The Square: Learning in the Common Place
Contributors: Nida’ Alhmouz, Ayat Alturshan
“This first meeting in the Women’s Center was a surprise for everyone; it was above and beyond our expectations. Our initial fears concerned how using the square would be perceived by those attending the event. We expected most people to reject the idea but, on the contrary, it turned out that many voices were strongly with us. It seemed that no one could bear being inside closed spaces any longer; we were all longing for some fresh air.”
02 | The Square (PDF)
The initiatives included in these booklets are the result of a collective effort made by the Campus in Camps participants in dialogue with community members, associations and collaborators. They have been inspired through dialogue with Sandi Hilal, Munir Fasheh, Alessandro Petti and activated with Tamara Abu Laban, BraveNewAlps, Ayman Khalifah, Matteo Guidi, Sara Pellegrini, Giuliana Racco, Diego Segatto, Dena Qaddumi.
Related reading
→ABU ATA, ARCHITECT: A PLAY IN FOUR ACTS
by Sandi Hilal
from “Architecture is All Over”
ed. Marrikka Trotter and Esther Choi
(forthcoming)
Related Activities
→December 19, 2012- Maftoul Day
For the first time in the history of Fawwar, a public event –held on December 19, 2012– brought women together in an attempt to share a moment of leisure and culture: cooking and preparing maftoul, followed by a discussion of these activities through a simple English language lesson. Due to the outdoor context and the participatory aspect, these activities took on powerful and conflictual new meanings, as described in the Collective Dictionary entitled Participation.
Watch this Video
→May 22, 2013- Connecting Camps
Bisan, Ayat and Nidà invited a group of women from Arroub refugee camp to visit the square recently built in Fawaar. During the collective breakfast organized by the women of Fawaar, the two groups discussed the roles and experiences of woman in public spaces within the camps. They shared their initial worries of “being seen” in these spaces and recognized how all the activities organized thus far have allowed them to use these spaces. New events and exchanges have been planned, among which a woman’s marathon in Arroub.
Watch this Video
→July 18, 2013- Let’s Make it Green
By planting trees in the square of Fawaar refugee camp, Nidà and Ayat aimed at making the space more shaded and green, preparing it to provide the local environment with healthy food. Organized in coordination with the Palestinian Agriculture Relief and Beit Jala Olive Press Cooperative, the planting mainly involved children from the camp itself. Each child wrote his/her name on one plant so that he/she may continue taking care of it.
Watch this Video
→ February 17, 2014- Fawwar Popular Committee
The participants of cic and especially the women participants decided to work on the issue of women appearance in the open spaces there for the first official meeting for them was with new director of the popular committee in Fawwar Afif Ghatasheh .He was very happy and surprised of the energy of the group. Mr. Ghatasheh suggested to cooperate with the women group as a public committee and to establish an office of Campus in camps in Fawwar camp.
Related in Press
→ Al-Ayam Newspaper, May 10, 2013
Feminist initiative: to activate the role of women in community participation and public places [Arabic]
