ASHTAR Theatre, a non-profit Palestinian theater company based in Ramallah, has launched an urgent global solidarity call asking theatre makers around the world to publicly read or perform The Gaza Monologues on November 29 occasioning the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Pertaining to the horrific Israel- Hams war taking place in Gaza, ASHTAR Theatre makes an urgent request to all its friends and theater makers around the world to publicly read or perform The Gaza Monologues on November 29th, 2023; The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People—a significant day for those who value justice, equality, and freedom for the Palestinian people.
The Gaza Monologues are testimonies written by ASHTAR youth in 2010, after the first war on the Gaza Strip. Tragically, these Monologues have still become relevant today. They are highlighting the horrors, hopes and resilience of the courageous Gazans to a wider audience, bringing out the voices of children and people in Gaza.
Readers around the world are requested to download the Monologues in different languages by visiting: The Gaza Monologues and share those Monologues. ASHTAR Theatre also suggests the readers and theatre artists across the world to film and upload their performance/reading online and says, “ Please tag us on our social media: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn”
Established in 1991 in Jerusalem, ASHTAR is the first theatre training organization for youth in Palestine. One of the company’s specialties is a genre known as Forum Theatre. As the group’s website details:
The purpose of Forum Theatre is to promote a more active dialogue and commitment for change within the society. This theatre form engages the audience to interact on stage with essential social and political issues, transforming a commonly passive audience into pro-active and involved participants. In essence, Forum Theatre is a vital and engaging democracy-building tool. Through the use of the integrated methods of Forum Theatre, ASHTAR stands as an agent of change in Palestine.
Since 2010, The Gaza Monologues has been performed by more than 2000 young actors in more than 80 cities across 40 countries and will continue to be, in the words of ASHTAR Artistic Director Iman Aoun, “the voice of the unheard until justice prevails.”
