This month was exceptional. After months of training, the new WANNers started writing their first stories with the help and supervision of professional mentors from all over the world.
Stories
In September, WANN published 12 essays, a poem, and a news report.
Fridays are for family, not for war
September 5, 2022 | Khalid Mohammed Al-haj Ahmed, one of the WANN writers of Cohort 2022, tells of his experience during the latest attack on the Gaza Strip in August 2022.
September 6, 2022 | Asma Amra, in her first story, explains how war is like a dark version of maqloubeh, the delicious dish that is inverted onto a platter before serving.
September 7, 2022 | Afaf Al-Najjar explains how she obtained a master’s degree in war, because she has lived through five years of intermittent aggressions.
WANN representatives featured at UK’s Greenbelt Festival
September 7, 2022 | Ahmed Alnaouq, a WANN board member, and Malak Mattar, a visual artist and WANN writer, presented on the Gaza siege.
September 11, 2022 | Abdallah al-Jazzar tells the story of Alaa Al-Tahrawi, who was killed in the last aggression on Gaza and was beloved by her family.
The Jabaliya massacre: Heaven embraces five angels
September 13, 2022 | Hamza Salha elaborates on the massacres committed against children in Gaza during the latest attack on the Gaza Strip in August 2022.
Hope is answered at the last possible moment
September 14, 2022 | Shahd Safi reviews the story of a fundraising campaign to help medical students cover the financial costs of becoming doctors.
September 17, 2022 | Asmaa Rafiq Kuheil reflects in a poem on the suffering of a five-month-old baby who was recovered from under the rubble of her home.
September 18, 2022 | Karm Jad writes about his daily life in the days of the latest aggression on the Gaza Strip.
Border barriers for the Palestinian-Ukrainian traveler
September 19, 2022 | Khaled El-Hessy explains that even dual citizenship is not a solution to the difficulty of traveling outside Gaza.
Pablo my dog, pure love, and loss
September 19, 2022 | Hossam Wail Abo-Shammallah talks about his dog Pablo and their beautiful memories together.
What Othello teaches us about Palestinian resistance
September 26, 2022 | Walaa M. Alfarra explains how storytelling can be used both to oppress and to combat oppression.
Forced to relive the past five wars
September 26, 2022 | Abdallah Wael Nasrallah relates what it is like to face a war while still recovering from the trauma of a previous bombardment.
The man who had his house demolished to reach trapped neighbors
Sept. 27, 2022 | Shahd Safi reports on the generosity of Ashraf Al Qaisi, who permitted the civil defense to demolish his house so they could reach people under the rubble. This article was originally published in the Palestine Chronicle.
See all stories.
Events
WANN helps build up our writers, through writing of course, but also through educational, civic and cultural activities.
Youth For Change project
September 1, 2022 | In cooperation with the American Friends Service Committee, WANN writers participated in the “Youth for Change” project organized by a nonprofit organization of the same name to offer a platform for young Palestinians to share ideas and thoughts. They discussed their experiences as youth living in the Gaza Strip and other issues affecting Palestinians.
Mentors meeting
September 7, 2022 | Alice Rothchild and Catherine Baker conducted a meeting with the mentors of the writers of the 2022 cohort. They reviewed the process of mentoring and the writing process. In addition, two WANN writers participated in the presentation. They each described their experience with the WANN project and how it has affected their lives. A lively discussion followed, with mentors asking questions and sharing thoughts.
Presentation on the Gaza siege
September 7, 2022 | Ahmed Alnaouq, a WANN board member, and Malak Mattar, a visual artist and WANN writer, described the Gaza siege and Israeli military attacks on the Gaza Strip. They also described the objectives and accomplishments of WANN and affirmed how art can be used to resist oppression. Their presentation was at the at the Greenbelt Festival, held Aug. 26-29 in Northamptonshire, England.
Read more about the event.
Nahr Elbared and Gaza Valley films
September 11, 2022 | In partnership with Hashim Sani Centre for Palestine Studies, WANN produced a series of three films documenting the impact of the Israeli siege on the environment. The “Nahr Elbared” film addresses the issue of the waste dump in the Strip and how it pollutes the environment. The “Gaza Valley” film addresses the impact of the Israeli blockade on the Wadi valley. The third film is still in production.
You can watch the Nahr Elbared and Gaza Valley films.
Follow-up meeting on the writing/mentoring process
September 13, 2022 | WANNers held a session on the general rules of writing stories for WANN with Enas Ghannam, project manager . This session ended the first phase of training from specialists for the new writers of Cohort 2022. They are now embarked on actual process of writing and publishing their personal stories for the first time.
And what’s more!
We are interviewing new candidates for the new Social Media Assistant position. Soon you will meet her/him.
Who wrote this?
This activities report was prepared by Aseel Zeineddin, WANN writer. Aseel joined WANN with the 2022 cohort. She is a senior law student, a member of the Youth Advisory Panel of Palestine, a human rights activist, and a youth leader and representative. Through her work with many youth institutions, Aseel always ensures that the word has the power to cause huge effects. She has an interest in art, theater, and children. She works very hard to make her specific dreams come true.
