International Solidarity w/ Palestine - Celebration of 3 Murals and Our Communities

On Sunday, October 14th our communities celebrated three new murals by Art Forces, AROC (Arab Resource Organizing Center), and CAMP’s international exchange/residency with Yogyakarta Indonesia Bangkit/Arise on Clarion Alley:

**1. The Will to Live – Arab Liberation Mural**

The Will To Live celebrates tenacious Bay Area organizing against oppression. The mural features the portraits of five courageous Arab leaders who spent their lives speaking truth to power: Rasmea Odeh, Mehdi Ben Barka, Naji Daifullah, Leila Khaled, Basel Al Araj and Yasser Murtaja. Organized by Art Forces, Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC), Arab Youth Organizing (AYO!) with Clarion Alley Mural Project (CAMP), Priya Handa, Chris Ghazala, Nidal El Khairy, Margaret Marie, Fred Alvarado.

“The Will To Live” a collaboration between Art Forces and AROC

**2. Bangkit Palestina! (Arise Palestine!)**

As part of Bangkit/Arise, an international arts exchange and residency between artists from the San Francisco/Bay Area and Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The participating Indonesian artists and two of the SF/Bay Area artists completed a memorial mural in honor of the 166 (to date) Palestinians killed by the State of Israel since The Great March of Return protests began on March 30, 2018 in the Gaza Strip. Bangkit/Arise stands in solidarity with Palestinians for peace, justice, and the right of return and claim to their land.

“Bangkit Palestina!” by Nano Warsono, Bambang Toko, Ucup, Wedhar Riyadi, Vina Puspita, and Harind Arvati as part of the international exchange/residency “Bangkit/Arise” and in collaboration with AROC

3. End Apartheid B.D.S.

Bangkit/Arise artist and CAMP co-director Megan Wilson replaced her recent mural on Clarion Alley with one also in solidarity with this effort as part of Bangkit/Arise – entitled: End Apartheid B.D.S.

The event was a beautiful expression of our communities coming together to celebrate and share our creativity, victories, and words of power in support of our work for justice and peace throughout the world.

The event was emceed by Sharif Zakout of AROC (Arab Resource Organizing Center) and Nadya Tannous from PYM (Palestinian Youth Movement). Spoken word performances were given by: Genny Lim, and Sharif Zakout. Speakers included: Lara Kiswani, Executive Director of AROC; Dr. Rabab Abdulhadi, professor of Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas/Race and Resistance Studies, College of Ethnic Studies, San Francisco State University; Chris Gazaleh, artist, and Zeiad Abbas Shamrouch, Executive Director Middle East Children’s Alliance. In addition, Al Juthoor of the Arab Shatat performed the traditional dance, dabke, representing the indigenous of Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and portions of Jordan and Iraq.

Al Juthoor of the Arab Shatat performing the traditional dance, dabke, representing the indigenous of Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and portions of Jordan and Iraq.

: Nadya Tannous and Sharif Zakout

: Nadya Tannous and Sharif Zakout

: Community support

: Nadya introduces Sharif Zakout for his spoken word performance

: Sharif Zakout, spoken word performance

: Sharif Zakout, spoken word performance

: Sharif introduces poet Genny Lim

: Genny Lim reading

: Honoring “The Will To Live” mural

: Sharif introducing Dr. Rabab Abdulhadi

: Dr. Rabab Abdulhadi speaking

: Dr. Rabab Abdulhadi speaking

: Dr. Rabab Abdulhadi speaking

: Dr. Rabab Abdulhadi speaking

: Sharif with flags of Palestine and Indonesia

: Nadya Tannous introducing poet Voulette Mansour Hattar

: Flowers from the “End Apartheid B.D.S. mural spilling onto the ground

: Executive Director of AROC, Lara Kiswani speaking

: Lara Kiswani speaking

: Lara Kiswani speaking

: Lara Kiswani speaking

: Lara Kiswani introducing the Indonesian artists of “Bangkit Arise”

: “Bangkit/Arise” Indonesia represents!

: Lara Kiswani introducing Nano Warsono and Christopher Statton from “Bangkit/Arise” and CAMP

: Christopher Statton speaking on behalf of “Bangkit/Arise” and CAMP

: Nano Warsono speaking on behalf of “Bangkit/Arise” Indonesia

: Bangkit Palestina! (Arise Palestine!)

: Artist Chris Galazeh speaking

: Zeiad Abbas Shamrouch thanking Dr. Susan Greene for the significant contributions she has made through her work in support of Palestine

: Dr. Susan Greene

: Al Juthoor of the Arab Shatat performing the traditional dance, dabke, representing the indigenous of Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and portions of Jordan and Iraq