It is exactly what I envision the future of Palestine to be, which is taking our tradition and our history and our past, but not going back to it or being stuck in it. It’s taking it and creating something absolutely new and visionary. It’s Palestinian futurism. —Dr. Noura Erakat
Join us for the Phoenix of Gaza VR Exhibit + Symposium, connecting everyday acts of resistance with longer term world-building and freedom dreaming. The exhibit was first conceived by Naim Aburaddi, who is from Gaza and whose family has survived the genocide. Naim was not able to travel to Gaza for six years and so partnering with Dr. Ahlam Muhtaseb and the team of the x-Real Lab of California State University San Bernardino, this project transports Gaza with its multiplicity beyond the blockade and into the world through immersive technologies. The team was able to amplify important voices from Gaza including many artists whose work is included in the exhibit. In this way, the project continues as a cultural archive and historical preservation, which would not be possible without the creativity, resilience, and sacrifice of the project’s former photographer/videographer, who lost his father in the latest genocide, and the current photographer/videographer, who is risking his life to capture the aftermath in northern Gaza. As part of the longer term struggle for Palestinian liberation, this project invites us to bear witness to a liberated Gaza in virtual spaces.
Thursday December 5, Doors open at 4pm. *arrive early for hot tea + good seats.
Program 4:30 - 7:30pm
• Introduction by Ahlam Muhtaseb + Naim Aburaddi
• Poetic Address by Mosab Abu Toha
• Keynote by Noura Erakat
• Roundtable with Naim Aburaddi, Heba Gowayed, Mahdi Sabbagh, and Sireen Sawalha
• Dinner + Book-signing from 7:30 - 8:30pm
Friday December 6, Doors open at 4pm. *arrive early for hot tea + good seats.
Program 4:30 - 7:30pm
• Introduction by Ahlam Muhtaseb + Naim Aburaddi
• Poetic Address by Mosab Abu Toha
• Keynote by Sohail Dahdal
• Roundtable with Ahlam Muhtaseb, Laleh Khalili, Maya Mikdashi, and Areej Hamouda
• Dinner + Book-signing from 7:30 - 8:30pm
Symposium registrants will receive instructions for signing up to visit the VR exhibit, which includes hundreds of videos and images using a 360-degree camera which takes footage of daily activities in Gaza. The vast majority of the locations captured are historical places in the Gaza Strip before they were destroyed. This includes images and videos of historical monuments, cultural sites, public squares, universities, schools, cafes, streets, agricultural areas, parks, beaches, markets, and amusement places. This is in addition to capturing Palestinian culture through weddings, stitching workshops, dabke, palm harvesting, clay and pottery making, and other hand-made professions. For more info: https://www.gazaxr.com
Statement on Trauma Reactions:
• The VR exhibit highlights themes of rebuilding and resilience, but it may evoke trauma reactions, particularly grief and loss, in those with a personal connection to the spaces shown. Some reactions may be delayed, with emotional impacts lingering for days afterward. We encourage individuals to access on-campus and off-campus resources for support as needed.Support Services Description:
• Dr. Shirin Zarqa-Lederman, founder of The Diaspora Psychologist, is an international psychologist specializing in trauma-informed individual and community care for marginalized communities. Dr. Zarqa-Lederman will offer one-on-one support from 12-2pm and lead a group processing circle from 3-4pm to help individuals process their experiences with the exhibit.
Check back soon for additional info about teach-ins + artistic performances.
Co-sponsored by Department of African American Studies, Center for Digital Humanities, Ida B. Wells JUST Data Lab, Palestinian Studies Colloquium, Program in Media & Modernity, Princeton Humanities Council, Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies, Students for Justice in Palestine, Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination, and University Center for Human Values.
We endeavor to provide reasonable accommodations for attendees with special needs. If you require an accommodation or service to participate, please contact Ruha Benjamin at ruha@princeton.edu at least 7 business days prior to the event.
*Art by Imad Abu Shtayyah + Delali Agawu