On Thursday, 3 May 2018, the Palestinian-Flemish Cultural Festival, titled Under Construction, was launched in the Ramallah city. In collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, the event was jointly organised by the A. M. Qattan Foundation (AMQF) (Palestine) and Connexion VZW (Belgium). The festival was organised between 3 and 11 May 2018 in Ramallah, Nablus, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Tulkarem.
The festival featured a wide array of performances, film screenings, and experimental arts. These were presented by 32 artists and guests from outside Palestine as well as by many Palestinian artists.
According to Mahmoud Abu Hashhash, Director of the AMQF Culture and Arts Programme, the festival sought to promote cultural activity, create new avenues of cooperation, build partnerships, and launch art projects in collaboration between Palestine and the County of Flanders, Belgium.
“To many people, it seems that there was no previous relations between the two countries. However, the festival celebrates collaboration and consolidates cultural relations between both countries. The organising foundations played a pivotal role in building and promoting these relations over the past years.” Abu Hashhash went on.
Abu Hashhash also elaborated the role culture and festivals played in strengthening relations between nations and in creating positive consequences on various levels and fronts.
On the first day of the festival, a musical performance was presented by Faraj Suleiman in participation with Belgian trumpeter John Birdsong and double bass player Anneleen Boehme, and with Palestinian drummer Rami Nakhleh. The performance was showcased at the Ramallah Municipal Theatre.
Suleiman said he composed the majority of the musical pieces. However, these were redistributed in a three-day workshops with Belgian music bands. The pieces were presented earlier in several performances, but with different distributions.
“The performance was presented with a unified vision of the band members, resulting in a special mode of the band.” Suleiman explained. Suleiman also sang Essa Jayy [Here I’m Coming] during the performance.
Suleiman’s music is influenced by Arab music, oriental rhythms, as well as by the tango and jazz traditions.
Artist Pierre Muylle curated his exhibition at the Khalil Sakakini Cultural Centre. “I have been to Palestine three times. I visited many Palestinian cities, such as Jenin, Ramallah, Jericho and Nablus. On many occasions, I met with people and played backgammon. Zaher (Backgammon) allows me to talk to people, hear their stories, and create my own experience with Palestine.” Muylle said.
Muylle borrowed some objects which Palestinians used, picked them up to Belgium, and took them out of their packages in another place. He shared these objects with a curious audience to uncover the power which might bind them together.
This was the second edition of the Palestinian-Flemish Cultural Festival. Featuring an extensive artistic programme, the first edition of the festival was launched in Ghent city of the County of Flanders, Belgium, between 16 and 25 February 2018. The festival saw a large turnout by the Belgian audiences. It provided a significant opportunity to introduce vibrant Palestinian culture and deep Belgian-Palestinian collaboration, in which the AMQF has played a pivotal role since 2007. The AMQF has built partnerships with leading Belgian art institutions, including the Royal Flemish Theatre KVC and les ballets C de la B company.
In Palestine, the Under Construction Festival was organised in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and in collaboration with the Ramallah Municipality, Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, ASHTAR Theatre, and Khalil Sakakini Cultural Centre (Ramallah); Palestinian National Theatre – El-Hakawati (Jerusalem); Al-Midan Theatre (Haifa); Palestinian Circus School (Bir Zeit); El Beir, Arts and Seeds (Beit Sahur); Arts Hub and Public Library of the Nablus Municipality (Nablus); and Dar Qandeel for Arts and Culture (Tulkarem). The idea of the Palestinian-Flemish Cultural Festival was initiated by the Mission of Palestine in Europe, Belgium, and Luxemburg and the Government of Flanders in Belgium.