Haifa - The Arab Culture Association celebrated last Friday, 14.07.2023, the twenty-fifth anniversary of its establishment with a performance of 'Note in the Sea' under the slogan 'We Nurture Hope'. The 'Krieger' hall in Haifa witnessed the attendance of hundreds from various segments of the Palestinian society and its leadership. The celebration included several speeches and a live musical performance. The Association marked its silver jubilee and accumulation of achievements by announcing a series of training, courses, and volunteer days, which will continue until the end of the year. These events aim to empower an active community in the Palestinian cultural scene inside, with workshops reflecting the Association's aspirations, vision, and belief in the necessity of forming a culturally independent and productive society in culture, literature, and critical voice proud of its identity.

The Association hosted the artist and musician Habib Shehadeh Hanna during the 'Note in the Sea' performance, which was specially produced for the celebration evening, and featured a group of artists and performers in the local and Arab cultural and artistic sector, including Shadi Dakwar, Rana Idris, Rana Khoury, Mira Azzar, the Galilee Choir, and the Doban Professional Dance Troupe.

The proceeds from the tickets sold for the evening were dedicated to supporting the scholarship program and the recently established 'Simak' fund, aimed at providing as many scholarships as possible for Palestinian students within the Green Line. The scholarship covers about 80% of the university tuition fees and is spread over three years, during which academic and moral support is provided to the student, in addition to an educational program aimed at developing a proactive and giving generation. The creation of the fund is the fruit of persistent work and accumulations of previous and current grants that enabled the Association to graduate more than 1200 Palestinian students who studied in academic institutions on both sides of the Green Line.

The evening was opened by the media coordinator of the Arab Culture Association, Mariam Farah, who spoke about the Association's goals and future programs. This was followed by the chairman of the administrative board, writer Antoine Shalhat, who dedicated his speech to recalling the circumstances of the Association's establishment, confirming that it emerged from a necessity in a complex political reality caused by several changes at the end of the 1990s. He also touched on the Association's policies and the importance of its vision and continuous efforts to maintain its cultural independence in the face of pressures exerted on the Palestinian cultural scene.

Shalhat also referred to two important achievements of the Association: the establishment of the 'Simak' fund, which aims to dedicate the Association's scholarship beyond the economic aspect, and the renovation of the Arab Cultural Center in Haifa, which will serve as a cultural incubator for our Palestinian society here, with culture being one of its strategic pillars to preserve its national identity, civilizational belonging, and universal values. Shalhat concluded: "The Arab Culture Association was not born out of the wall, nor from the finger of Jupiter, but in specific circumstances and a unique historical context. This requires us to recall the past in the second half of the 1990s when a group of intellectuals led by the thinker and political leader Azmi Bishara pondered the best ways to resist Israelization at a time when it became more dangerous than ever under the impact of the Oslo Accords. I am not exaggerating when I say that when history sums up that pivotal period, it will record that this establishment, along with Bishara's intellectual writings characterized by precise diagnosis and far-sighted anticipation, were among the first warning signs of the danger of this path, and the first pillars of preserving our Palestinian identity here from the distortion that almost became a coercive process. Based on this, we see it as our duty in this celebration to honor the founding generation and to highly appreciate what they have undertaken, and to send them our warm greetings wherever they are."

A film titled 'Jubilee' was shown, specially produced for the celebration, covering the 25-year journey of the Association's achievements and projects, and examining the impact it has left on the Palestinian society in the interior, and the Palestinian identity in general. The film's screenplay was written by the Association's former general manager, writer Eyad Barghouti, and directed and produced by artist Alfred Haddad.

The current general manager of the Arab Culture Association, Mr. Mustafa Rinawi, also spoke, emphasizing the persistent work the Association is doing under the political conditions faced by Palestinians in the interior, who are subjected to Israeli policies restricting the discourse necessary to preserve the national identity.

Rinawi mentioned that celebrating this occasion is not easy, as the Association strives day and night to create a clear impact on the cultural scene without conditions imposed by successive Israeli governments. He added: "Celebrating is a gift and gratitude for the work of the founders, with whom I met during my exposure to civic and national work, and who represented for me like family members who contributed to leading a community message and vision, especially the Association's previous director, the late Dr. Rawda Bishara Atallah." The general manager concluded his speech by saying: "Next month, we look forward to the beginning of the renovation works of the Arab Cultural Center in Haifa in the coming weeks, after overcoming many obstacles that faced the project over the past decade, making this year the start of implementing a central national project through a team of professional specialists and a supportive and volunteering group from the Association's administration and friends."

The coordinator of the Community Support Fund in the Association, represented by the 'Simak' fund, Ms. Lubna Toma, concluded the celebratory speeches. She spoke about her personal experience in the Association, saying: "I returned to the Association after four years as the coordinator of the Rawda Bishara Atallah scholarship to create the model we have always dreamed of establishing along with my former and current colleagues in the Arab Culture Association, which is the 'Simak' fund - a model of community solidarity, worked on by dozens of students and specialists from various fields. We worked together to make it successful and bring it to light after a strenuous effort because our Arab students at Israeli universities need an institution to take care of their affairs and their particularities, they need our support and we must continue to expand the beneficiary base." Toma invited the attendees and our people to donate to the fund and support the students in all possible ways.

It is worth noting that the evening coincided with an ongoing media campaign for the coming days, aiming to open the archive and bring it to light, share it with the public, learn from it, and contribute to the development of the cultural scene under the oppressive conditions suffered by Palestinians in the interior. In this regard, the Association's director Mustafa Rinawi stated: "When we looked at thousands of papers, photos, and memories, we found a national enlightening treasure, deserving of pride, celebration, and sharing with thousands of people who contributed to this cumulative journey, from the founders and first teams, volunteers, subsequent teams and administrations, to this day."