2024 Programme
This is the inaugural year of Awraq Festival and therefore we are still experimenting with its format.
To give room to improvements and further ideas, we are starting with a simple yet impactful programme over three days, from the 17th to the 19th of May 2024. Our festival may be small in scale, but our ambitions are vast so we put together a line-up of incredibles artists, speakers, and activists.
Any funds raised through tickets or donations will support some festival costs, including travel expenses for speakers, with the remainder allocated to Bristol’s Palestine Museum for diverse projects and initiatives with other charities and organisations.
Friday, 17th May
The Role of Palestinian Poetry
Date & Time: Friday, 17th May, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Location: Bristol’s Palestine Museum, 27 Broad St, Bristol BS1 2HG
Tickets: £0, donations encouraged
What’s the role of poetry and writers in the ongoing struggle for freedom? Mira Mattar and Sabrin Hasbun will engage in a discussion, exploring the power of literature in advocating for justice and self-determination and the responsibility of artists in front of unspeakable moments of tragedy. They will share excerpts from their own works, offering a poignant glimpse into the Palestinian narrative. The event will end with a Q&A session where the audience can engage with and discuss the same topics.
Saturday, 18th May
A Conversation with Fida Jiryis
Time: Saturday, 18th May, 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Location: Bristol’s Palestine Museum, 27 Broad St, Bristol BS1 2HG
Tickets: £0, donations encouraged
Join us for an enriching conversation with Palestinian writer and editor, Fida Jiryis who joins us online from the Galilee. Fida will talk about her memoir Stranger In My Own Land. Noam Chomsky writes about Fida’s book: ‘This wrenching and inspiring tale of violence and courageous resistance, told through the eyes of a remarkable Palestinian family, vividly portrays a living example of what Adam Smith memorably called “the savage injustice of the Europeans”.’ This event offers a unique opportunity to gain deeper insights into the Palestinian experience and history, as Fida shares her firsthand perspectives and reflections. The conversation will be followed by Q&A with the author.
Palestinian Art of Gathering:
Ways of working together as resistance
Time: Saturday, 18th May, 3:30 PM to 7:00PM
Location: Bristol’s Palestine Museum, 27 Broad St, Bristol BS1 2HG
Tickets: £0, donations encouraged
Through a series of insightful discussions, activities, panels, and talks – taking inspiration from Palestinian artists and activists – we’ll explore the power of art in building communities of resistance and resilience. From exploring grassroots organising to harnessing the transformative potential of creativity, this event is a space to delve into the myriad ways in which communities can come together to resist oppression and work towards liberation.
Sunday, 19th May
Archiving Our Selves - Writing Workshop
Time: Sunday, 19th May, 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Location: Bristol’s Palestine Museum, 27 Broad St, Bristol BS1 2HG
Tickets: £20 (or £30 including Palestinian Lunch)
Can we transform how we feel about something by writing about it? And how can we write with vulnerability in a way that empowers? Is it possible to write about our selves in a way that nourishes and sustains the collective? In this workshop led by Dr Zosia Crosse, you will explore these questions, paying special attention to process, and create pieces fit for the archive of resilience and resistance.
Palestinian Lunch
&
Festival Wrap-up
Time: Sunday, 19th May, 1:00 PM
Location: Bristol’s Palestine Museum, 27 Broad St, Bristol BS1 2HG
Tickets: £15
Join us for the Awraq Festival’s closing event: a delicious Palestinian lunch followed by a wrap-up where we can discuss together what we are going to work on in the next months and what we hope for next year’s festival. Don’t miss this opportunity to share this collective call to action.
Reem Kelani Concert (Bath Friends of Palestine)
Time: Sunday, 19th May, 8:00 PM
Location: The Pump Room, Abbey Churchyard, Bath, BA1 1LZ
Tickets: £15/£25
Concert organised by Bath Friends of Palestine (BFoP).
