Palestinian culture, creativity and lived experience will take centre stage in Dublin this September as Palestinian Cultural Days returns for its second edition, bringing three days of art, music, literature, film, food, workshops and conversation to the city.
Taking place from 25–27 September, this year’s festival is centred around the theme “Min El Mai Lal Mai”, translated as “From Water to Water” or “From the River to the Sea”. Across a programme of cultural and educational events, the festival will explore ideas of geography, identity, memory, belonging, displacement and resilience, while creating space for Palestinian artists, writers, musicians and speakers to share their work and experiences.
The festival opens at The Digital Hub on Friday 25 September from 5pm, with an exhibition inspired by the festival theme alongside Palestinian food from Yaffa Cafe, live screen printing by Dublin Print Collective and music featuring singer Leen Marrouf and qanun player Aziz Abushark. The opening evening will also include poetry from Alaa Al Qaisi and a selection of animated films from Palestine.
Saturday’s programme shifts towards discussion and learning, with a series of talks examining different aspects of Palestinian life and experience. Dr Selma Dabbagh will discuss Out of It, moderated by Dr Rita Sakr, followed by Dr Ahmed Mokhallalati, former Head of the Plastic Surgery Department at Al Shifa Hospital, presenting Healing Under Fire: When Medicine Becomes the Target.
Later in the afternoon, Dr Eman Abboud will explore Palestine’s divided geography and the realities created by separation and restricted movement in Fractured Geographies: Palestine’s Divided Realities.
The day will finish with a dabkeh workshop at 7pm. Places are limited and must be reserved in advance.
Sunday brings another opportunity to explore Palestinian cultural traditions with a tatreez workshop at 1pm. The traditional Palestinian embroidery form is an important part of the country’s cultural heritage, with patterns and techniques passed through generations.
The festival will then move to The Sugar Club for its headline event, with Palestinian rapper and musician Tamer Nafar performing on Sunday evening.
A founding member of Palestinian hip-hop group DAM, Nafar has become one of the most recognisable voices in Palestinian hip-hop, combining music with commentary on identity, politics and life as a Palestinian. His Dublin appearance promises to provide a fitting musical finale to a weekend focused on Palestinian culture and contemporary expression.
Doors for the Tamer Nafar show open at 5pm, with the performance beginning at 6pm.
For anyone interested in experiencing the full festival, a ticket option is available covering the three-day programme and Tamer Nafar’s headline performance. There is also a separate ticket option for the three-day festival that does not include the Sugar Club show. Some workshops require advance RSVP due to limited capacity.
With its combination of visual art, food, music, literature, education and traditional craft, Palestinian Cultural Days offers Dublin audiences an opportunity to engage with Palestinian culture through a programme that goes well beyond a single weekend of performances.
The second edition of the festival takes place across The Digital Hub from 25–27 September, before concluding at The Sugar Club on Sunday evening.
Further programme details are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Tickets for Tamer Nafar’s headline performance are available now: www.eventbrite.ie/e/in-the-name-of-the-father-imam-john-lennon-an-evening-with-tamer-nafar-tickets-1994606835739
