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At the age of seven, Palestinian writer and actress Raeda Taha lost her father, Ali Taha, during a plane hijacking operation bound for Tel Aviv. Overnight, she became the daughter of a martyr, an identity that would shape much of her life. Through her plays, Taha challenges the idealization of martyrs, making space for the grief, humour, and everyday struggles of the families they leave behind. We discuss her first original play “Alaki Zayak Fein Ya Ali” and the question that followed her for years: who did her father love more, his daughters or Palestine?   Reflecting on her years working with Yasser Arafat, her friendship with Mahmoud Darwish, and her eventual discovery of theatre in her forties, Taha explains how a lifetime of experiences became the material for her work. Finally, we discuss the relationship between Palestinian liberation and women's liberation, the role of art in resistance, and the freedom Taha finds in performing. The episode closes with her aunt Suhaila, who could neither read nor write, and how she confronted Henry Kissinger to recover her brother’s body. This episode was recorded in Arabic on September 25th, 2026. You can watch the episode with English subtitles on YouTube here. This episode is hosted by Tala Elissa. Our associate producers are Zeena Shehadeh and Ahmed Ashour. Lead producer is Tala Elissa. Executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Social media by Lara Dihmis. Social media VO by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, and more, about their very own Palestine. In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast Relevant links & resources: Follow Raeda Taha on Instagram @raedataha Learn more about the rituals of the Palestinian wedding Read more about Palestinian plane hijackers Watch Al Jazeera’s docuseries about the PLO Learn more about the Hebron massacre in 1994

Gaza's first professional photography studio opened in 1944, founded by an Armenian genocide survivor. Decades later, his grandson found its surviving negatives in a closet in Cairo. Palestinian-Armenian visual artist and creative director Kegham Djeghalian joins Tarwida to talk about Photo Kegham of Gaza: Unboxing, the exhibition built from his grandfather's archive. It has toured Cairo, Sharjah, Geneva, and Marseille, with Bristol and Antwerp next. In this episode: How Kegham Djeghalian Sr. went from Anatolia to Syria, Lebanon, Jerusalem, Jaffa, and finally Gaza Armenians and the early history of photography in the Levant What the photographs show about everyday life in Gaza, 1944–1981 Finding three boxes of negatives after a 12-year search Para-archaeology, the "unmade archive," and why there are no dates or captions The Majdalawi weave behind Palestinian thobes, and his fashion work How to start archiving your own family photographs Kegham is a visual artist, professor of fashion practices and visual culture, and artistic director and co-head of the fashion design department at the German International University in Egypt. He is also a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. This episode is hosted and produced by Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Social media by Lara Dihmis. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. The episode was recorded on September 19, 2026. Watch the episode on YouTube here. Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, and more, about their very own Palestine. In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast Relevant links & resources: Learn more about and follow Kegham Djeghalian Jr. Learn more about Kegham Djeghalian Sr. Check out Kegham’s upcoming and previous exhibitions:Bristol Photo Festival, Photo Kegham (Oct 16–Nov 15, 2026) Marseille exhibition (May 2026) Mada Masr, Sharjah Biennial 16 Institut français d'Égypte, Photo Kegham of Gaza: Unboxing (Cairo, 2024) CairoScene, Cairo opening Ahram Online, Cairo exhibition Dive deeper:The Abdullah Brothers (Abdullah Fréres) Yessayi Garabedian Khalil Raad Chapters: 0:00 Cold open: scanning the first ten negatives 0:40 Introducing Kegham Djeghalian Jr. 2:00 Exhibition tour and the Order of Arts and Letters 3:10 Photo Kegham: the studio on the facade 4:50 From Anatolia to Jaffa to Gaza 8:00 Armenians and the history of photography in the Levant 10:30 "We shall return": a photographer's politics 12:30 Abu Bushara, and why he stayed in Gaza 14:00 The studio as archive, school and meeting place 16:00 What the photographs show of everyday Gaza 19:00 Photography without a colonial gaze 21:30 Knowing a grandfather he never met 24:00 Twelve years of searching, then three boxes in a Cairo closet 28:00 Scanning ten negatives and choosing to walk away 30:30 Returning to the boxes and "conversing with his ghost" 33:00 Para-archaeology and the unmade archive 37:30 Why the exhibition has no dates or captions 40:30 Self-portrait of Kegham and his children on the beach 43:15 The book, the publishers, and Gazans recognizing family in Cairo 45:30 What his grandfather would have thought 47:30 What happened to Photo Kegham 49:30 The Majdalawi fabric project 53:45 Archiving Intimacy: how to start a family archive

What makes a place feel like itself? In this episode of Tarwida, Palestinian architect Elias Khuri explores architecture as a layering of people, histories, nature, language, and memory. We discuss his latest installation "Noon Insan," through which he reveals his connection to Palestinian writers and artists Elias Khoury and Kamal Boullata. What Boullata attempted to do visually, and what Elias Khoury attempted to do through language, Khuri is attempting to do through architecture. Reflecting on several of his projects, including a house built around 12 ancient olive trees and his work on restoring the historic Khan Jaljulia, Khuri explains how a sense of place can be lost when buildings are separated from their surroundings as opposed to when they are built with what is already there. Finally, Khuri revisits important features of Arab architecture that are increasingly disappearing with modern, capitalist modes of construction, including intimate third spaces such as the hosh and riwaq. This episode was recorded on August 16th, 2026. You can watch it with English subtitles on YouTube here. Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, and more, about their very own Palestine. In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. This episode is hosted by Tala Elissa. Our associate producers are Zeena Shehadeh and Ahmed Ashour. Lead producer is Tala Elissa. Executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Social media by Lara Dihmis. Social media VO by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. Intro music by Terez Sliman. Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast Relevant links & resources: Follow Elias Khuri on Instagram (@elias_khuri) Visit Tanas Read Noon Insan by Elias Khoury and Kamal Boullata Learn more about Kamal Boullata Read about the restoration of Khan Jaljulia Visit Khuri’s 12 olive trees house EPISODE CHAPTERS: 1:18 — Meet Elias Khuri: Becoming an Architect 3:41 — Mediterranean Architecture 4:27 — Noon: Elias’s favorite letter and its connection to Elias Khoury and Kamal Boullata 10:07 — Western vs. Arab Architecture 11:49 — Building Around 12 Olive Trees 16:50 — How Colonization Changed the Architecture of Palestine 19:43 — The Disappearance of the Hosh and Riwaq 23:12 — Restoring Khan Jaljulia 31:00 — Tanas and the Importance of a Shared Architectural Language

What happens when a city itself becomes an archive? In this episode, architect and historian Nadi Abusaada takes us through different Palestinian cities to explore how material traces can help reconstruct a history marked by destruction, displacement, and erasure. The conversation begins with Abusaada's installation for Amman Design Week 2026, which reconstructs a lost fountain from Jerusalem's Palace Hotel using one surviving ceramic tile designed by Armenian ceramicist David Ohannessian. He then discusses his work curating the Palestinian Museum’s permanent exhibition, which challenges the idea of permanence and instead explores the ongoing process of making Palestinian history. From there, we explore Palestinian landscapes and agricultural terraces as evidence of generations of knowledge, before turning to Jaffa and its transformation from a cosmopolitan Palestinian city into a caricatured version of itself, used as a backdrop for Israeli cultural production and gentrification. The episode ultimately asks what it means to preserve history without freezing it, to reclaim the past without turning it into a fantasy, and to build contemporary spaces that are connected to the places, people, and histories that came before them. This episode is produced in collaboration with Amman Design Week, opening its fourth edition October 2–17 under the theme "Accumulations." The episode was recorded on August 3rd, 2026. Watch the episode on YouTube here. Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, and more, about their very own Palestine. In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast Relevant links & resources: Follow Nadi Abusaada on Instagram (@nadi.saadeh) Visit the Palestinian Museum Explore Amman Design Week and its 2026 edition, "Accumulations" Check out Tawfik Canaan’s amulet collection Read Samia Halabi’s article on Mustafa Al Hallaj Learn more about Palestinian filmmaker Kamal Al Jafari and his film Recollection Read Nadi Abusaada's article on Palestinian terraces Learn more about The Destruction of Jerusalem’s Moroccan Quarter Read more about David Ohannessian EPISODE CHAPTERS: 01:33 – Introducing Nadi Abusaada and his connection to Jerusalem 05:00 – David Ohannessian and the Palace Hotel fountain 08:27 – Reconstructing Palestinian history from fragments 11:15 – Rethinking the "permanent" exhibition at the Palestinian Museum 16:30 – Mustafa Al Hallaj: when sculpture becomes impossible to carry 18:52 – Searching for Palestine in Israeli and colonial archives 21:48 – Palestinian terraces as material evidence 26:21 – Jaffa: the destruction and gentrification of a cosmopolitan Palestinian city 32:51 – Is Palestinian architecture more Palestinian or Arab? 38:20 – Why do we romanticize the Arab past?

Palestinian artist Dima Srouji doesn't work in one discipline — she works in scale. In this episode, we sit down with Srouji to trace her path from architecture school at Yale to becoming one of the region's leading voices in glass art, archaeology, and material heritage. Srouji discusses the pivotal year of 2016 — leaving corporate architecture in New Haven and New York to move back to Palestine — and how a chance studio visit to a glassblowing family in Jaba' (who were, at the time, making chemistry beakers and bongs) launched a decade-long collaboration that evolved into serious research on ancient Roman and early Islamic glass traditions across Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. The conversation moves through the differences between Hebron and Jaba' glassmaking techniques, Srouji's forthcoming installation of 100 glass snails and figs at Qasr al-Abd for Amman Design Week 2026, and her ongoing work replicating looted Palestinian artifacts — including pieces from the Tell Ajul excavation — for permanent display at the Palestinian Museum. Srouji and Tala also discuss how Israeli archaeological practice has been used as a tool of land grabbing and erasure, from Sebastia to Silwan, and Srouji's recent work as a production designer reconstructing 1930s Silwan for a Palestinian feature film. This episode is produced in collaboration with Amman Design Week, opening its fourth edition October 2–17 under the theme "Accumulations." This episode is hosted by Tala Elissa. Our associate producers are Zeena Shehadeh and Ahmed Ashour. Lead producer is Tala Elissa. Executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Social media by Lara Dihmis. Social media VO by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. Intro music by Terez Sliman. The episode was recorded on August 3rd, 2026. Watch the episode on YouTube here. Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, and more, about their very own Palestine. In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast Relevant links & resources: Check out more of Dima Srouji’s work (dimasrouji.com) and follow her on socials (@dimasrouji) Ghosts collection (V&A/Met/Penn Museum replica project): dimasrouji.com/ghosts Bio & profile, Royal College of Art: rca.ac.uk/more/staff/dima-srouji Profile, Lawrie Shabibi gallery: lawrieshabibi.com/artists/187-dima-srouji "Meet the Palestinian Architect Creating Ethereal Glass Vessels," Galerie Magazine: galeriemagazine.com/dima-srouji Explore more about Amman Design Week (ammandesignweek.com) and their upcoming exhibition, “Accumulations” Learn more about Sebastia: UNESCO World Heritage Centre listing: whc.unesco.org/en/list/1809 Al Jazeera, "Will UNESCO's heritage listing halt Israeli plans for Sebastia?": aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/27 WAFA, official Palestinian announcement: english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/172880 Support Save Silwan (@savesilwan) Read Nadia Abu El-Haj’s book, Facts on the Ground: Archaeological Practice and Territorial Self-Fashioning in Israeli Society (2001) Learn more about Palestinian artist and art historian, Kamal Boullata

Few artists have captured the soul of Palestine the way Sliman Mansour has. His paintings featuring olive trees, stone terraces, mud, and the steadfast women of the land have carried Palestine across generations and borders. In this conversation, Mansour looks back on his childhood as well as the mischief and hardships that shaped him. A pioneer of contemporary Palestinian art and a teacher who rooted creativity in local materials, he speaks with humor and sharp honesty about what art means to him, sharing not only his achievements but also his moments of fragility and disappointments. This episode is hosted by Tala Elissa. Tarwida’s lead producer is Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. This conversation was conducted in Arabic and recorded on July 8, 2025. You can watch it with English subtitles on YouTube through this link. Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine. In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. Follow us on @tarwidapodcast This episode was originally published on September 15th, 2025. Listen to this episode on YouTube here. -- Relevant links and Resources: - Follow Sliman Mansour on Instagram @sliman.mansour Purchase Mansour’s artwork through his website (https://slimanmansour.com/palestinian...) or on Zawyeh (https://zawyeh.store/product-category...) - Learn more about Ismail Shammout (https://www.palquest.org/en/biography...) - Learn more about Bashar Khalaf (https://zawyeh.net/bashar-khalaf/)

"Establish our own discourse. Theirs is rotten. We don't need it." That's Samia Halaby — Palestinian abstract painter, scholar, activist, and at 89, one of the most vital voices in contemporary art — speaking directly to the next generation of Palestinian artists. In today’s episode, Tala sits down with Samia for a wide-ranging conversation that spans childhood in Jerusalem, decades of painting and teaching, and a career defined as much by what the art world tried to suppress as by what it eventually had to celebrate. Born in 1936 during the Arab Revolt in Palestine, Samia was displaced with her family at age 11 during the 1948 Nakba. Those first 11 years — absorbed visually, intensely, synesthetically — became the foundation for a lifetime of looking. Samia describes how as a child she assigned colors and shapes to sounds and how her grandmother's apple-seed recipe came to symbolize everything lost in 1948. The episode moves through her development as a painter, her rejection of "self-expression" as a capitalist myth, her conviction that abstraction is a tool for understanding reality rather than decorating it, and the way she was backed into becoming an artist at her mother's encouragement. She discusses her landmark work on the Kafr Qasem massacre — a book of documentary drawings now published in Arabic — and the very different choice she made with Massacre of the Innocents (2024), an abstract response to Gaza where documentation wasn't needed because the world was already watching. Tala and Samia also discuss the censorship that defined recent years: Indiana University's cancellation of her retrospective in December 2023, Michigan State's removal of Six Golden Heroes in 2024, and what she learned about institutional cowardice and the differences between administrations, professors, and students. As she puts it: "They handed me proof everlasting that they're racist." This episode is hosted and produced by Tala Elissa. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Social media by Rajae Shehadeh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. Intro music by Terez Sliman.  The episode was recorded on May 28th, 2026. Watch the episode on YouTube here. Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, and more, about their very own Palestine. In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast --  Relevant links & resources:  Read more about Samia Halaby  Follow Samia Halaby  Read her book, Drawing the Kafr Qasem Massacre Samia Halaby wins Munch Award for Artistic Freedom (2025)  "We Refused" exhibition — Doha/Antwerp  Read more about the Kafr Qasem massacre  Learn more about Vera Tamari  Learn more about Mona Saudi  Learn more about Rima Nasir Tarazi  Learn more about Sophie Halaby  Episode Chapters:  00:00:00 The apple seeds recipe her grandmother never got to share  00:00:33 Introducing Samia Halaby  00:02:00 Born in 1936, the year of the Arab Revolt  00:03:15 Growing up in Palestine: 11 years of visual wonder  00:05:30 Synesthesia: seeing color and shape in sound  00:10:15 Her grandmother: role model, matriarch & the autobiography Apple Seeds  00:12:30 Witnessing the Nakba: her father injured in Jaffa, January 1948  00:14:45 How she became an artist — "I backed into it"  00:17:00 Rejecting self-expression: art as craft, not therapy  00:21:30 Nature, Islamic architecture & the evolution of her abstract work  00:28:00 "Palestine is the Anvil" — the painting behind her  00:30:00 Documenting the Kafr Qasem Massacre through drawing  00:35:45 Gaza and Massacre of the Innocents (2024)  00:38:15 Political posters: pro-Palestine propaganda and activism  00:48:00 Pioneering computer art in the 1980s — and why AI is a hard no  00:53:30 Academia, galleries & who really decides what art matters  00:57:15 Indiana University censorship & Michigan State's removal of Six Golden Heroes  01:01:15 Black is Beautiful (1969) and its Venice Biennale appearance in 2024  01:05:00 Message to young Palestinian artists: "Be confident. Don't let them stop you."

"We spent all our lives walking into other people's museums. The time had come to walk into our own." Today, we sit down with Faisal Saleh — Palestinian entrepreneur, photographer, and founder of the Palestine Museum US — to talk about what it took to build the first permanent Palestinian museum in the Western Hemisphere, and what it means to tell Palestine's story through art when so much of the world refuses to look. Faisal walks through his early life in Al-Bireh and the entrepreneurial instinct that eventually led him to found his own institution in Woodbridge, Connecticut in 2018. We discuss the founding of the Edinburgh branch on Dundas Street, the vandalism the museum has weathered, and two consecutive years of rejection from the Venice Biennale before this year's acceptance. The centerpiece of the episode is the story behind the exhibit "Gaza, No Words" — a collection of 100 embroidered Tatreez panels created in a single year by 60 Palestinian women in refugee camps in Lebanon and the West Bank, documenting the Gaza genocide stitch by stitch. Faisal describes the process behind the panels, the emotional weight of the imagery, and why the exhibit's title was left intentionally wordless. He closes with his plans for a future Gaza Genocide Museum and a forthcoming book.  This episode is hosted by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. Our associate producers are Zeena Shehadeh and Ahmed Ashour. Lead producer is Tala Elissa. Executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Social media by Rajae Shehadeh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. Intro music by Terez Sliman.  The episode was recorded on May 28th, 2026. Watch the episode on YouTube here. Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, and more, about their very own Palestine. In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast Relevant links & resources: Learn more about The Palestine Museum US (Woodbridge, CT) Learn more about the Palestine Museum Scotland (Edinburgh branch, 13a Dundas Street) Dive deeper into the exhibit, "Gaza, No Words" Read more about Faisal Saleh Palestinian History Tapestry (merger partner, original 12-year tapestry project) Scotsman coverage of the Edinburgh branch opening  New Haven Arts Paper profile on the museum's growth from Woodbridge to Edinburgh Donate/support the museum

In this episode of Tarwida, we sit down with Noora Baker, Head of Production at El-Funoun Palestinian Dance Troupe — one of the most celebrated Palestinian folk dance companies in the world, founded in 1979 with over 300 members and 16 major productions. Noora takes us through her journey as a dancer since 1987, beginning at age seven during the First Intifada, to leading production on El-Funoun's latest work Ya Sahib Al-Tayr (2025). We explore the roots of Palestinian dabke, its evolution from village ritual to political symbol, and the tension between organic street dance and choreographed stage performance. We also discuss how El-Funoun preserves Palestinian folklore, refusing politically conditioned funding, and the power of collective movement as a form of resistance.  The episode is hosted and produced by Tala Elissa. Our associate producer Zeena Shehadeh. Lead producer is Tala Elissa. Executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Social media by Rajae Shehadeh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. Intro music by Terez Sliman.  The episode was recorded on January 9th, 2026. Watch the episode on YouTube here.  Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, and more, about their very own Palestine. In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. --  Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast Relevant links and resources: Visit El-Funoun’s website and take a look at their online shop Read Fi Ma'ma'ana al-Raqs (In the Mayhem of Dance)  Follow El-Funoun (@elfunoun_troupe) Learn more about Ghassan Kanafani Learn more about the Popular Arts Center Productions Mentioned Ya Sahib At-Tair (2025) Marj Bin Amer Mash'al Talat (Bara'em Al-Funoun)

In this episode of Tarwida, we share a remarkable conversation with Dr. Salman Abu Sitta — cartographer, historian, and founder of the Palestine Land Society — recorded on the Makdisi Street podcast. Dr. Abu Sitta was born in Al-Maa'in near Khan Yunis and was expelled from his home as a 10-year-old boy during the Nakba of 1948. Over the following 75 years, he transformed personal loss into one of the most comprehensive documentary projects on Palestine ever undertaken: mapping 1,200 villages, cataloguing 50,000 place names, opening boxes sealed since 1877, and calculating — with meticulous precision — that 88% of the land Palestinian refugees were expelled from remains effectively vacant today. In this conversation, Dr. Abu Sitta speaks about oral history and the colonial archive, the meaning of UN Resolution 194, the legal and practical feasibility of the right of return, the fight to preserve UNRWA, and why the question of Palestine is, at its core, a question of people being kept from going home. He is 85 years old. He was there. And he is still counting. Thank you to the Makdisi Street podcast for allowing us to share this episode with the Tarwida audience. This episode is hosted by the Makdisi brothers, Kareem, Sari, and Ossama and produced by Sina. Intro by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. The episode was adapted by Tarwida associate producer Zeena Shehadeh. Lead producer is Tala Elissa. Executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Social media by Rajae Shehadeh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. Intro music by Terez Sliman.  The episode was originally published on February 7th, 2024.  Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, and more, about their very own Palestine. In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast -- Relevant links and Resources:  Watch the YouTube version on the Makdisi Street podcast’s channel Subscribe to the Makdisi Street podcast and listen to their other episodes Read Dr. Salman Abu Sitta’s article, "I could have been one of those who broke through the siege on October 7"  Learn more about the Palestine Land Society Read Dr. Salman Abu Sitta’s book, Mapping My Return Learn more about AUB’s Palestinian Land Studies program Take a look at Dr. Salman’s Atlases ‘The Atlas of Palestine (1917-1966)’ ‘The Atlas of Palestine (1871-1877)’ ‘The Return Journey Atlas’  Chapters:  00:00:00 - Introduction  00:01:00 Meet Dr. Salman Abu Sitta  00:04:00 - A Family Rooted in Palestine  00:07:00 - The Night of the Nakba  00:09:00 - From Refugee to Scholar  00:12:00 - Nationality: Uncertain  00:15:00 - Excavating the Colonial Archive  00:25:00 - They Carried the Memory in Their Head  00:35:00 - The War on Archives  00:39:00 - Rebuilding Palestine: The Architecture Competition  00:43:00 - Renaming the Land  00:47:00 - Resolution 194 and the Right of Return  00:52:00 - 88% of Palestinian Village Sites Remain Vacant  01:03:00 - UNRWA, Refugee Status, and the Fight Over 194  01:23:00 - Liberation, Law, and Steadfastness

In this re-release of one of our favorite conversations from last year, multidisciplinary artist, filmmaker, and director of the Palestinian Museum in Birzeit, Amer Shomali, sits down for a conversation about art, identity, and resistance. Amer shares his journey from a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria to studying architecture at Birzeit University, and the chance encounter that redirected his life toward his true passion in art and film. We explore three of his most iconic works: the viral Visit Palestine poster (2009), the lipstick portrait of Leila Khaled (The Icon, 2011), and his acclaimed animated documentary The Wanted 18 - the story of 18 cows that became a symbol of non-violent Palestinian resistance during the First Intifada. We then turn to the Palestinian Museum, which Amer took over as director on October 8th, 2023, just one day after the genocide in Gaza began. He speaks about the challenges of running a museum when 80% of the national collection has been looted, and 80% of the audience lives in diaspora, and how the museum is redefining what a cultural institution can be. From the living exhibition This Is Not an Exhibition featuring Gazan artists, to the open-source traveling exhibition Gaza Remains: The Story, to the Digital Archives now holding over 400,000 documents — this episode explores the necessity of cultural resilience. This conversation was recorded on December 1st, 2024. This episode is hosted by Afaf Shawwa Bibi. Tarwida’s lead producer is Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producers are Zeena Shehadeh and Ahmed Ashour. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna. Intro music by Terez Sliman.  Tarwida Podcast is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about Creative Palestine.  Relevant links and Resources:  Connect with Amer Shomali on Instagram @amershomali Visit Amer’s website Learn more about The Palestinian Museum, The Icon- Leila Khaled, Visit Palestine poster Watch The Wanted 18 trailer The Palestinian Museum Digital Archive The travelling exhibition: Gaza Remains the Story

Bassem Khandaqji is a Palestinian novelist from Nablus who spent more than 2 decades in Israeli prison, sentenced to three life terms. In 2024, while still behind bars,  he won the international book prize for Arabic fiction (Arabic Booker Prize) for his novel Mask of the Sky (قناع بلون السماء). Released in October 2024 in a prisoner exchange deal, he now lives in exile in Cairo. In this episode of Tarwida, Bassem Khandaqji speaks about writing novels under occupation, while writing was forbidden — drafting by hand at 4am, making three copies of every manuscript, and smuggling completed works out of detention.  The conversation covers the cultural and academic life inside Israeli prisons, its destruction after October 7 — what Khandaqji calls cultural genocide. He discusses his novels in depth, including how he spent a year immersed in Hebrew-language media to write his Israeli protagonist — thinking in Hebrew, writing in Arabic. He introduces Adab al-Ishtibak — Literature of Engagement — a framework for anti-colonial literature that dismantles Zionist ideology. He reflects on Yaffa, Jerusalem, Palestinian exile, and Mahmoud Darwish, and discusses his next novel about late fellow prisoner Walid Daqqa. باسم خندقجي روائي فلسطيني من نابلس، قضى أكثر من عقدين في السجون الإسرائيلية بحكم بثلاثة مؤبدات. في 2024، فاز وهو خلف القضبان بالجائزة العالمية للرواية العربية (البوكر العربي) عن روايته "قناع بلون السماء"، وأُفرج عنه في أكتوبر 2024 ضمن صفقة تبادل، ويعيش اليوم في المنفى بالقاهرة. في هذه الحلقة من ترويدة، يتحدث خندقجي عن الكتابة تحت الاحتلال — يكتب بخط يده في الرابعة فجراً، ينسخ كل مخطوطة ثلاث مرات، ويهرّبها خارج الاحتجاز. يتناول الحياة الثقافية داخل السجون الإسرائيلية وما لحق بها من دمار بعد ال 7 من أكتوبر، وعاماً أمضاه منغمساً في الإعلام العبري لكتابة شخصيته الإسرائيلية، ومفهوم "أدب الاشتباك"، وروايته القادمة عن الأسير الشهيد وليد دقة. – This episode is hosted and produced by Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. This conversation was recorded in person on February 8, 2026, in Cairo. You can watch it with English subtitles on YouTube. Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, and more, about their very own Palestine. In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be. Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast -- Relevant links and Resources:  Follow Bassem on Instagram (@bassem_khandaqji) Get Bassem’s 2024 Booker Prize-winning novel — A Mask the Color of the Sky Get Bassem’s novel —  Misk al-Kifayah Read Bassem’s Article – Iced Scripts for Sale Read  Hanna Mina — The End of a Brave Man Read Fatima Mernissi —The forgotten queens of Islam Read Adania Shibli — Minor Detail Read Mahmoud Darwish poetry Learn more about Walid Daqqa  Learn more about Syrian director, Najdat Esmail Anzur Learn more about Syrian prison literature. Watch The End of Brave Men

What made Tatreez — Palestinian embroidery — the symbol of Palestinian identity? Not ceramics, not glass blowing, not straw weaving. Why the stitch? Today, we sit down with Palestinian artist and author Joanna Barakat, who has spent years chasing this question. She unravels the deep-seated significance of Tatreez (Palestinian embroidery). Once hand-stitched by women in rural villages to signal their status and environment, Tatreez underwent a radical transformation following the 1948 Nakba.  The result is Narrative Threads (2025), an anthology featuring 24 living Palestinian artists who use tatreez in their work — from Sliman Mansour and Nabil Anani to artists working inside Gaza right now, embroidering evacuation maps in real time.  Joanna shares how Palestinian artists in the 1960s intentionally elevated these traditional motifs into a collective national symbol to spark a sense of "Palestinian-ness" and resist cultural erasure. Whether you grew up with Tatreez in your home or are just beginning to explore the language of each motif, this conversation offers a powerful look at how a centuries-old craft continues to evolve as a living archive of Palestinian existence. This episode is hosted and produced by Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna.  This conversation was recorded on February 2nd, 2026. You can watch it on YouTube, here.  Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.   In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be.  Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast -- Relevant links and Resources:  Follow Joanna Barakat on Instagram (@joanna.barakat.art) Join Tatreez Circle (@thetatreezcircle) Read Joanna’s book, Narrative Threads See more of Joanna’s artwork, https://www.joannabarakatart.com/ Learn more about the Majdal weaving centers Learn more about the Bethlehem Tahriri/Couch stitch Learn more about Ismail Shammout and Tamam Al-Akhal Follow Mohammed Alhaj and see more of his work Follow Dena Mattar and see more of her work Follow Mohammed Al Hawajiri and see more of his work Learn more about Maha Al-Daya Learn more about Amer Shomali and his piece, Broken Weddings See more of Naqsh Collective’s work and follow them on Instagram See more of Steve Sabella’s work and follow him on Instagram Relevant Tarwida Episodes: Nabil Anani Sliman Mansour Naqsh Collective Amer Shomali Chapters: 0:00       Introduction — the artists who painted around the rules 1:45       Meet Joanna Barakat — Jerusalem, Los Angeles, Abu Dhabi 4:00       Tatreez as an indigenous language — writing an autobiography in thread 7:00       Why Joanna grew up without tatreez in the house 8:30       Tatreez motifs and emojis — a new way to see the stitch 9:50       Before the Nakba — village life, regional dress, and the thobe 13:00    Trade routes, Bethlehem's gold thread, and regional variation of Tatreez 16:00    Personal creativity within the tradition — how women made the thobe their own 19:00    1948 and the 1960s  the rupture and the refugee camp dresses 21:30    How PLO-era artists made tatreez a national symbol 25:00    Machine embroidery — pros, cons, and how to tell the difference 30:30    Tatreez on denim — is modern fashion evolution or dilution? 32:45    Heartstrings — the painting Joanna stitched into her own skin 36:00    Reclaiming a motif — the book that never said "Palestine" 37:30    Tatreez Circle — how a community built itself one workshop at a time 40:00    Can you truly learn heritage through a screen? 44:00    COVID, October 2023, and the urgency of preservation 47:00    Narrative Threads — why this book needed to exist 49:30    How the  24 artists in Narrative Threads were chosen— and what connects them 53:30    Broken Weddings — the most powerful artwork in the book 57:00    Joanna's next body of work and future plans 58:30    How to find Tatreez Circle and join a workshop

Today, Palestinian author and activist Laila El-Haddad explores the intersection of food, politics, and identity. Discussing her acclaimed books The Gaza Kitchen and Gaza Mom, El-Haddad reflects on how culinary traditions serve as "repositories of dignity" and vital acts of resistance. The conversation spans from the unique spicy and herbaceous flavor profiles of Gazan cuisine to her experience filming with Anthony Bourdain and her activism, including her court case against the Biden Administration. Ultimately, Laila illustrates how heritage cooking has transformed from a cultural archive into a primary tool for survival and agency in the face of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. This episode is hosted and produced by Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna.  This conversation was recorded on December 2nd, 2025. You can watch it on YouTube, here.  Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.   In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be.  Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast -- Relevant links and Resources:  Follow Laila El Haddad on Instagram (@gazamom) Read Laila’s award-winning essay, A Cuisine Under Siege Get Laila’s books, The Gaza Kitchen and Gaza Mom Read Edward Said’s Permission to Narrate Learn more about Dr. Refaat Alareer Learn more about Yousef Abu Rabee Follow Renad Attallah (@renadfromgaza) Follow Hamada Shaqoura (@hamadashoo) Learn more about Aboud Battah

Long before books and screens, people relied on storytelling to connect with one another, remember their past, and make sense of the world around them. In this episode, we sit with Palestinian storyteller Sally Shalabi to explore the Palestinian context of this ancient tradition. As she invites us into her craft, we learn how she reimagines and adapts traditional stories to make them resonate with our time.  For Sally, storytelling is far more than just entertainment, it helps us imagine what liberation from a settler colonial reality might look like, which is the first step towards building alternative futures.   This episode is hosted by Afaf Shawwa Bibi and produced by Tala Elissa. Our executive producer is Zina Jardaneh. Our associate producer is Zeena Shehadeh. Video Editing by Ahmed Ashour. Social media by Leen Karadsheh. Research and copywriting by Dima Sharif. Branding by Sara Sukhun. Theme music includes excerpts from Clarissa Bitar, The Popular Art Centre - مركز الفن الشعبي & Rim Banna.  This conversation was recorded on February 24, 2026. You can watch it on YouTube, here. Tarwida is a series of conversations that bring Palestinian arts, culture, and heritage to the forefront. We hear from artists, including writers, filmmakers, musicians, architects, culinary practitioners and more about their very own Palestine.   In a nutshell, if you want to know more about (Creative) Palestine, this is the place to be.  Follow us on socials @tarwidapodcast Relevant links and Resources:  Follow Sally Shalabi on Instagram (@hakawatieh) Visit Sally’s website Listen to Sally’s Zaghareed podcast Watch Sally’s performance وأنا شفت  Watch Sally’s Ted Talk Follow Hakaya on Instagram (@hakayanetwork)