The Palestinian Presences association continues to mobilize in Avignon. This year, it carries a cultural “eighteenth”, a series of events until May 30. In view of the war waged by Israel in the region, it takes “a necessarily political resonance” explains Lenka Bokova, representative of the association. But this is not a question of taking a position on the conflict, except in favor of peace.
These 18 days serve to highlight the lives of Palestinians. The association sees itself as a conduit, with the objective of making Palestinian culture resonate, through films, photos, drawings, portrait stories, dance, but also agriculture.
A work that is bearing fruit according to Lenka Bokova: “Palestine means something to them. When we see films about Palestine or the Palestinians, the country becomes much more concrete, real.“The bias of culture allows us to broaden the audience.”We also touch those who say : ‘I don’t do politics’explains a member of the association, because there, it’s not politics, it’s food that we want to taste, photos that we want to admire.“
Expositions, cinéma, poésie, récits…
Like last year, exhibitions were installed at the Saint-Martial temple with, on one side, photos of the photographer Fatima Hassouna, killed with her family by Israeli missiles in 2025. And on the other, the drawings of Raed Issa, Gazawi artist, recounting her daily before he leaves Gaza in spring 2025.
In addition, thanks to the participation of the city’s artistic and cultural venues, the Dixhuitaine program is expanding. The poetry of Gaza poets will be discovered at the Théâtre des Carmes, presented by an amateur collective led by Silvia Cimino, as will the stories and portraits of the storyteller Jihad Darwiche at the Renaud-Barrault media library. Different films will also be shown at the Utopia cinema or at the Bernard Blavoux esplanade this Saturday, May 16, in the evening, for an animated film for the general public.
“Culture is the best way to know others”
“I have neighborsjokes Marie-Dominique, member of the association, with whom I had problems until I met them. As soon as you know someone, get to know them, know how they live, who they are, everything is fine. And culture is the best way to get to know others.“
In short, “everything that can make Palestine closer, human and alive as it is, can only help to invigorate the solidarity it needs“, concluded Lenka Bokova.
Until May 30. Full program on the Présences Palestinianes Facebook page.
