MONDAY 21 Nov @ 7.30pm
Hornbeam Centre, 458 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, E17 9AH
We are incredibly privileged to have two fantastic guest speakers joining us to focus on Jerusalem - Al-Quds al-Sharif, the capital of Palestine
ARTHUR NESLEN
Acclaimed author of Occupied Minds: A Journey Through the Israeli Psyche and columnist for the Guardian, Aljazeera, Haaretz and others, Art is flying in especially to revisit his local London borough roots and speak exclusively to WFPSC about his latest book of compelling interviews with Palestinians — In Your Eyes A Sandstorm: Ways of Being Palestinian — http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520264274
As the publisher says: "Neslen reaches beyond journalistic clichés to let a wide variety of Palestinians answer the question for themselves. Beginning in the present with Bisan and Abud, two traumatized children from Jenin's refugee camp, the book's narrative arcs backwards through the generations to come full circle with two elderly refugees from villages that the children were named after. Along the way, Neslen recounts a history of land, resistance, exile and trauma that begins to explain Abud's wish to become a martyr and Bisan's dream of a Palestine empty of Jews. Senior Fatah and Hamas figures relate key events of the Palestinian experience — the Second Intifada, Oslo Process, First Intifada, Thawra, 1967 War, the Naqba, and the Great Arab Revolt of 1936 — in their own words. The extraordinary voices of women, children, farmers, fighters, drug dealers, policeman, doctors, and others, spanning the political divide from Salafi Jihadists to Israeli soldiers, bring the Palestinian story to life even as their words sow seeds of hope in the scorched Palestinian earth."
“In this wonderful collection, one can hear the Palestinians speaking for themselves and not through others who may distort or dim their messages. Very few collections have brought home to us so vividly and authentically what it means to be a Palestinian today.” — Ilan Pappe, author of The Rise and Fall of a Palestinian Dynasty
"This highly original work is an important contribution to Palestine literature, especially in the way that personal narrative interacts with and enriches collective-national and public memory." — Nur Masalha, author of Expulsion of the Palestinians: The Concept of "Transfer" in Zionist Political Thought
ANDY SIMONS
Indefatigable local human rights activist and fine jazz musician, Andy curates jazz recording collections and writes extensively for many leading journals and specialist publications, as well as writing his own book Black British Swing. He will be presenting his personal experiences of and reflections on the West Bank, following his visit there in the summer.
Please bring family, friends and colleagues to support this exclusive event.
Free entry. Donations for halal/kosher refreshments, Palestinian Zaytoun produce and PSC merchandise. Wheelchair access. ALL WELCOME!
