In February of 2023 the Social Media Club has officially opened.
After two very successful social media summercamps, the team of Media Live approached us for a more sustainable project with the youth who proved talented and motivated to further develop themselves.

They teach a group of young teenagers how to make online artworks that share their
stories and how to post them online in an effective, safe and responsible way.
This gives the youth of Gaza a voice and a opportunity to get in touch with a broader world and a window op opportunities in a land where they sense little hope for a better future.

 

”I really don’t know why, but still, I do love people”
Dr. Jean Elizabeth Calder 1936 - 2022

 

Our example, support and tower of strength, Jean Elisabeth Calder, left us in the early morning of November 28th 2022.

Jean's life was all about rehabilitation. She fought for human dignity coupled to development. By involving the arts with HOPE in her rehabilitation projects of the Palestinian Red Crescent, clear added value was created for both parties. In our 33-year collaboration, she was a lively, humorous link between Palestinian and Western societies.

 

How we will miss her!

Sadly 2022 didn't gave the people of Gaza the calm year the had hoped for.
In august a very sudden aggression broke out. Four days of bombardments resulted in many causalities, including children, and many families who lost their houses.

Suzanne, from HOPE, was in Gaza and experienced first hand the impact of such violence. She also saw how the morning of the ceasefire the whole Open Studio staff was at work and the space full of children looking for a positive distraction.

In the following days the team visited many marginalized areas to relieve the local children from the first shock.

 

This year we started a collaboration with Art Basics for Children (ABC) Brussels, a laboratory for aesthetic experiences, creative development and artistic awareness.

Since many years they work with Japanese traveling storytelling theaters called Kamishibai.

ABC has kindly donated two of their theaters, many stories and has even created new stories in Arabic.
The stories and theaters have been handed out in Lebanon and Gaza where they are now used actively to get stories to children living in remote or marginalized areas.

 

An other greatly successful summer!
We've had six summercamps!

The Open Studio, a "Growth" camp about nature and farming, Edward Said camp about inclusion between children with and without disabilities, Shababeek art camp for teenagers, Breakdance Summercamp and a Social Media summercamp.
Thousands of kids have enjoyed all kinds of activities all over the Gaza strip.

We are proud of all the local artists and teachers setting up and implementing these wonderful projects!