Fulla: a young Palestinian woman from Tulkarm

This podcast is the third in a series of six that will feature interviews with Palestinian women. Each woman featured in this series was photographed and interviewed. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate our (the artist’s) belief that every individual has an important role in society and this is the reason why they should be celebrated.

Fulla is a proud, 23-year-old woman from Tulkarm. She is full of joy and always keeping herself busy with activism projects. At the time of this interview she was working with some American professors to produce a documentary about the role of women in resistance of the occupation. Fulla studied English in University and now she teaches classes to children. She also uses her classes to discuss the occupation with the children and to build a passion for resistance in them. In the summers she sometimes works at a Palestinian heritage museum in Tulkarm.

Story and photo credit : Katy Carlson
Voice by : Fulla
Editing : Emma Soerensen, Mohammad Alazza

Riham: A performance artist from Beit Sahour

This podcast is the second in a series of six that will feature interviews with Palestinian women. Each woman featured in this series was photographed and interviewed. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate our (the artist’s) belief that every individual has an important role in society and this is the reason why they should be celebrated.

Riham is a performance artist from Beit Sahour, near Bethlehem. She first earned her Bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy at Arab American University here in Palestine. After working for a few years she found her true passion in performance art. She traveled to London where she gained her Masters in Performance with other artists around the world. Now, she teaches classes, continues to work on personal projects, and is also working on coordinating artistic projects. One of them is a project with Khalil Alsakakni Cultural Center that is taking place during Qalandia International Festival 2014 in Ramallah.

Story and photo credit : Katy Carlson
Voice by : Riham
Editing : Emma Soerensen, Mohammad Alazza

Najla’: The first woman bus-driver in the West Bank

This podcast is the first in a series of six that will feature interviews with Palestinian women. Each woman featured in this series was photographed and interviewed. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate our (the artist’s) belief that every individual has an important role in society and this is the reason why they should be celebrated.

In April 2014, Najla’ became the first woman bus-driver in the West Bank. She has become a familiar face for many around the villages of the city of Tulkarm. Najla’ attended a bus-driving school and had to pass 12 driving tests before she received her license. On many days, she finds that the social aspect of her job is even more demanding than the actual task of driving the bus. She has received a wide range of reactions from other Palestinians, but she continues to be very proud of her job. Aside from driving a bus, Najla’ is also an outspoken resistor of the Israeli occupation.

Story and photo credit : Katy Carlson
Voice by : Isra’ Abusrour
Editing : Emma Soerensen, Mohammad Alazza

My Nakba

1948 was the year when 700.000 Palestinians were expelled from their villages, and 413 villages were destroyed completely by the Zionist militias. In the following podcast you will hear interviews by two Palestinian refugees telling their personal story of how they were excluded from their village, became refugees and ended up in Aida Camp. The interviews are narrated by their grandchildren, who are refugees today because their grandparents were expelled.
This is their story.

Story by: Amaja El-Ozzo, Layan Al-Azza & Pernille Sørensen
Narration by: Saja Ajarmeh & Mohammad Abo Scrour
Voices by: Ragd Ajarmeh & Miras Al-Azza
Music by: Trio Joubran
Poems by: Ramzy Baroud & Remi Kanazi

Between Czech Republic and Palestine

My name is Lucy Shomali , and I’m half Czech, half Palestinian.I come to Beit
Sahour almost every summer to spend the holidays with my family. I am
proud to claim my origin, but it is not easy to be the strange one wherever I go.
I try to help Palestine by sharing my experience, so here is my
story.

Narrated by: Lucy Shomali

Photo credit: Mohammad Alazza

Music by : Le Trio Joubran

Dreams of Jerusalem

Since the beginning of the Intifada, Palestinians with West Bank or Gaza Identity Cards have needed to obtain permits from the Israeli Intelligence in order to enter Jerusalem. Jerusalem, the capital of Palestine, has important prayer sites for Muslims, Christians, and Jews. In this clip, 15 year-old Rania Roomi, talks about dreams of one day being able to visit Jerusalem.

Story by Rania Roomi

Photo credit: Mohammad Alazza

 

Why I Read Ghassan Kanafani

I have written this piece because I want everyone to know about Ghassan Kanfani. He put something in my heart and made me feel proud about being Palestinian.

Story by Athal Al Azza

Music by Le Trio Joubran

photo accessed from   http://www.bintjbeil.com/articles/2003/ar/0709_bazzi.html

Wake up! Wake up! There are soldiers outside… They want you.

Sound recording: Layan Al Azza

In the last six months alone, 1,118 Palestinians have been arrested by Israeli soldiers. 90% of these individuals have been imprisoned.

It’s an extremely important issue that sadly affects everyone living in Palestine. If they haven’t spent time in jail themselves, their brother, sister, mother, father or cousin has. With that in mind, it won’t surprise you to know that many of the Lajee Center volunteers have also had this experience – including Radio Lajee’s Mohammad Qassim.

Although an extremely painful topic to talk about, the other night Mohammad decided to share his story. Please take the time to listen and learn.

Click Here To Show Transcript

Afif’s Story

In 1948 the year of the Nakba, Afif Gatasha was just six months old. In this recording, he shares the very personal and moving story of his life from then until now.

Sound recording: Layan Al Azza

Click Here To Show Transcript