Qatar National Library announces Palestine Cultural Week

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 sessions will be conducted online and will be suitable for all ages. Abeer Saad al-Kuwari, director of research and learning services at QNL 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.”The first event, on August 8, 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 August 9, 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.On August 10, attendees will get a chance to immerse themselves in the Palestinian folk dance al dabke. Mohamed Salm will share insights on one of the most important traditional Palestinian art forms and a critical element of Palestinian heritage. August 11 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, QNL 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 legitimising the Palestinian cause. The session will conclude with a presentation of Palestinian items from the Heritage Library. On August 12, 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. QNL 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. Palestinian cuisine is a distinct part of the country’s culture and is influenced by civilisations and nations throughout history. Participants will join a cooking demonstration on Instagram Live with Khwla Alomari, who will prepare a special dish of Musakhan.