In times of war, Palestinian culture expresses itself more than ever outside the country, through its diaspora and with the precious support of all those who act in solidarity. Never Again Olive Resistance is organizing a cultural day on January 24 and an exhibition by Bijou from January 22 to 26, all at the Caudan Arts Centre, which is dedicating poetry, film and the visual arts to the Palestinian people. Dominique Bellier
Who knows what will be left of the rich remains in Palestinian lands when the conflict is completely over ? Countries at war need cultural support, like the Gazan archaeologist Fadel Al Otol, who was evacuated last March thanks to the diplomatic efforts of Switzerland, then welcomed in Geneva to work at the Museum of Art and History, where Palestinian collections awaited his expertise…
Closer to home, before leaving this world, Brigitte Haberland, aka Bijou, asked that the money from the sale of her paintings go to the women of Gaza. Her daughter Tania is making this last wish a reality with the NaturELLE retrospective, which will shed new light on 40 years of ecofeminist painting.
Also a poet, Tania is a volunteer with the Mauritian NGO Never Again Olive Resistance, which regularly organizes meetings around Palestinian culture, as was the case during the Poetry evenings at Léa’s Café, in Port-Louis, which was run by an exiled woman.
Texts by poets such as Mosab Abu Toha and Refaat Alareer will be read on January 24, and films will be shown, including a video clip produced with Mélanie Pérès on the theme of the Rivyer Taniérevisited for Gazan children. Visitors will also be able to discover Palestinian handicrafts, taste their flavors, and take part in an interactive collective work!
