‘Young Palestinians connect to their heritage through embroidery’

AMMAN –– Young Palestinians are becoming more interested in their heritage, and are joining their mothers in embroidery work, an official at the Palestinian Cultural Centre said on Saturday. 

A number of girls have joined their mothers working in embroidery in Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan, according to Siham Abu Ghazaleh, the head of the heritage committee and exhibitions at the centre. 

“They do that because they want to depend on themselves for their pocket money and they want to strengthen their bond with their ancestral heritage,” she told The Jordan Times in an interview at the opening of the Palestinian Cultural Exhibition in Amman.

The three-day exhibition, organised by the Palestinian Cultural Centre in cooperation with the Palestinian embassy, opened on Saturday, displaying artwork including a large collection of traditional cross-stitch embroidery, posters and books about Palestine in English and Arabic.

The exhibition’s theme is “For you, Palestine”, Abu Ghazaleh said, adding that “every one of us has to unite to protect the cities of Palestine”. 

The highlight of this year’s exhibition, held at the Jordan Construction Contractors Association in Abdoun, is the new collection of books on offer, most of which were published this year.

The embroidery work featured has developed with modern life, Abu Ghazaleh noted, adding that new posters are also on display at the exhibition, showing the latest events related to Palestine, such as “the boycott issue in Spain on September 15, where 50 Spanish cities decided to boycott Zionist products”. 

“We hope that our people in the Arab world follow in their footsteps,” she added.

“We also talked about the boat that ferried 15 women from around the world who came in an attempt to end the blockade imposed on Gaza. All of this is done for the sake of preserving our heritage and protecting it,” Abu Ghazaleh said.

Maha Qula Ghasi, who is showcasing her work at the exhibition, said she appreciates the opportunity to reach a wider audience.  

Samar Saleh, a visitor to the exhibition, said the idea of women from refugee camps working on embroidery and presenting their products, as well as the quality of the items, attracted her attention.

A loyal customer, she said she has never missed an exhibition.