinian music,allowing itto take onan stage the West andjoinedtheFreedom Busto continuehisdream Bank, has worked asamusicteacher children for insummercamps across andisknownnumber offestivals withtheOud.He histalent for ina severalhas touredEurope timeswiththisband,participating Qandil in2005,andlater joinedsuccessfulbandHouseQandil. He ofDar Institution Hejoined theArt listening. musicthrough to play childhood Samerhashadatalent formusic,teaching himselfhow isalocalmusicianfromTulkarem. Hantash Samer Abu Sinceearly -Musician Samer AbuHantash and moving sets. worked withtheTraveling puppets Jewish masks, creating Theatre Grotowski andAnnaHalprin. Hallathasalso Jerzy Odin Theatre, andAntennaTheatre Herchoreography Theatre. lineageisthrough andworkedtrained withtheworld-renowned andPuppet Bread worker. andcommunitycultural artist a professional Anniehas inAl-Walajah.Project Sheholdsover ofexperience 20years as theGiantPuppetandPoliticalAnnie Hallatcoordinated Theatre Annie Hallat-GiantPuppet Project on anumberof occasions. tionally, andshehasworked attheFreedom withstudents Theatre and Chicago.For over adecadeherwork hasalso taken herinterna Shakespeare Company, teaches inNew York, andoften LosAngeles, an Oliver Award in2002.Shehasworked extensively withtheRoyal Proust’s Remembrance ofThingsPast Pinter, withHarold which won includingadapting andplaywrights, with manyactors prestigious a company atBritain’s Royal shehasworked Theatre, National Diane Trevis isanEnglish director. theatre woman run to Thefirst Teacher &Acting Consultant Di Trevis -Artistic - the Freedom Bus. with to travel DeccaisdelightedCambridge. to havetheopportunity of attheUniversity literature SouthAfrican a PhDinpost-apartheid for studying educationcampaignand free groups.Sheiscurrently fiveandhasalso the last workedyears, withenvironmental,feminist mother.trailblazing Shehasbeenactive inpro-Palestiniangroupsfor family,up inatheatre her from streak andinherited arebellious Decca Muldowney basedinLondon.Shegrew isawriterandactivist Decca Muldowney -CommunicationsDirector UNESCO HumanRightsandDemocracy. Chair for includingtheRightto Educationcampaignorganizations andthe coordinator.program Shehasvolunteered withseveral humanrights attheFreedom works asa Theatre andcurrently University National initiatives.human rights Beesanisaneconomicsmajor atAn-Najah andmanySanctions movementother Apartheid to endIsraeli WestNablus, Sheisactive withtheBoycott, Bank. Divestment and BeesanRamadan isacommitted from humanrightsactivist Palestinian mental healthworkers. methodsto theatre level andparticipatory intherapeutic training Training along-terminitiative Program, providing professional- theFreedomBen coordinates Businitiative andtheTrauma Response politicalviolenceandcollective oppression, trauma. by structural andother disappearance relatives communitiesimpacted offorced refugees, migrants, youth,including marginalized prisoners, has worked inseveral ofpopulations range continentswithabroad healing. Overbuilding, and social trauma justice 12 the past he years specializes inappliedtheatre initiatives thatpromotecommunity lives inJeninRefugeeHe currently Camp, OccupiedPalestine. Ben was intheUKandAustralia. inScotland born andraised Ben Rivers Freedom Bus Project. therapy andyouthdrama development have theirhomeinthe found in JeninRefugee Camp. advocacy, Herpassionfor humanrights andnow attheFreedomeditor atSocialFinance.ca, works Theatre seven andcrewas cast thelast for Shehasbeenanassistant years. technology Ecuador, inrural andhasbeeninvolved inmusicaltheatre Leone,has NGO inSierra micro-finance worked with water sanitation founded a for manyShe sector internationally the Non-Profit years. hasbeenworking Gardner Bree within visualjournalist, A freelance Specialist andSocialMedia -Digital Gardner Bree Beesan Ramadan -CommunityOrganizer Ben Rivers BusCoordinator -Freedom IOF - Israeli Occupation Forces, the Israeli Army, including navy, Civil Administration – the Israeli governing body that ground and air forces. operates in the West Bank. Established by Israel in 1981, it carries out bureaucratic functions within the Palestinian 1948 – The first of many Arab-Israeli wars, including the exodus of territories occupied since 1967. more than 700 000 Palestinians to the West Bank, Jordan, , Gaza and and the destruction of over 500 Palestinian Al Nakba – Nakba, when translated into english, means villages. The war concluded with the 1949 Armistice Agreements, “catastrophe.” This refers to the 1948 mass exodus of which established armistice demarcation lines between Israeli and the Palestinian people during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. Arab military forces, commonly known as the . Around 725,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes. 1967 – Known as the Six-day war, Israel began this war by launching surprise missiles on June 5, 1967. The conclusion was Intifada – An arabic word (which literally means Israel seizing the Golan Heights, Gaza Strip, the West Bank and “shaking off”) used to describe the popular resistance or Emergency the , making Israel’s land three times as large as uprisings against the Israeli Army. There are two major before this war. Intifadas in Palestinian history, the first taking place in Contacts: 1987-1991, and the second taking place from 2000- – Accords written in 1993 with the intention of being 2005. Jonatan the framework for future negotiations and relations between the Stanczak Israeli government and the Palestinians, within which all outstanding Occupation – The use of military force to control a Freedom Theatre “final status issues” between the two sides would be addressed and piece of land, and it’s people. Palestinians under Israeli 059-901-7654 resolved.The Oslo Accords called for the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation have experienced a loss of sovereignty, self- forces from the majority of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, determination, ability to move freely, removal or partial Ben Rivers affirming the Palestinian right for self-government within those regions control of local government and, in the case with the and allowing for an interim government to take control in phases. West Bank, a significant loss of land due to illegal Freedom Bus This interim government was to last five years while permanent status settlements. 059-290-2256 negotiations took place; a final decision was to be reached no later than 1996. The Separation Wall – A physical barrier encircling George S. Palestinian cities and towns to separate the West Bank Rishmawi The Oslo Accords resulted in the division of the West Bank into three from Israel. The wall creates a barrier that disallows Siraj, Center For main areas: Palestinians to travel across it without special permit from Holy Land Studies Area A- 18% of the West Bank, formally under full control of the Israel. 85% of the Wall is sleighted to be constructed 059-918-0872 Palestinian Authority. In practice, this is still an area with significant on Palestinian land inside the Green Line. 9.5% of the IDF presence. West Bank will therefore be annexed to “Israel”. Area B – 21% of the West Bank, formally under partial control of the Palestinian Authority, shared with the Israeli Civil Administration. Israeli Settlements – A Jewish colony that is built within Area C – 61% of the West Bank, under full control of the Israel Civil the occupied West Bank. They are considered illegal by Administration. the international community, and often take fertile land, springs, and other natural resources from surrounding Palestinian communities. KEY TERMS & PHRASES Endorsers of the Freedom Bus include: Ali Abunimah, Maya Angelou, Omar Barghouti, John Berger, Peter Brook, Judith Butler, Noam Chomsky, Angela Davis, Ramy Essam, Mairead Maguire and Alice Walker. Organizations endorsing the Freedom Bus include Jewish Voice for Peace, International Solidarity Movement, Palestinian Boycott Divestment and Sanctions National Committee, Palestinian Campaign for Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel and The Highlander I will travel with Research and Education Center. For a full list of endorsers, please you ‘in spirit’ on visit http://www.freedombus.ps/endorsements/ the Freedom Bus, and continue with The following donors helped fund Playback Theatre my brothers and activities at The Freedom Theatre: sisters everywhere, to pray and work for the day that the walls of injustice and fear will fall down and be replaced with trust, love and friendship, and that the Holy Land may one day soon, fulfill its rightful destiny as the spiritual home and heart of the human family, and be a light of hope and peace to the

THANK YOU! world. - Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate