Cultural Arts Program
Creativity as a Form of Resistance
Housed in Seraj’s library in the historic heart of Birzeit, the Cultural Arts Program embodies creativity as a powerful form of resistance. Located in a 200-year-old courtyard with six rooms—including spaces for children’s and adults’ libraries, an activity room, technology room, cafeteria, game room, and stage—this center provides a haven for self-expression and connection. In a world where creative voices are often silenced, Seraj’s program empowers Palestinians to process trauma, reclaim their stories, and strengthen their communities. Here, art, music, and theater become acts of defiance, tools to resist erasure and celebrate resilience.
Key activities of the program include:
Autumn Nights Cultural Arts Festival: This festival shines a spotlight on gifted yet often overlooked local artists, giving them a platform to share their work and highlight the richness of Palestinian culture. By celebrating these talents, the festival allows the community to discover and appreciate artists who contribute to the vibrant tapestry of Palestinian art.
Summertime Fun Activities: Designed to bring joy and togetherness, these activities include community events like bingo and open mic nights. They offer a lively space for people of all ages to engage, share talents, and build friendships, strengthening social bonds through laughter and shared moments.
Carols of Light Christmas Festival: This unique celebration brings people of all faiths together to sing seasonal Christmas songs, fostering a sense of unity that transcends religious boundaries. Children and adults join in an evening of warmth and shared humanity, underscoring the power of cultural traditions to bridge differences.
Old is Gold Senior Citizen Activities: Honoring the wisdom of elders, this initiative invites senior citizens to participate in special activities that celebrate their experiences and insights. By sharing their stories, they connect younger generations to Palestinian heritage, underscoring that every generation has a role in cultural resilience.
Palestine Nights: These evenings commemorate pivotal moments in Palestinian history, featuring songs from the first intifada and reflections on events like the Nakba. Through music and storytelling, participants honor the past and reaffirm their cultural identity, grounding themselves in collective memory and resilience.
Seraj’s Cultural Arts Program affirms that creativity can endure even in times of hardship, providing a pathway to hope, healing, and empowerment. Through these diverse programs, Palestinians find strength in the arts, building a future rooted in resilience and shared expression.
More about the cultural center in Birzeit:
Autumn Nights Festival
Strings Dialogue: In the first performance of this musical group, the stringed instruments contrabass, oud, and buzuq come together in addition to singing. Through this performance, the musicians explore the possibilities of overlapping sounds in a performance that combines, playing and improvisation.Clarinet Play: Based on true stories with the actor’s childhood memories of the Beirut War in 1982 Story and acting - Fadi Al-Ghoul Directed by - Akram Al-Maliki Production - Safar Theater.
