1 – 31 August 2017

Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society

Newsletter

Alrowwad Society launches a football training program for children August 3, 2017. Alrowwad Society for Culture and Arts launched a closed training program for a group of children ‘football amateurs’ in Aida refugee camp, as part of the Alrowwad’s Mubdi’on camp and its summer vacation programme of activities and Alrowwad sports programme. The children were trained on new football skills by the British intern Charlie Murgatroyd. On 22 August 2017 the children who took part in Alrowwad’s summer Mubdi’on camp bid farewell to the British volunteer Charlie, who volunteered over the summer as a football coach for children.

Amos Trust delegation ends its visit to Aida refugee camp 3 August, 2017. Delegation of Amos Trust Association ended its three-days visit to Alrowwad Society for Culture and Arts in Aida refugee camp. The delegation met members and children of Alrowwad Society in a visit that was conducted to strengthen the exchange of cultures between different people where many theatre performances and photography events were carried out during the visit. Executive manager of Alrowwad Ribal al-Kurdi welcome the delegation when they first arrived at Alrowwad Society and took them in a tour to all different departments including the newly established vocational center. Al-Kurdi informed the delegation of the plans and programs that Alrowwad Society is working to achieve as part of its strategic plan. Members of Alrowwad’s Dabkha and theater crew met with the delegation and conducted theater performances such as Dabkha performance, expressionist dance and short plays, while also conducted interviews with the elderly, women and children of the camp to prepare for making a film about Aida refugee camp. Alrowwad Society shares strong bonds with Amos Trust Association that hosted in 2016 an art tour for Alrowwad in The United Kingdom and in Scotland.

Alrowwad Society conducts an entertaining activity for children

8 August, 2017. Alrowwad Society for Culture and Arts conducted an entertaining activity for children of the summer camp that UNRWA started in Aida refugee camp. During the event Alrowwad’s Play Bus carried out several educational competitions and games with wooden toys for the children.

Alrowwad Society starts a musical course for children 11 August, 2017. Alrowwad Society for Culture and Arts started a training course specialized in teaching children how to play musical instruments and how to develop an ability to play different rhythms. As part of Alrowwad’s art program, music teacher Murad Nasim provides the opportunity for children to play different musical instruments in an attempt to allow them to express themselves and feeling in a positive way and to break the barrier of fear from dealing with musical instruments freely. Courses conducted as part of the Mubdi’on camp such as the musical course are all provided for children without any charge, as Alrowwad tries to involve as many children as possible in such courses.

Alrowwad Society launches a photography training course for children

11 August, 2017. As part of Mubdi’on camp, Alrowwad Society for Culture and Arts launched in August, 11 a training course with the assistance of ‘Pictures for Life’ program and photography unit to teach children the basic skills of photography. General director of alrowwad society Dr. Abdelfattah Abusrour , said that Mubdi’on camp will provide the opportunity for children to develop their talents through specialized courses in fields of theatre, traditional dancing of Dabkha, photography, music and computer. He added that Alrowwad offers a suitable atmosphere for children to make use of their time during the summer vacation before the school starts.

Alrowwad hosts a festival to honor former head of UNRWA environment health department

Alrowwad Society for Culture and Art hosted a ceremony festival that was organized by associations in Aida camp, popular committee and UN director for Aiada and Beit Jubreen camps to honor Nabeel Misbah, former head of UNRWA environment health department, with the presence of associations’ representatives and employees of health department in UNRWA. The ceremony was held to honor Misbah after spending more than 35 years in service in the UNRWA. Ribal al-Kurdi, executive manager of Alrowwad, welcomed the attendants and expressed appreciation on behalf of General director of Alrowwad society Dr. Abdelfattah Abusrour for Nabeel Misbah for the role he played while serving in UNRWA in helping people of the refugee camp and wished him all the best in his life and in his journey in serving the local society especially Palestinian refugees. Associations’ representatives expressed their appreciation at the end of the ceremony where Alrowwad’s Dabkha crew presented a theatrical performance.

Alrowwad Society honors Tawjihi students in Aida

refugee camp

14 August, 2017. Alrowwad Society for Culture and Arts conducted a ceremony to honor students who passed Tawjihi exams successfully with the presence of the head of Alrowwad’s administrative board Azhar Abu Srour, general director of Alrowwad Abed al-Fatah Abo Srour, deputy head of the popular committee in Aida camp Samir Atta, students’ families and a number of locals of the camp. The ceremony started by a moment of silent for reciting the Fateha for the souls of martyrs and a speech for head of Alrowwad’s administrative board Azhar Abu Srour followed, where she welcomed the audience, congratulated the students and confirmed that Alrowwad will provide what is needed to help the students in their educational journey through helping in college tuitions and giving them access to all departments in Alrowwad. General director of Alrowwad society Dr. Abdelfattah Abusrour confirmed that Alrowwad is open for all people in the camp and for all people who are looking for opportunities to develop their skills in all social, cultural and art fields. He stressed on Alrowwad’s care to provide the best social services for the refugee camp through all departments including the vocational center. Alrowwad’s Dabkha crew included the ceremony by a Dabkha performance which was followed by distributing certificates and gifts for Tawjihi students.

Alrowwad attends the Bethlehem Libraries’ Network meeting 20 August, 2017. Representatives from Alrowwad Society library attended a meeting organized by the Bethlehem Libraries’ Network at the Ghirass Centre, along with the other library trustees. They discussed the story of “Old Mama”, as well as several other issues relating to the libraries and their September schedule. Alrowwad Society library is considered part of the Bethlehem Governorate Libraries’ Network, which works to encourage recreational means of reading and learning amongst children and school students.

Alrowwad and ‘Stars’ organized a day of mural painting in Aida Camp

20 August, 2017. Alrowwad Cultural & Arts Society, in collaboration with the Stars Foundation, took part in painting murals in the Aida camp. On Sunday, the Stars team painted murals on a number of walls of the buildings lining the streets of Aida camp, as part of Alrowwad’s artistic programme which strives to improve the surroundings in Aida, by painting artistic and expressionist mural, such as ones that tell the story of Palestine and commemorate article 194, the Right of Return.

Alrowwad participates in a workshop on borders in France 22 August, 2017. Members of Alrowwad Cultural & Arts Society’s dance and theatre troupe took part in a workshop led by Cie Grizzli, in the town of La Roche-sur-Yon in France. The workshop discussed issues relating to Palestine, as well as other topics such as refugees and borders. The workshop was one of the activities undertaken by the troupe during their tour of France, which continues until the end of August.

Alrowwad’s Mubdi’on Summer Camp comes to an end

22 August, 2017. Alrowwad Cultural & Arts Society concluded its Mubdi’on summer programme of activities, which ran for the second year in a row. More than 60 children from Aida Camp took part. The Mubdi’on camp lasted for over two weeks, and included specialized training programmes in the fields of photography, computing, music, sports, Dabkha, and storytelling. The summer activity programme ended with a recreational trip to the resort of Ain al Haweia.

Alrowwad concludes its summer activities programme 22 August, 2017. Alrowwad Cultural & Arts Society delivered a programme of educational and recreational activities for children throughout the summer vacation period. Children participated in numerous activities in many fields such as storytelling, computing, and preparing and writing research projects for school. Alrowwad Society library provided children with the opportunity to read stories and study books on diverse topics, along with the opportunity to use computers and the internet to undertake research for school projects.

Alrowwad Society also provided educational programmes for students, supplementing their studies of Arabic, English and mathematics at school, as well as a number of other subjects

Alrowwad theatre and dance troupe continues its arts training in France

26 August, 2017. Alrowwad troupe completed a workshop with members of the Cie Grizzli theatre in La Roche-sur-Yon, as part of their artistic training in France. The workshop constitutes one part of the exchange programme between the French and Palestinian groups, where many evenings will be spent working on artistic projects and performances.

Alrowwad group takes part in an artistic soiree in France 26 August, 2017. Alrowwad group performed dabka as part of an artistic soiree organised by the youth community theatre centre in La Roche-sur-Yon in France, which was attended by many members of the local French-Palestinian community, as well as Friends of Alrowwad in France. The director general of Alrowwad, Abdelfattah Abusrour, opened the evening by making a speech touching upon several Palestinian issues, and explained the goals and vision of Alrowwad Society in Palestine, by providing artistic opportunities for self-expression, to residents of Aida Camp as well as other parts of Palestine. His speech was followed by a film screening of ‘The Barrier’, made by Alrowwad, which discussed the difficulties and challenges faced by Palestinian citizens who work in areas of Jerusalem annexed in 1948. After the film screening, the guests attended a Palestinian-style dinner.

Alrowwad organises fun activities for the top students in Bethlehem 20 August, 2017. Alrowwad organised a programme of fun activities for the highest achieving school students in the Bethlehem governorate. Alrowwad’s ‘Play Bus’ team visited the schools and put on activities in which more than 60 students from the first grade took part.

Alrowwad Library organizes a reading of “Salma’s letters” 26 August, 2017. On Sunday, Alrowwad Cultural & Arts Society held a reading and discussion of the story, ‘Salma’s letters’ in its library, as part of its educational programme. Children wrote messages on pieces of paper, put them in plastic bottles and passed them around to each other, before reading the messages that they had received from their friends. The activity encouraged children to express their fondness for each other through writing short messages, and taught them the importance of hand-written notes as well as making sure that the content of their letters is well-written. The co-ordinator of the Tamer Institute for Community Education attended the session and took part in reading the story and writing the messages.

Alrowwad Theatre and Dance Troupe conclude their French tour

29 August, 2017. Members of Alrowwad theatre and dance troupe concluded their 2 week-long visit to the French town of La Roche-sur-Yon, which aimed to be a cultural and artistic exchange opportunity of performances and theatrical training, with the participation of 10 members from Alrowwad and 15 members of the French theatre troupe Cie Grizzli. The visit, which began with several meetings and workshops on matters such as borders and refugees, developed and created an artistic piece made by the collaboration of the Cie Grizzli and Alrowwad performers. The performance of the piece was attended by dozens of members of the French-Palestinian diaspora community, as well as a large number of international friends of Alrowwad. The visit was supported by the European ‘Erasmus’ and ‘Youth Exchanges’ programmes.

Alrowwad takes part in a workshop about community

accountability 30 August, 2017. Alrowwad Cultural & Arts Society took part in a workshop organised by a community organisation for students from the Bethlehem municipality, called ‘community accountability’, dealing with public censorship in education.

Alrowwad throws a party for children to celebrate Eid al-Adha 31 August, 2017. Alrowwad Cultural & Arts Society, in collaboration with the Italian entertainers ‘Peace and Klaun’, held an Eid al-Adha celebration for children in the Aida Camp. Children were able to partake in many different games and entertaining activities, organised by Peace and Klaun. The celebration ended with a party where the children were presented with gifts.