Said Abu Shakra with members of Umm el-Fahem Gallery
Said Abu Shakra renews his commitment to arts and culture as a platform for dialogue inside and outside Israel
Hamas’s invasion of Israel, with all the pain and sadness it brought to all of us, is a harsh reminder of the violent and difficult cycles that existed for about twenty years before that.
In fact, this conflict refuses to end and continues to bring with it feelings of sadness, hatred and revenge. Unfortunately, the citizens are the main victims of this ongoing conflict.
The Umm el-Fahem Art Gallery, which was established in 1966, was born into this conflict. That’s why we engraved on our flag the most important goal of all, to work and toil hard, day in and day out, to create connections between Arabs and Jews and also between different religions and cultures in Israel.
There were many cases before when we reached a state of depression and hopelessness because the dream of creating a meeting point always crashed before our eyes, but we never forgot the main task and our total commitment to work for it.
Even this time, when the victims, on both sides, are still looking for a burial, we still believe in the true role and mission for which we will continue to act in the future.
The gallery went on a forced vacation due to the security situation, but as soon as we return, we will begin to step forward, together Jews and Arabs to continue to restore what was destroyed by this damned war, and we will continue to work for the continuation of a respectful and equal cultural encounter between the Palestinian people and the Jewish people here and everywhere.
We have proven in the past that culture and art is a platform for real dialogue within the State of Israel and outside of it and it always allows contact, dialogue and dialogue with empathy, respect and appreciation.
We will continue to pray until this difficult round of violence ends and brings us all around one big discussion table.
We will not allow fear and anxiety to continue to take over our lives.
Said Abu Shakra is the founder and director of Umm el-Fahem Gallery, Umm el-Fahem, Israel. Visit Umm El-Fahem Gallery and follow @ummelfahemartgallery
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