Kunstenfestivaldesarts responds to ASHTAR Theatre's urgent call to publicly read or perform The Gaza Monologues on 29 November 2023, International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

The Gaza Monologues by ASHTAR Theatre consists of 31 monologues by children and young people recounting what happened to them during the war in Gaza in 2008 and 2009. Tragically, these monologues are still relevant today. They highlight the horrors, hope and resilience of the Palestinian people and elevate the voices of children in Gaza.

ASHTAR Theatre, due to the horrific war taking place in Gaza, launched an urgent call to all citizens and theater makers around the world to publicly read or perform The Gaza Monologues on November 29th, 2023; The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

Together with Erasmushogeschool Brussel, Het TheaterFestival and Gouvernement, Kunstenfestivaldesarts is answering the call by publishing a video series including 8 of the monologues, performed by Aya Sabi, Ele & Minne Huysmans, Dounia Mahammed, Nata Mandaria, Nora Eissa & Veerle Bryon, Insaf El M'Rabet, Rashif El Kaoui and Yousra Benfquih.

An overview of all readings can be found at state-of-the-arts.net.

As an international arts festival, our role is to give the word to artists, and see the present world from a plurality of geographical locations and perspectives. The horrific evolutions of the past two months are exceptional for the scale they are taking, while being at the same time the culmination of decades-long policy of dispossession that we firmly condemn. While deploring deliberate attacks on innocent civilians, we join the call for a permanent extension of the current ceasefire, as a first step for the future of the region.

A population should never be reduced to a political organisation; a faith should never be reduced to a political body; artists should never be reduced to their country, origins or religious beliefs. While calling for actions to our authorities, we call for cultural institutions to keep on defending our space, as one where criticism and dissonant voices will find their place.

More info about the Gaza Monologues
Solidariteits Manifestation Solidarité & Club Caddy: Everyday from 17:30 to 18.30 at the Central Station in Brussels