In Mar Elias Camp, as in other Palestinian camps, the built environment and shared spaces are in deteriorating conditions. Development projects that are implemented in these settings rarely correspond to the aspirations and needs of camp residents. Departing from the importance of involving camp residents, and especially youth, in urban planning, development projects, and spatial interventions in the camp, we devised the workshop “Camp Radio” as a process for creative thinking and for working with camp residents to involve them in deciding the future of their environment, especially their shared spaces.
Participants
Project team:
- Idea, organization and design: Public Works Studio
- Organization support: Abu Rami (Shafik Shaaban Khalifeh)
- Trainers: Majd Al Shihabi, Monica Basbous, Majd Al Hamwi, Nadine Bekdache, Jana Haidar, Abir Saksouk
- Logistics: Zakaria Nasser
- Documentation: Studio Zakira
- Sound design: Majd Al Hamwi
- Illustration: Imad Kaafarani
Workshop Participants:
- Mohamad Yassine
- Mohamad Orfali
- Ali Salem
- Ahmad Al Kurdi
- Khalil Hamawi
- Abd Al Hay Alouch
- Mohamad Khalifeh
- Ibrahim Mustafa
- Asaad Haj Hassan
- Mustafa Bejjo
- Aya Bejjo
- Safaa Salem
- Ahmad Abu Daher
- Asmaa Salem
- Khadije Salem
- Salwa Haj Hassan
- Ahmad Khalifeh
- Mustafa Qasmiye
- Khattab Daher
- Ahmad Haj Hassan
- Israa Chkeir
- Nagham Awde
- Israa Awde
- Shaymaa Awde
- Hadi Qarii
- Ali Damen
- Mohamad Alouch
- Yehia Haj Hassan
- Amneh Barhoumi
- Rayane Daher
- Ali Khalifeh
- Rayane Awdeh
- Waad Mohamad Salem
- Mohamad Mustafa
Participants in the podcast production:
- Asmaa Salem
- Safaa Salem
- Mohamad Alouch
- Ahmad Abu Daher
- Khadije Salem
Partners
This project was made possible by the generous support of “Silat: links through the arts” 2017, project by A.M. Qattan Foundation (Palestine) in partnership with Prince Claus Fund (Netherlands)
Presented In
“Grey zones: urban practices beyond dichotomy” in the seminar Towards Regional Women’s Archives in the MENA: Frameworks for Documentation and Dissemination, Panel: Living Everyday with an Endangered History: Tools of Documentation and Dissemination
Attachments
In the general Palestinian-Lebanese context, many factors, such as the lack of job opportunities and the lack of spaces for gathering in camps, have contributed to producing harsh social conditions, especially for Palestinian youth. Youth (13-25 year-olds) constitute the largest social group in camps (around 25% of residents), and are the most disadvantaged age group. While children enjoy street life and play safely in alleys, the youth remain constricted while opportunities for their futures seem out of reach.
While acknowledging the necessity of challenging legal constraints on the Palestinian community in Lebanon and of improving the livelihoods of lower income dwellers, is it possible to imagine spaces that can respond to some of the challenges that the youth face in camps?
The “Camp Radio” workshop was aimed at youth of all genders, aged between 14 and 21. Its goal was to highlight their talents and abilities while enhancing their collective work on their lived environment. The workshop took form as a series of sessions focused on play and shared spaces in the camp. We held training sessions on research tools, creative dialogue, surveying, sound recording, visual expression, and worked together to materialize ideas that can bring positive change to the environment.
Together, we produced:
- map of current playground uses
- map of the trajectories from home to the playground
- photographic documentation of play spaces and games in the camp
- diagrams of similarities and differences
- collages of future visions for the playground
- a podcast
https://radiomarelias.wordpress.com
This project was made possible by the generous support of “Silat: links through the arts” 2017, project by A.M. Qattan Foundation (Palestine) in partnership with Prince Claus Fund (Netherlands)
