A meeting to discuss the participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities in the performing arts sector.
On Tuesday, June 4, 2024, the Al-Hara Theater, in collaboration with QADER for Community Development and Dar Al-Kalima University, organized a meeting to discuss a research paper titled "Participation and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the Performing Arts Sector: Between Reality and Aspiration" at Dar Al-Kalima University in Bethlehem.
This study is part of the Disability Program, which has been one of the programs implemented by the Al-Hara Theater for years. The study was carried out under the "Disability Under Siege" project, aiming to highlight the importance of honing the artistic talents of persons with disabilities and including them in various performing arts.
The meeting began with a moment of silence to honor the souls of the martyrs, followed by the Palestinian national anthem. Then, Ms. Marina Barham, the General Manager of Al-Hara Theater, welcomed the attendees and provided an overview of the program to integrate persons with disabilities into theater since its inception. She highlighted the important activities and artistic productions the theater has produced, which include artists with disabilities.
Ms. Shorouk Al-Afandi, the Protection and Advocacy Program Officer at QADER, presented the paper prepared by QADER, focusing on the importance of the participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities in the performing arts sector. The study targeted a group of performing arts institutions within the Palestinian Performing Arts Network, resulting in a set of recommendations aimed at highlighting the key gaps and barriers preventing the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in the performing arts field.
The discussion then opened to the attendees, and the conversation focused on the importance of integrating persons with disabilities into the various artistic sectors in Palestine. The meeting concluded with a performance by artist Sherihan Al-Hadhwa titled "No Shiri," in which she addressed the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in Palestine, followed by an artistic contribution by artist Yara Al-Qawarriq, who performed the song "Mawtini" and shared her life experience with visual impairment and her success story in professional singing.
