Sunday was certainly a day of contrasts. We spent most of our time at the Lajee Centre, a lively cultural and community centre at the edge of Aida Refugee Camp. The director, Mohammed, and his staff team and volunteers work really hard to provide a welcoming, safe, calm environment for all members of the community. With a beautiful outdoor playground and garden, a roof garden with a fantastic hydroponics system growing fresh veg and herbs, lovely kindergarten and well-equipped gym and exercise space, the centre offers spaces for everyone to nurture their physical and mental health and boy do they need it… The centre faces on to the separation wall with Israeli soldiers on constant surveillance from watchtowers. The soldiers carry out frequent raids in the roads around the centre and in the narrow streets and alleyways of the camp. We were all deeply shocked to hear Mohammed describing his experiences of watching soldiers deliberately targeting young boys, shooting them in the legs to cause permanent disabilities and of teenagers shot dead in the street. We were shown images of young children running from the playground as tear gas rained down on them. In a very moving film a young resident of the camp expressed how her life was affected by the constant fear and stress of living with oppression and fear. Her dearest wish was to be able to have fun and enjoy her life like other children around the world. Despite the daily struggle her talent as a musician shone through as she played her qunan (similar to a dulcimer), leading us into a wonderful afternoon of shared singing, music and dance.
Our choir formed 3 years ago with the aim of showing solidarity with the Palestinian people through our songs. As you will already have seen we have taken every opportunity to sing in the street, in cafes and hotel bars!! We have shared our songs with community groups and have been delighted with the warm reception we’ve received and the smiles of local people who have appreciated our efforts to sing in our very best Arabic – they even said that they could understand us! The power of song to show strength in the face of hostility, make connections and bring joy to the most terrible situations has been uplifting and heart-warming.
Four of Lajee’s young women, fresh from a cultural tour of Ireland, impressed us enormously with their musicianship while the Dabke dancers (a mixed team of teenagers) wowed us with their skill, interpretation and athleticism. A truly powerful exhibition of young people’s ability to rise above the struggles of life in one of the most oppressed communities in the world.
As we left Aida Camp this morning after a final song for Dr Abdelfattah and his team, one of the women said “Thank you for coming and thank you for knowing who we are”. Palestine needs its truth to be known around the world.
