International Center of Bethlehem
Annual Report 1998
- From the General Director
-
Cultural Activities
* Art
- Art Coordinators
- Exhibition
- The Secrets of Byzantine Icons
- Art Workshops for Children
- Art Workshop Series
- Workshop II
- Local Artists' Network
- Stained-Glass Workshops
- Upcoming Art Projects
* Music
- Dabke Troupe
- Oriental Choir
- Ihya' Baladna - The International Center of Bethlehem
* Theater & Film
* Story Telling for the Children of Bethlehem - Public Lectures, Outreach Programs & Seminars
-
Intercultural Encounter
- The Cologne International Women Conference
- The International Youth Exchange Conference in Cologne
- Graduates' Visit to Germany
- Human Rights in the Palestinian Experience -
Authentic Tourism
- Authentic Tourism Coordinator
- Intensive Course for Palestinian Guides
- Visiting Groups
- Publications: Bethlehem 2000 - Past & Present - Dar al-Kalima Palestine Academy For Interreligious & Intercultural Studies
- Summer School 1998
-
Upcoming Projects
- A Study on Interfaith Marriage
- Internet Club Bethlehem
From the General Director
Greetings from Bethlehem and the International Center of BethlehemThe International Center of Bethlehem celebrated its third anniversary last year and what a year it has been. The number of people who visited and used the services of the Center has exceeded 29,000 men, women and children, both Palestinian and non-Palestinian. We hope that this number will continue rising as the year 2000 approaches. As one of the most active cultural centers in the Bethlehem area, the ICB continued in 1998 its tradition of innovation and growth. The services and programs that the Center provides for the community and visitors expanded to include the Arts, Crafts and Music program. Through art workshops for children and adults, exhibitions, musical performances, dabke dancing, theater performances and the showing of films the Center is actively participating in the strengthening and the shaping of an important dimension of Palestinian culture, namely Art. Other activities of the Center included intercultural encounters, conferences, workshops, lectures, intensive course for Palestinian guides as well as many other activities. In 1998 we also celebrated the publication of the book Bethlehem 2000-Past and Present, which is authored by Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb and Professor Fred Strickert. This work, which was published in English and German, provides a view of the Bethlehem area that is comprehensive, integrates the contemporary with the historical, and encompasses the living stones along with the ancient ones. Our biggest accomplishment in 1998 has to do with The Dar al-Kalima Academy for Interreligious and Intercultural Studies. In November of 1998, we signed an agreement with The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland to finance the construction of the auditorium of Dar al-Kalima at al-Madbassa square. Furthermore, the Church of Sweden Mission is financing the renovation of art workshops and art gallery on the same site. The renovation and construction work is scheduled to begin on April 5, 1999. Construction on the Mountain Murair site, where the model school and the educational facilities of Dar al-Kalima will be located, is scheduled to begin in May of 1999. We will continue working in 1999 to achieve our complete vision of the Dar al-Kalima Academy, thus ensuring that this educational institution, which will promote intercultural dialogue, contextual theology, music and art, will play a role in empowering our people to face the challenges of the 21st century. The devotion and commitment of the Center's staff has made the success of our mission possible. I thank them all. I would also like to thank the board members and friends of the Center, both local and international, who generously volunteered their time and effort. Their continuous support for our endeavor has made our work easier and more enjoyable. Therefore, it is with great pleasure that we submit to you our third annual report, covering the period of January 1, 1998 to December 31, 1998. Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb |
Cultural Activities
Art
Art Coordinators
Two new staff members have joined the ICB family to plan the expansion of the Arts, Crafts and Music program at the International Center of Bethlehem. Ms. Faten Nastas, who graduated in 1998 from Bezalel Academy for Fine Art and Design in Jerusalem, is a Palestinian artist from Bethlehem. Ms. Nastas participated in a number of exhibitions at home and abroad and is active in the contemporary art world. Mr. Jan-Peter Hempel, who graduated in 1997 from Hochschule fuer Bildende Kuenste in Dresden, is an artist from Germany. While working as a free lance artist, Mr. Hempel was the artist in residence at the ICB between November 1997 and February 1998.
"The First Christmas -Christmas in Bethlehem" Exhibition
"Christmas in Different
Cultures" is a series of exhibitions organized and exhibited by the
International Meeting Point of Turku, Finland. These exhibitions aim at
showing how different cultures observe and celebrate Christmas. The first
exhibition in the series featured Bethlehem, which is certainly one of the
most significant and influential cities in the world with regards to
Christmas. The Bethlehem exhibition, entitled "The First Christmas-
Christmas in Bethlehem," took place at the International Meeting Point of
Turku, Finland between November 29th, 1998 and January 6th, 1999.
The International Center of Bethlehem collected and mailed materials such as
photographs, written texts, and video films that reflect the way the
Palestinians celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem. The International Meeting
Point of Turku oversaw the arrangement and supervision of the exhibition.
The Secrets of Byzantine Icons
A
public lecture given by Mrs. Vassiliki Tsirou-Marcantonatou was held at the
ICB on Tuesday, October 20th, 1998. The lecturer gave a historical and
technical introduction, explaining the process of icon drawing. Mrs.
Tsirou-Marcantonatou also showed slides of some of the most important
symbols and secrets of the Byzantine Icons, namely the charming icons of
Stavronicita monastery of the Holy Mountain "Athos" in Greece. The lecture
was attended by more than 80 people of different backgrounds including
diplomats, artists, and clergymen.
Art Workshops for Children
The founding of the Art Workshops for Children program at the International Center of Bethlehem aims at: a) Developing the artistic, creative, aesthetic, and physical potential of the children as well as their artistic knowledge. b) Introducing the children to self-based learning, which enables them to discover their creative strengths, talents, abilities, and interests. c) Encouraging the children to express their thoughts and feelings in various ways. d) Showing the children different alternatives that they have when planning their future professional lives. e) Promoting the children's self-confidence by acknowledging their work. f) Contributing to the individual development of each child.
Art Workshop Series
With the above aims in
mind, the International Center held a series of painting workshops for
children in 1998. Four workshops were supported by the Swiss Embassy and
organized by the Swiss Cultural Attaché, Ms. Natalie Boesch. The first two
workshops were held in January, the third in April, and the fourth in June.
A total of 113 children from Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour, Dehaisha
Refugee Camp and the surrounding villages participated in these workshops.
The children came from different socio-economic and religious backgrounds
and their ages ranged between six to fourteen years.
Ms. Sabine Fritzsche, a Swiss-German artist from Basel, conducted the first
three workshops. Ms. Fritzsche has seventeen years of experience in art
education and art therapy for children. Biblical stories were the focus of
the first two workshops, while the third workshop examined the nature of the
land. Ms. Samar Ghattas conducted the fourth workshop, which focused on the
Palestinian culture and identity. Ms. Ghattas, a Palestinian artist from
Bethlehem, has been teaching art for the past five years at different
schools in Bethlehem as well as at the Bethlehem University. During the
fourth workshop, excursions to cultural institutions and a public exhibition
of the children's works were organized. The best paintings of the children
were chosen and printed as postcards, which are sold at the International
Center of Bethlehem.
Expressionist Painting Workshop
In
cooperation with the town of Strasbourg, the organization Proche-Orient
Terre de Paix-Strasbourg, the Committee of Bethlehem 2000 and the Ministry
of Culture of Palestine, the International Center of Bethlehem held a
painting workshop for children from August 16 -19, 1998. Sixty-six children
from Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour and the surrounding villages
participated in this workshop. The children were divided according to age
into three categories: 5-7, 8-10 and 11-15 years old. The director of the
painting workshop was the French artist Sylvie Villaume from Strasbourg.
Sylvie is a well-known sculptor, who has had many exhibitions in France and
Germany. She started similar painting workshops with groups of children in
Ramallah, Gaza and Strasbourg. The children's paintings were studied and
analyzed by a committee of artists and psychologists in Strasbourg. The
results of the analysis will be published during the year 1999.
Local Artists' Network
One
of the main projects that our two art coordinators have been working on is
the creation of a network of local artists. Such a network is necessary for
building a forum for artists and art lovers where they can discuss issues
concerning art as well as express themselves and their creativity. In our
annual report, we would like to highlight few of the artists who are part of
this group.
Ms. Samar Ghattas is a Bethlehemite artist, who graduated from the
Ukraine Academy of Fine Art in 1993. She teaches art at Bethlehem University
as well as in two schools in Bethlehem.
Mr. Rimaz Araj is a Bethlehemite artist, who has been politically
active and who spent
many
years hiding from or being detained by the Israelis for his political
beliefs. At the moment, Mr. Araj is a free lance artist, dedicating all of
his time for art projects. He makes his living by producing various small
art pieces, which are sold to tourists in our gift shop.
Mr. Adel Nasser is a calligrapher from Bethlehem. Mr. Nasser was a
teacher of the English language, but now he is retired and is dedicating his
time to improving and developing his unique style of painting calligraphy on
textile. Mr. Nasser uses biblical texts for his Arabic calligraphy
paintings.
Mr. Zaki Baboon is a Bethlehemite painter, who has his own style of
oil
painting.
He paints miniatures, using very bright colors that are painted thickly on
the material. The subjects he chooses for his works vary and they range from
biblical to social. Mr. Baboon is the artist whose paintings were chosen for
the MZK Calendar for the year 2000.
Hayat Yasser & Issa Sahourieh
are
two artists who participated in the stained-glass
workshop
that the ICB offered in 1998. Both of these artists were unemployed but now
are working at the Center's workshop producing stained-glass pieces, which
are sold in our gift shop.
To encourage these artists, the ICB is holding artistic and technical
workshops, in addition to organizing lectures and discussions with local and
international artists. The ICB is also preparing a gallery and a gift shop,
which will be called "The Artists House" where Palestinian artists can find
a home for their art and work.
Stained-Glass Workshops
For the first time in Bethlehem, three stained-glass workshops were held at
the International Center of Bethlehem. The first two workshops were held for
two months, from October 19, 1998 to December 10, 1998. The third workshop
was for one month, from November 11, 1998 to December 11, 1998. The three
stained-glass workshops aimed at: a) Reintroducing the stained glass
technique to the local people in Palestine. b) Qualifying the participants
to produce small pieces for sale to tourists. c) Creating new job
opportunities. d) Using cheap, local glass (i.e. broken bottles, blown glass
of Hebron, etc.). Out of the large number of individuals who applied to
participate in the three workshops, twenty-four people were selected. The
selection process was based on the applicant's skills, talents, seriousness
as well as the intent to make a career from stained-glass making. A personal
interview with each applicant was conducted as part of the selection
process.
The workshops' participants came from diverse backgrounds and from different
places, which enriched the workshops themselves. The participants consisted
of seventeen women and seven men. Four participants were housewives and
eight were unemployed. The other twelve were artists, art teachers, graphic
designers and calligraphers. As for their place of residence, fourteen came
from Bethlehem, two from Beit Sahour, three from Beit Jala, one from
Jerusalem, one from Nazareth, one from Shafa Amer, and two participants came
from Al-Walajeh and Wad Foukin, which are two villages in the Bethlehem
district. Out of those who participated in the workshops, ten will continue
their training. At the moment, they have been given a temporary working
place at the Center as well as tools and materials, so that they can go on
producing stained-glass pieces and developing their own style and
capabilities. Moreover, the International Center of Bethlehem will help them
in marketing these pieces in its upcoming Arts & Crafts Gift Shop.
The
workshops were supervised by the American artist Corinne Whitlach. Corinne
chose to spend her sabbatical from her job in the USA here in Bethlehem,
sharing with Palestinians her expertise and ideas regarding stained-glass
art.
In addition to conducting the stained-glass workshops, Corinne gave a public
lecture entitled "The Art Glass Industry" on Tuesday, November 24, 1998. The
lecture included a variety of slides showing the development of the
stained-glass industry. The lecture aimed at promoting the art of stained
glass among artists and people who did not have the chance to attend the
workshops.
Corinne played an important role in finding sponsors for the workshops,
which enabled her to buy and bring the needed tools and materials with her
from the United States. With her help, the International Center of Bethlehem
was able to realize the first step in establishing a stained-glass workshop.
The second step that we are currently working on is to create a permanent
infrastructure for a well-equipped stained-glass workshop, where our
trainees can advance their creative potential as well as market their
products to tourists and locals alike.
Upcoming Art Projects
The art coordinators at the International Center, Ms. Faten Nastas and Mr. Jan-Peter Hempel, started their work at the ICB in August 1998. From the beginning, they began with long-term planning for future projects. These projects include:
- Creating a network with local artists aiming at establishing periodic meetings and activities. The ICB is also working on creating ties to international artists in order to organize joint Palestinian-International projects. Two workshops for children, which will take place at the International Center of Bethlehem in the years 1999 and 2000, are the first step towards realizing these joint projects. The Center will host the Dutch painter Ms. Katja Stienen in July 1999, and the Belgium painter Ms. Lise Brachet in February, 2000.
- Planning the different workshops of ceramics, wood carving, glass blowing, stained glass, mosaic construction, painting, clay and plaster sculpting, and etching. In addition to establishing a plan for running the workshops, Faten and Jan-Peter have been busy searching for the suitable tools, equipment, materials, and artists to activate these workshops.
- Preparing the Arts & Crafts Gift Shop, which will open in April 1999.
- Working with the
architect responsible for the renovation of the Exhibition Hall, to meet
the needs of the ICB's art program, and preparing for the opening of the
Hall on December 15, 1999.
- Organizing programs that coincide with the different plans of the Bethlehem 2000 projects.
Music
Dabke Troupe
The
Graduates' Club has continued training and performing the Palestinian
folkloric dancing "al-Dabka" for visiting groups at the Center. The Troupe,
which is preparing to participate in the cultural events scheduled for the
Bethlehem 2000 celebrations, is being trained by Mr. Ra'fat Qassis and Mr.
Hazim Sababa.
Oriental Choir
A choir group has been formed at the International Center to perform Middle Eastern folkloric songs. The choir, which is directed by Mr. Diya' Rishmawi, is rehearsing to perform at the Center's cultural evenings as well as the Bethlehem 2000 celebrations.
Ihya' Baladna - The International Center of Bethlehem
The
ICB has collaborated with Ihya' Baladna group and formed the Ihya'Baladna-The
International Center of Bethlehem which is mainly concerned with the youth
in the Bethlehem district and aims at strengthening the youth's relation
with their cultural heritage through sponsoring different programs and
activities. These activities include:
- Training a group of young men and women to perform Palestinian folkloric dance and songs.
- Organizing lectures, workshops, films, and field trips to historic and tourist sites to the members of the performing group. By doing so, we aim at raising the group's cultural awareness as well as deepening their knowledge of the past, present, and future Palestinian situation.
- Sponsoring annual festivals to which Palestinian, Arab, and international artists will be invited. These festivals will strengthen the cultural ties between the different peoples as well as revive the cultural life in the Bethlehem district.
Theater and Film
T
heater
and film were a strong feature of our work in 1998. Organized by Ms. Rana
Khoury, three theatrical plays were held on March 6 and July 3, 1998. The
first two plays, held on March 6 and performed by the 'Inad Theater
group, were Waraqa min al-Ramla and Fil ya malik al-Zaman. The
first play commemorated the 50-year loss of Palestine and the plight of
nearly one million people who became refugees as they were forced to leave
their homes with the creation of the state of Israel. The second play was
concerned with the theme of dictatorship and totalitarian rule. The third
play, performed by the Ishtar Theater group on July 5, was called
Shu'un Abu Shaker '98. This play dealt with the question of patriarchy
as well as with Israeli-Palestinian relations.
There were also a number of film screenings. Two of the films that were featured, The Battle for Jerusalem and In Search of Palestine, dealt with the question of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees. The narrator of In Search of Palestine, Professor Edward Said, was an important figure to us at the Center for the year 1998. A study circle was formed to examine and discuss his writings. Other films that were shown at the Center were Ba'al wa al-Mawt, a movie re-enacting the Palestinian Canaanite epic; Samir, a film which examines the Iraqi-Jewish community in Israel; and Women in the Sun, a film about violence against Palestinian women.
Storytelling for the Children of Bethlehem
Mr.
W. Erlbruch, an artist from Germany, visited our Center for a two-hour
program for children on Saturday, November 15, 1998. The program consisted
of story telling and drawing the story's characters simultaneously. It was
an enjoyable event for our young children, for
whom
this was a unique experience. Our staff member, Mr. Daoud Nassar, narrated
the story in Arabic, while the children watched Mr. Erlbruch draw its
characters. Approximately 80 children from Bethlehem participated in this
event.
Public
Lectures,
Outreach Programs and Seminars
Public Lectures
Several public lectures took place throughout the year 1998 whose aim was to promote further awareness among the local community.
Palestinian refugees and the commemoration of al-Nakba or "The Disaster" (the calamity that struck the Palestinians in 1948 with the creation of the state of Israel and the forced eviction of thousands of Palestinians from their homes) was a major theme. Dr. Norma Masriyye gave a lecture entitled " 50 years after al-Nakba" on February 19, 1998 for the Graduates' Club. Also Dr. Rosemary Sayigh, an authority on Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, spoke on June 6, 1998 on this issue. The film, "In Search of Palestine" concentrated on al-Nakba as well. Other issues that were focused upon ranged from the role of American churches in US politics towards the Middle East to the tasks, achievements, and impediments of the Palestinian Legislative Council to dairy products to the art glass industry.
The different programs of the International Center of Bethlehem, including the Women's Studies program, the Graduates' Club, and the Art, Crafts and Music program organized these lectures.
Civil Education and Democratic Development Workshops
Together with the Civic Forum organization, six workshops focusing on civil education and democratic development were conducted during the period of January 1, 1998 to September 15, 1998. Eleven participants took part in these workshops, mainly from our Graduates' Club. These participants had the opportunity to practice what they learned from these six workshops when the Graduates' Club held its annual elections on September 4, 1998.
Town Meetings
During the year 1998, the Center has actively been working to promote the building of a civil society, in line with its mission statement. Through various means of communication, and by way of networking with various local institutions that work on similar issues, the Center was able to reach many people and communities.
Representing the ICB, Ms. Rana Khoury together with representatives of the Civic Forum and six other local institutions that work on democracy issues and sustainable development, held two town meetings where a large number of the local community was present. The first town meeting, held on June 6, 1998, focused on the health situation in the Bethlehem District, and whether the services that are provided are sufficient in terms of quality and quantity. Officials from the Ministry of Health and various health institutions were invited to address the issue.
The second town meeting, which took place on September 5, 1998, was about local elections. The Minister of the Palestinian Local Government, Dr. Sa'ib 'Urayqat, and the four elected members of the Palestinian Legislative Council from the Bethlehem district were present. They spoke about the need to hold elections at the municipalities and village councils, and the obstacles that are preventing such elections from taking place. The meeting had a sizable attendance of around 400 persons. A previous workshop had taken place at the International Center of Bethlehem, in which all institutions that organized these two town meetings were trained in how to conduct a town meeting.
Workshop on Christian-Muslim Relations in Palestine
The
International Center of Bethlehem, as part of a study that is being
conducted for the project "Christian Theological Education in Muslim
Societies", held a three-day workshop in Amman, Jordan on the theme of
Christian- Muslim relations in Palestine. The workshop took place between
July 31 and August 2, 1998, and was attended by twelve people as well as the
facilitators Dr. Mitri Raheb, Dr. Nuha Khoury, and Ms. Viola Raheb.
During the workshop, the socio-economic and political contexts in Palestine have been critically examined to assess their importance to the Christian-Muslim relations. Involved in the analysis were important factors such as identity, national ideology (Arab and Palestinian nationalism) and cultural factors. The validity and importance of examining Christian and Muslim relations through a contextual approach rather than a doctrinal one has been confirmed by the results of the study that will be published at a later date.
The Workshop included a visit to the city of Jarash, where the participants took part in an important annual cultural activity that takes place in Jordan during the summer, namely the Jarash festival. In addition to visiting the ancient Roman city, the participants were able to enjoy the singing of Elias Karam, which provided an added awareness of the importance of culture as a unifying force between the two religious communities and across the Middle East in general.
Teachers' Workshops
"Towards a new school-education in Palestine"
A workshop for teachers entitled "Towards a new school-education in
Palestine" was conducted by Professor Hans Buehler from Germany. Thirteen
teachers from all ELCJ-schools (10 women, 3 men) took part in this workshop,
which was coordinated by Mr. Yaqub Qumsiya, ELCJ Schools' Director and Ms.
Viola Raheb, ELCJ Schools' Director Assistant. A comprehensive analysis of
the difficulties in the existing school system, as identified by the
participants, revolved around the following themes: "student", "teacher",
"curriculum", "teaching methods", "school administration", "society" and
"others". As a result of the analysis undertaken, a wide variety of visions
for a new school-education in Palestine emerged and three working groups
were designated to work on the following issues: 1. administrative
measures 2. in-service training 3. open school and the
creative student.
The workshop participants decided to undertake concrete steps towards a new
school-education. As a first step, the participants will work on making the
learning environment in their schools more attractive for the students and
teachers.
"Awareness Building for Tourism"
A workshop under the title "Awareness building for tourism" was conducted by
Ms. Rana Khoury, Mr. G. Sayej, Ms. Viola Raheb, Mr. M. al Hurani, and
Professor Hans Buehler. Twelve teachers from all ELCJ-schools (7 women, 5
men) participated in this workshop. The workshop was conducted using the
methodologies of "contextualization" and Paul Freire's "education for
liberation". The issues that were focused upon during the workshop were:
a) "Tourism, culture, education and liberation" b) "the
Christian-Muslim Dialogue" c) "didactic criteria to constructing an
open curriculum: a historical and a systematic approach".
As a result of this workshop, a list of tourist sites in Palestine were
identified as possible locations for tourism awareness-building. A
four-dimensional model was also constructed as a basis for an open
curriculum for the "Nativity Church in Bethlehem".
Intercultural
Encounter
The Cologne International Women Conference
Three
young Palestinian women, under the leadership of our staff member Ms. Jihan
Nassar, represented the International Center of Bethlehem in a ten-day
seminar in Cologne, Germany from June 26 to July 5, 1998. The other
participants in the seminar were young women between the ages of 16 to 21,
who came from Hungary, Finland, England, Turkey, and Germany. The different
social and cultural backgrounds of the young participants presented an
important and interesting challenge for all who were present. The focus of
the seminar was on the following: 1. Presenting the participants'
countries to one another from a social, cultural, political and economic
perspective. A special emphasis at the seminar was placed on women's issues,
interests, and needs.
2. Visiting several social institutions and organizations in Cologne
that deal with women's issues and concerns. 3. Discussing personal
experiences and future hopes of the participants.
A discussion on the topic of "Women on the Internet", accompanied by a
presentation of German Women Internet Magazine, resulted in the decision to
create a similar magazine on the international level. How to implement this
idea will be discussed at the next meeting, which will take place in Turku,
Finland from August 6 to August 15, 1999.
The International Youth Exchange Conference in Cologne
A
group of six young Palestinians, under the leadership of Ms. Jihan Nassar,
participated in a twelve-day conference in Cologne, Germany from July 9 to
July 21, 1998. The conference participants were active young women and men
from Africa, England, Italy, Hungary, Israel, Finland, Yugoslavia,
Palestine, and Germany. The program included siteseeing tours, recreational
activities, as well as visitations to youth centers, social organizations,
and museums.
Graduates Visit to Germany
A
group of seven Palestinians from the Graduates Club of the International
Center, led by Ms. Rana Khoury, visited Germany during the period of July 20
to August 2, 1998. The group, which comprised of five women and two men,
were introduced to life in Germany through their homestays with German
families in Mengen and Rottenburg. The visit, which was sponsored by the
Evangelisches Jugendwerk Biberach, focused mainly on the German cultural
life and included visitations to cultural organizations, schools that teach
music and art, musical instruments' factory, recycling factory, and a cancer
hospital for children. The visit also included public lectures by our
graduates, who gave presentations on the situation of Palestinians in
general and the situation of the graduates and youth in Palestine in
particular.
Human Rights in the Palestinian Experience
On
the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights, a conference
focusing on the Palestinian experience was held in Lund, Sweden in November
4-8, 1998. Ms. Abeer Eweis represented the International Center of Bethlehem
at this conference, which was organized by the Diocese of Lund in
cooperation with the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The participants
in the conference were from Palestine and Sweden. Among the issues discussed
at the meeting were the Palestinian experience regarding human rights and
the consequences that the declaration of a Palestinian state on May 4th,
1999 might have on these rights. The conference participants included
theologians, human rights activists, and church leaders. A representative of
the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered a paper on the position of
Sweden regarding the Palestinian question and the establishment of a
Palestinian state. The conference also explored the relations between the
youth from the two countries and the possible ways of strengthening these
relations. As a next step, a gathering for the youth from Sweden, Palestine
and Norway will take place to further the relations between the Palestinian
and Scandinavian youth. The meeting will be held in Bethlehem from April 16
to April 22, 1999.
Authentic
Tourism
Authentic Tourism Coordinator
Our Staff member Mr. Daoud Nassar returned from Germany after receiving a degree in Tourism Management. Mr. Nassar finished a year of continuing education in the Tourism field from the University of Bielefeld. Mr. Nassar rejoined his colleagues in the Authentic Tourism program and is now working on developing new programs for groups visiting Palestine.
Intensive Course for Palestinian Guides
"It
is never too late to learn something new." This became the favorite slogan
of the Intensive Course for Palestinian Guides in its first year. This
attitude reflects the situation of a country whose tradition in guiding
pilgrims was interrupted for over 30 years and a country that is developing
new forms of education and communication. "We never had a chance to learn
this,"is a typical sentence that reflects the increased consciousness of the
students and their hunger for knowledge. Since the course introduced new
approaches to learning, new content and new techniques, the students had to
make many adjustments.
In 1995, the project proposal of the International Center stated the aims of
the Intensive Course: 1. To train Palestinian guides to provide tourists
coming to the Holy Land with a comprehensive picture of the entire country.
2. To empower Palestinians to become a voice for the voiceless, thus
creating among tourists and pilgrims an awareness and understanding for the
issues of peace and justice. 3. To introduce and promote the idea of a woman
guide into the Palestinian tourism sector, thus influencing Palestinian
society to become more gender-sensitive. 4. To economically empower women by
training and equipping them with necessary skills to enable them to find
jobs. 5. To introduce a new approach to guiding which is
socially-responsible by emphasizing three categories, namely: (a) visiting
the West Bank, especially sites that have been neglected so far, (b) giving
a face to the land through encounters with the "living stones" of the local
church and Palestinian society and (c) introducing visitors to the social
and cultural realities of life in Palestine. 6. To produce material for
future courses. We had to face few challenges in pursuing these aims. Most
of our students have had to work in addition to studying in order to provide
for their families. 50% of the students have no job or have temporary
employment, not a surprising fact, since the number mirrors the situation of
unemployment in the entire West Bank. We continue to look for scholarships
and funding to help students with these economic challenges.
Israeli permits are another obstacle. No permits have been issued by the
Israeli administration for guiding courses in the past. The safe-passage to
Gaza, which was agreed upon in the Oslo-accords, has not been implemented
yet and travel permits between Gaza and the West Bank are difficult to
obtain. Until now we had to work with the "19-hours-permit," which allowed
some students to enter Israel for limited amounts of time to visit sites and
participate in field-trips. In September and October of 1998, no permits
were issued at all. Some field-trips had to be delayed to the end of the
year.
In regards to content and methods of teaching, we tried to further enforce
the intensity of the course. We believe that a new Palestinian tour-guide
should be able to translate his or her culture to foreigners. Therefore,
critical thinking skills were developed in a workshop on women in
Palestinian society. The confines of society were explored and steps were
taken to portray Palestine in a realistic fashion.
One of the most challenging experiences of the year was the students' visit
to Jewish families in Jerusalem to experience Shabbat. Ten students took
part of this experience, which offered exposure to Jewish religious
practices. The International Center believes that it is crucial for tour
guides to develop a wider understanding of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
A great emphasis was put on field-trips and excursions. In this way, we
offered beyond doubt the best hands-on experience for the students. The
different backgrounds of guides and lecturers mirrored the various
approaches to presenting and seeing the Holy Land. This feature of the
course provided the greatest learning experience, combining all aspects
necessary for becoming an effective tour guide.
Individual and group research was another integral part of our work. For our
excursion to the Palestinian village of Teqoa, the biblical hometown of the
prophet Amos, we cooperated with the mayor, Suleyman Mufarreh. Here we could
explain to him some possible approaches to the historical heritage in the
village and the monastery of the Laura of St.Chariton in nearby Wadi
Kharetoun. Another example of group work is a project in Beit Jala, near
Bethlehem, where two students prepared visits to all Christian communities
and their churches, to the Iskendar Khoury-house and the monastery and
vineyard of Cremisan.
The International Center was part of several networks through the Intensive
Course. We informed the working-group for tourism-circuits about our
research. The working-group for guide education dealt with different
problems and future perspectives for Palestinian guides in the tourism
industry. The International Center presented two project-proposals,
"Discover Palestine", an introductory course for professionals and novices
in tourism and "Rediscover Palestine from Within", a refresher course for
licensed guides with an emphasis on new methods and sites in the West Bank.
The Center has also started, in cooperation with Dr.Manfried Wüst
(Goethe-Institute Ramallah), to evaluate candidates for a language-course
for tourism in German. Twelve candidates were selected to take part in this
language course. The Center also began negotiations with representatives of
the Ville de Romans-municipalities for a course in French.
The Intensive Course for Palestinian guides were also invited by the
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MOTA) together with Bethlehem Bible
College guide students, Bethlehem University's guide students, and the Arab
Tour Guides' Union to work out a core-curriculum for future Palestinian
Guides. This project will serve as a base to educate guides for the meantime
and to develop a unified curriculum in the future.
Still a lot of work remains. We need to continue negotiations with MOTA to
introduce a defined and quick licensing process for well educated guides. We
are working now on a new course for women guides for guests and visitors of
Bethlehem 2000 events. We are hopeful that this course will provide a
solution for the problem of lack of qualified tour guides to accompany the
Bethlehem 2000 projects.
After our initial experiences with the Intensive Course for Palestinian
Guides, we plan to make a few adjustments. Lecturers combined with workshops
will be increased and field-trips will be more intensively combined with
subjects of workshops. Dr. Ulrike Bechmann's workshop on the traditions and
symbols of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock is an example of such
blending of knowledge and practicum. We hope to acquire some excellent
teachers and lecturers who are committed to contributing to this method of
learning. Another important project is to develop the collected material
into a manual for education and use in the field, containing details of the
sites and connected narratives and facts for background information. With
this, we want to set a standard in the systems, methods, and content of our
training courses.
We would like to offer our thanks to the supporters of the Intensive Course
for Palestinian Guides: the World Day of Prayer-German Committee, The
Creative Ministries of Presbyterian Women-Thank Offering in the USA, and the
Evangelic Church of the Palatinate. We also would like to extend our
heartfelt thanks to the lecturers from Palestine, Great Britain, Sweden,
United States, Canada, Israel and Germany for their commitment and
contributions. A special thanks also to all the institutions in Palestine
and abroad which helped in numerous ways to make the course possible. In the
International Center many colleagues were directly involved; Dr.Nuha Khoury,
Viola Raheb, Dr. Mitri Raheb and Andreas F. Kuntz as lecturers; Rana Khoury,
Majed Ishaq and Andreas F. Kuntz as organizers with the support of Francesca
Sabella
Visiting Groups
The interests of the groups
who visited or stayed with us in 1998 were diverse. Mainly, our visitors
were interested in study tours that would give them a better understanding
of the daily life of Palestinians in Palestine, the political situation and
conflict, as well as Palestinian traditions. These tours included visiting
sites in the West Bank, having encounters with people, hearing lectures and
taking part in seminars. Many groups also cooperated with the ICB to design
their own tours, which focused on particular issues and interests, such as
education. Such groups are usually very interested in background information
and in studying the situation closely through seminars, lectures, as well as
meeting with different organizations and church congregations.
During the summer, the groups that visited us were mainly youth-exchange
groups. The program for these groups included siteseeing, intensive
encounters with Palestinian youth, as well as volunteer work.
This year we also had an increasing number of groups from church
congregations. More and more congregations traveling on "standard tours"
through Israel notice that there is something missing from their trip and
wish to add to the standard program an alternative program in the West Bank.
Many of the groups who have had a program organized by the International
Center of Bethlehem in 1998 scheduled one or more study days into their
itinerary. A number of groups that visited the International Center of
Bethlehem in 1998 focused their trip around seminars.
Finally, the International Center expanded its programs in 1998 to include
programs in the north of the West Bank, hikes in the surrounding Bethlehem
area as well as programs that leave room for spiritual and cultural
experiences.
Publications
Bethlehem 2000 - Past and Present
This account of Bethlehem
is the first of its kind. The book contains 120 impressive color photographs
with narration, depicting the diversity and charm of the town. Bethlehem's
history, culture, religion, and sites are presented in detail. In addition,
special attention is given to the inhabitants of Bethlehem: their everyday
life under Israeli occupation and changes since the beginning of Palestinian
self-government in 1995.
The book is available in both English and German. The English edition
includes a foreword written by President Yasser Arafat. The German edition
includes a foreword by President Yasser Arafat and the German politician
Hans-Juergen Wischnewski.
The authors of the book are Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb and Professor Fred
Strickert. The photographer is Mr. Garo Nalbandian.
Mitri Raheb, born 1962 in Bethlehem, received his doctorate in
theology from Germany. Today he is the pastor of the Lutheran Christmas
Church in Bethlehem and the General Director of the International Center of
Bethlehem.
Fred Strickert, born 1948, is professor of Religion at Wartburg
College, Waverly (Iowa / USA). He specializes in New Testament studies,
biblical archaeology and Palestinian Christian issues.
Garo Nalbandian, born 1943 in Jerusalem, is currently one of the most
famous Palestinian Photographers. He lives in East Jerusalem.
Dar al-Kalima
(go
to Dar al-Kalima main page)
DAR AL-KALIMA ACADEMY, BETHLEHEM 2000
Background
The 2000 year anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem will be celebrated in various ways between Christmas 1999 and Easter 2001. Therefore, The Palestinian Authority (PA) and the UNESCO have set up an Emergency Action Plan for the Bethlehem Area with about a hundred projects amounting close to USD 150 million. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (MFA) joined the Bethlehem 2000 Program by financing the construction of an extension to the Palestine Academy for Interreligious and Intercultural Studies, the Dar al-Kalima Academy (DAK).
The Academy, which already exists, will work on two sites, (a) Center for Music and Art, located in the downtown area of Bethlehem, and (b) School for Intercultural Studies, located outside the old city on the Mureir Mountain. The new extension will provide the Center with a multi-purpose hall for conferences, concerts, exhibitions and similar functions, as well as a cafeteria-restaurant, both with the necessary auxiliary services.
The main goals of Dar al-Kalima are:
* Creating a forum where encounters between people from different backgrounds and religious faiths can take place. The Academy will be a forum for a dialogue that will enhance the peace process and foster humanity's search for justice and peace.
* Encouraging active communication between Palestine and the rest of the world.
* Helping to shape the Palestinian cultural identity through the development of disciplines such as music and art.
* Encouraging the establishment of a network between educators, musicians and artists from around the world.
* Restoring to Palestine the place it occupied earlier on the map of theological thought. The Academy will contribute to the revival of old and the development of new theological traditions in the South in general, and in the West-Asian countries in particular, using a contextual and cross-cultural approach.
Center for Music and Art - Madbaseh Square Site
The first site for The Dar al-Kalima is a compound composed of buildings of different ages and types. The compound is located at Madbaseh Square, between Paul VI and Najajreh Streets. On the compound there is a Lutheran church, built by Germans in late last century, as well as offices, meeting rooms and a youth cellar, all recently renovated. A primary school and a kindergarten, in a partially renovated old building at Paul VI Street are part of the compound. Moreover, a guesthouse for some 20-25 persons and staff housing is situated in the middle between the church and the school yard. At both narrow ends of the plot there are commercial spaces and except for the school yard, the space is full with complicated 2-3 level structures with many staircases and corridors. Buildings are generally in good shape and well kept.
The new extension will occupy most of the school yard, leaving only a small patio and compulsory narrow zones between the neighbors. Building requires that the school and the kindergarten to be moved elsewhere. Plans for this are well ahead and financing is being provided by German sources.
The Church of Sweden will finance the rehabilitation of a part of DAK o1d buildings for workshops through SIDA's NGO-funds.
Project Preparation
The MFA, through the Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Department for International Development Co-operation, identified the project during the summer and autumn of 1997. A project identification mission sent by the MFA to visit Jerusalem and Bethlehem, with Dr. Juhani Forsberg of the Church Office for International Relations and Veikko Vasko- Architect SAFA as consultants, made a more detailed appraisal in October-November 1997. Consequently, MFA decided on 20 April 1998, in connection with a visit to Finland of the General Director of DAK, Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, to finance the project, excluding loose furniture and equipment, with an overall budget of FIM 5 million. Also, it was decided that an invited architectural competition would be organized.
Architectural Competition
The competition was organized as an invited architectural competition
following the rules of the Finnish Association of Architects (SAFA). The
purpose of the competition was to find an architecturally outstanding
solution for a small extension consisting of a multi-purpose hall,
restaurant and kitchen with the necessary foyers and auxiliary services.
Also, the competition aimed at finding a suitable Finnish architectural
office to carry out the building design and supervision, in collaboration
with a Palestinian architectural and engineering office from Bethlehem.
Facilities
New Construction Area
I- Performance Hall
1) A multi-purpose hall with a minimum seating capacity of 300 persons, with an elevated stage
2) Backstage and side stage spaces
3) 2 changing rooms and 2 toilets for the performers
4) 2 rooms for simultaneous interpretation for 1+2 languages
5) Control room for audio-visual facilities, including cinema
6) Storage room(s) for e.g. chairs and tables
7) Foyer
8) Toilets
The Performance Hall will be suitable for folklore dancing, musical performances, theater plays, film presentations, panel discussions and lectures.
II- Restaurant
1) Restaurant with a seating capacity of 100 persons, with a possibility of extending it to a seasonal outdoor dining area.
2) Kitchen
3) Cool storage room for food and beverages
4) Dry storage room
5) Storage room for other purposes
6) Staff dressing, washrooms and toilets
7) Garbage disposal facilities
8) 2 toilets for clients
III- Reception Area
1) Entrance hall with reception serving the whole compound
2) Lobby spaces as appropriate
3) Staircases and a lift, as appropriate
4) Toilets
IV- Bar
1) Bar with a capacity of 20 persons with a possibility of extending it to include a seasonal outdoor cafe, the capacity of which is 80 persons.
2) Service kitchenette with washing and a storeroom
3) Storage for outdoor furniture
4) Toilets
Renovation Area
I- Ground Floor
1) Art gallery
2) 8 workshops for artists
II- First Floor
1) 8 administrative offices
2) 2 staff meeting rooms
3) Kitchenette
4) Toilets
5) Storeroom and cleaning closets as appropriate
The winning design was by the architectural firm Vilhelm Helander, Juha Leiviska, Arkkitehdit SAFA, from Helsinki, Finland. The construction work is scheduled to begin by April 1, 1999 so as to be able to finish the project in time for the Bethlehem 2000 celebrations.
Summer School 1998
The
1998 summer school, which was five weeks long, continued a tradition that
started in the 1960s. One hundred and twenty children from the Bethlehem
District
participated in this summer school, which was held under the theme Our
Palestinian Heritage. The summer school offered children between the
ages of three to twelve a number of recreational and educational activities
that were designed to strengthen the ties that these children have to their
culture. These activities were led by a team of Palestinian teachers and a
volunteer from Germany. The main activities that the children participated
in included music, dabke dancing, sports, and fine arts. At the end of the
summer school, the children and teachers organized a festival, where the
children performed several dances and songs. Moreover, the children
exhibited the different art works that they produced with the help of a
local Bethlehemite artist. Other highlights included sports competitions and
weekly field trips to different parts of Palestine.
Upcoming
Projects
A Study on Interfaith Marriage
Dr. Ibrahim Ata has conducted a study on interreligious marriages in
Palestine and their effect on children. The findings of Dr. Ata, which are
based on interviews with 150 married couples from all over the West Bank,
will be published during the year 1999.
Internet Club Bethlehem (go to ICB Home Page)
The ICB, in association with the Department of Design at the University of Applied Science in Cologne, will establish an Internet Club in the fall of 1999. The main objective of this project is to promote the cultural identity of the people of Bethlehem through setting an on-line center for cultural exchange.
To begin with, the Internet Club will facilitate virtual student-exchange and on-line lessons, on an exchange basis, with different partner schools world-wide. The Internet Club will also offer women the opportunity to carry out research, work together and learn from other cultures by preparing presentations about their own cultural background to others.
People active in the political and the cultural fields will also be trained to use the internet. This training will help them to carry out their work more effectively and efficiently. Moreover, the inhabitants of Bethlehem, tourists and visitors of the ICB will be able to use the internet to access the world-wide web.
Due to economic and political restrictions, many people in Bethlehem rarely get to travel. The Internet Club is one way of overcoming these restrictions, since it will allow its users the advantage of establishing contacts with people from other parts of the world as well as exchange with them information on their different cultural backgrounds.
Also, since the media
in Bethlehem is still restricted, access to the internet will provide
alternative sources of information. Finally, the Club will improve the
access to the internet for many people and will promote wider use.
Designed
by
Jihan Nassar
Communication Specialisst
The International Center of Bethlehem