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Upcoming Events

The International Storytelling Festival & Conference 2025

We are organizing the The International Storytelling Festival and Conference 2025, dedicated to reviving the Palestinian story and enhancing its presence in public spaces. The festival aims to share traditional and contemporary storytelling performances by Palestinian and international storytellers in villages, cities, refugee camps, and Bedouin communities across Palestine.

17โ€“23 November 2025, PALESTINE

Supporters

Seraj Library Project ใ€ฐ๏ธ Mcmillan Stewart Foundation ใ€ฐ๏ธ The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture - AFAC ใ€ฐ๏ธ

Seraj Library Project ใ€ฐ๏ธ Mcmillan Stewart Foundation ใ€ฐ๏ธ The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture - AFAC ใ€ฐ๏ธ

About The Festival & The Conference

Hosted by Seraj Libraries and the House of Stories, the Festival and Conference brings together professional Palestinian and international storytellers to share the art of storytelling with communities, schools, universities, and libraries across Palestine. Each performance celebrates the power of stories, told in both Arabic and English, featuring one Palestinian and one international storyteller on stage.

The Festival and Conference highlight the importance of fairy tales, folk tales, and wonder tales, honoring the oral traditions preserved by women and passed down through generations. Rooted in humanityโ€™s oldest cultural traditions, storytelling has evolved from a communal practice into a vibrant art form with its own festivals and diverse voices.

Partners

Dar Yusuf Nasri Jacir for Art and Research | Bethlehem ใ€ฐ๏ธ Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center | Ramallah ใ€ฐ๏ธ Ministry of Education and Higher Education | Palestine ใ€ฐ๏ธ Al-Baluta Charity Association | The Old City of Kufr Aqab ใ€ฐ๏ธ Women's Programs Center | Qalandia Palestinian Refugee Camp ใ€ฐ๏ธ Popular Committee | Qalandia Palestinian Refugee Camp | Qalandia ใ€ฐ๏ธ Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society, Aida Palestinian Refugee Camp ใ€ฐ๏ธ Al Maleh village council | Almaleh Village | Tubas ใ€ฐ๏ธ Sanabel Al Reef Collaborative | AlJiftlik Village | Jericho ใ€ฐ๏ธ Seraj Art of Storytelling Academy, The Old City of Kufr Aqab ใ€ฐ๏ธ Box of wonder Theatre {Sandouq Elajab} of Adel Tartir | Ramallah ใ€ฐ๏ธ RACCONTAMIUNASTORIA, Italy ใ€ฐ๏ธ Praline Gay-Para | Compagnie Pavรฉ Volubile | Paris -France ใ€ฐ๏ธ Jana | Arab Resource Center For Popular Arts | Lebanon ใ€ฐ๏ธ The Fiction Council | Jerusalem ใ€ฐ๏ธ VAF, Visual Art Forum | The Old City of Kufr Aqab ใ€ฐ๏ธ Laboratory For Global Performance & Politics | Georgetown University | U.S. ใ€ฐ๏ธ Beit Al Karmeh, Dalia Association | The Old City of Kufr Aqab ใ€ฐ๏ธ PAVIP - Palestinian Association of Visually Impaired Persons | The Old City of Kufr Aqab ใ€ฐ๏ธ Riwaq- centre for architectural conservation | Al-Bireh ใ€ฐ๏ธ Kufraqab Municipality ใ€ฐ๏ธ Ramallah Municipality ใ€ฐ๏ธ Al-Bireh Municipality ใ€ฐ๏ธ Storytellers of Ireland Association ใ€ฐ๏ธ Union of Irish artists ใ€ฐ๏ธ

Dar Yusuf Nasri Jacir for Art and Research | Bethlehem ใ€ฐ๏ธ Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center | Ramallah ใ€ฐ๏ธ Ministry of Education and Higher Education | Palestine ใ€ฐ๏ธ Al-Baluta Charity Association | The Old City of Kufr Aqab ใ€ฐ๏ธ Women's Programs Center | Qalandia Palestinian Refugee Camp ใ€ฐ๏ธ Popular Committee | Qalandia Palestinian Refugee Camp | Qalandia ใ€ฐ๏ธ Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society, Aida Palestinian Refugee Camp ใ€ฐ๏ธ Al Maleh village council | Almaleh Village | Tubas ใ€ฐ๏ธ Sanabel Al Reef Collaborative | AlJiftlik Village | Jericho ใ€ฐ๏ธ Seraj Art of Storytelling Academy, The Old City of Kufr Aqab ใ€ฐ๏ธ Box of wonder Theatre {Sandouq Elajab} of Adel Tartir | Ramallah ใ€ฐ๏ธ RACCONTAMIUNASTORIA, Italy ใ€ฐ๏ธ Praline Gay-Para | Compagnie Pavรฉ Volubile | Paris -France ใ€ฐ๏ธ Jana | Arab Resource Center For Popular Arts | Lebanon ใ€ฐ๏ธ The Fiction Council | Jerusalem ใ€ฐ๏ธ VAF, Visual Art Forum | The Old City of Kufr Aqab ใ€ฐ๏ธ Laboratory For Global Performance & Politics | Georgetown University | U.S. ใ€ฐ๏ธ Beit Al Karmeh, Dalia Association | The Old City of Kufr Aqab ใ€ฐ๏ธ PAVIP - Palestinian Association of Visually Impaired Persons | The Old City of Kufr Aqab ใ€ฐ๏ธ Riwaq- centre for architectural conservation | Al-Bireh ใ€ฐ๏ธ Kufraqab Municipality ใ€ฐ๏ธ Ramallah Municipality ใ€ฐ๏ธ Al-Bireh Municipality ใ€ฐ๏ธ Storytellers of Ireland Association ใ€ฐ๏ธ Union of Irish artists ใ€ฐ๏ธ

The Schedule

The Schedule

  • 10:00 ๐Ÿ“ Seraj Storytelling Center, Kofur Aqab Old City

    • Festival Opening & Welcome | ุญูƒุงูŠุฉ ูˆุฃุบู†ูŠุฉ

    • About Seraj Libraries and the Storytelling Center | ุนู† ู…ูƒุชุจุฉ ุณุฑุงุฌ ูˆุฏุงุฑ ุงู„ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช

    • About the Festival & Conference | ุนู† ุงู„ู…ู‡ุฑุฌุงู† ูˆุงู„ู…ุคุชู…ุฑ

    10:20 ๐Ÿ“ Kofur Aqab Old City

    Presentation on Preserving the Stories of the Houses in the Old City of Kofur Aqab | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุงู„ุฃู…ูƒู†ุฉ ุงู„ู‚ุฏูŠู…ุฉ ูˆุงู„ุญุฏูŠุซุฉ

    10:30 ๐Ÿ“ Al-Maghazi Shelter Center, Gaza

    Storytelling Performance โ€“ Gaza Stories | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุบุฒูŠุฉ

    10:30 ๐Ÿ“ Seraj Storytelling Center, Kofur Aqab Old City

    The Story of the House | ุญูƒุงูŠุฉ ุงู„ุฏุงุฑ

    11:00โ€“12:00 ๐Ÿ“ Kofur Aqab Old City

    Storytelling Performances ๐Ÿ“ (location depending on each performance)

    • Storytelling Walk ๐Ÿ“ Sheikh Yassin โ†’ the Oak Tree | ู…ุณุงุฑ ุญูƒูŠ ู…ู† ุงู„ุดูŠุฎ ูŠุงุณูŠู† ุฅู„ู‰ ุงู„ุจู„ูˆุทุฉ

    • Wonder Tales ๐Ÿ“ Seraj Storytelling Center | ุฎุฑุงุฑูŠู ูˆุฃุณุงุทูŠุฑ โ€“ ู…ูƒุชุจุฉ ุณุฑุงุฌ ูˆุฏุงุฑ ุงู„ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช

    • Storytelling & Drawing ๐Ÿ“ VAF, Visual Art Forum | ุฎูŠุงู„ ููŠ ุฎูŠุงู„

    • Storytelling for Little Kids ๐Ÿ“ Seraj Children Library | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ู„ู„ุฃุทูุงู„ ุงู„ุตุบุงุฑ โ€“ ู…ูƒุชุจุฉ ุณุฑุงุฌ

    • Storytelling & Songs ๐Ÿ“ Beit Al Karmeh, Dalia Association | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ูˆุฃุบู†ูŠุงุช โ€“ ุจูŠุช ุงู„ูƒุฑุงู…ุฉ

    • Womenโ€™s Stories ๐Ÿ“ Al-Baluta Charity Association | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ู†ุณูˆูŠุฉ โ€“ ุฌู…ุนูŠุฉ ุงู„ุจู„ูˆุทุฉ

    • Storytelling & Music ๐Ÿ“ PAVIP | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ูˆู…ูˆุณูŠู‚ู‰ โ€“ ุฌู…ุนูŠุฉ ุงู„ู…ูƒููˆููŠู† ุงู„ูู„ุณุทูŠู†ูŠูŠู†

    13:30โ€“15:30 ๐Ÿ“ Qalandia Palestinian Refugee Camp | Qalandia

    Interactive Storytelling Walk at Qalandia Palestinian Refugee Camp | ู…ุณุงุฑ ุญูƒูŠ "ู†ุญุชุฑู ุงู„ุญูŠุงุฉ" โ€“ ู…ุฎูŠู… ู‚ู„ู†ุฏูŠุง ู„ู„ุงุฌุฆูŠู†

    18:00 ๐Ÿ“ Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center, Ramallah

    Storytelling Performance | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ู…ู† ูู„ุณุทูŠู† ูˆุงู„ุนุงู„ู…

  • 9:30โ€“12:00 ๐Ÿ“ Various Schools in Ramallah

    • Storytelling โ€“ Strange Tales | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุนุฌูŠุจุฉ โ€“ Banat Beitunia Elementary School

    • Storytelling โ€“ Joha and His Friends | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุฌุญุง ูˆุฃุตุฏู‚ุงุคู‡ โ€“ Faisal Al-Husseini School

    • Storytelling โ€“ Taste of Opera | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุฃูˆุจุฑุง โ€“ Al-Karama School

    • Storytelling โ€“ Grandmothersโ€™ Stories | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุงู„ุฌุฏุงุช โ€“ Samiha Khalil School

    • Storytelling โ€“ The Sea | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุงู„ุจุญุฑ โ€“ Red Crescent School for the Deaf

    • Storytelling โ€“ Motherland | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ู…ู† ุจู„ุฏู†ุง โ€“ Al-Quds School

    13:00โ€“13:30 ๐Ÿ“ Ramallah Old City

    Ramallah Storywalk | ู…ุณุงุฑ ุญูƒูŠ ููŠ ุญุงุฑุงุช ุฑุงู… ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุงู„ุจู„ุฏุฉ ุงู„ู‚ุฏูŠู…ุฉ

    13:30โ€“14:00 ๐Ÿ“ Sandouq El-Ajab Theatre

    Storytour โ€“ Box of Wonder | ุญูƒุงูŠุฉ ุตู†ุฏูˆู‚ ุงู„ุนุฌุจ

    17:00โ€“19:00 ๐Ÿ“ Ramallah Municipal Theatre

    Storytelling Performance | ุนุฑุถ ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ูˆู…ูˆุณูŠู‚ู‰

  • 9:00๐Ÿ“ Kobar School, Beirzeit

    Storytelling Performance: Folk Tales | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุฎุฑุงููŠุฉ

    9:00๐Ÿ“ Dar Al-Hekayat (Storytelling Center)

    • Storytelling Performance: Stories from Jerusalem and Far Away |ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ู…ู† ุงู„ู‚ุฏุณ ูˆู…ู† ุจุนูŠุฏ โ€“ Anata School

    • Storytelling Performance: Stories of Hope | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุนู† ุงู„ุฃู…ู„ โ€“ Hizma School

    10:00โ€“12:00๐Ÿ“ Various Schools

    • Storytelling Performance: Stories of Wonders | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุนุฌูŠุจุฉ โ€“ Deir Abziโ€™ School

    • Storytelling Performance: Stories from the Earth | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ู…ู† ุงู„ุฃุฑุถ โ€“ Deir Ammar School

    • Storytelling Performance: Stories of Trees | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุงู„ุฃุดุฌุงุฑ โ€“ Academy of Scholars

    ๐Ÿ“ Al-Maghazi Womenโ€™s Activity Center, Gaza

    Storytelling: Gaza Traditional Stories | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุบุฒุฉ ุงู„ุชู‚ู„ูŠุฏูŠุฉ โ€“ ู…ุฑูƒุฒ ุงู„ู†ุดุงุท ุงู„ู†ุณุงุฆูŠุŒ ู…ุฎูŠู… ุงู„ู…ุบุงุฒูŠ

    13:30โ€“15:30๐Ÿ“ Al-Bereh Cultural Center

    Storytour: Imagining Jerusalem Exhibition | ุฌูˆู„ุฉ ููŠ ู…ุนุฑุถ ุชุฎูŠู„ ุงู„ู‚ุฏุณ

    16:00โ€“17:00 ๐Ÿ“ Al-Bireh Municipal Library

    Storytelling: Between Hope and Freedom | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ู…ุง ุจูŠู† ุงู„ุฃู…ู„ ูˆุงู„ุญุฑูŠุฉ

  • 9:00โ€“10:00 ๐Ÿ“ The Storytelling Center & Virtual

    Worlds of Storytelling: Sha'ir Rababa | ุนุงู„ู… ูู† ุงู„ุญูƒูŠ) ุดุงุนุฑ ุงู„ุฑุจุงุจุฉ)

    10:00โ€“11:30 ๐Ÿ“ The Storytelling Center & Virtual

    The Archive: Heritage and Contemporary Practice | "ุงู„ุฃุฑุดูŠู: ุงู„ุชุฑุงุซ ูˆุงู„ู…ู…ุงุฑุณุฉ ุงู„ู…ุนุงุตุฑุฉ"

    11:30โ€“12:00 ๐Ÿ“ The Storytelling Center & Virtual

    Adel Tartirโ€™s Emancipatory Theatrical Compass | ุงู„ุจูˆุตู„ุฉ ุงู„ู…ุณุฑุญูŠุฉ ุงู„ุชุญุฑุฑูŠุฉ ู„ุนุงุฏู„ ุชุฑุชูŠุฑ

    13:00โ€“14:00๐Ÿ“ The Storytelling Center

    The Art of Storytelling in Palestine through Research and Book | ูู† ุงู„ุญูƒูŠ ููŠ ูู„ุณุทูŠู† - ุงู„ุจุญุซ ูˆุงู„ู…ู†ู‡ุงุฌ

    14:00โ€“15:30๐Ÿ“ The Storytelling Center & Virtual

    • The Question of Storytelling | The responsibility of the storyteller today ู…ุณุคูˆู„ูŠุฉ ุงู„ุญูƒุงุฆูŠู† ุงู„ูŠูˆู…

    • The Art of Care | ูู† ุงู„ุฑุนุงูŠุฉ

    • The Toxins of History | ุณู…ูˆู… ุงู„ุชุงุฑูŠุฎ

    • Physical Storytelling | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุงู„ุฌุณุฏ

    16:00โ€“17:30๐Ÿ“ The Storytelling Center

    • Round Table: Responsibilities and Futures of Palestinian Storytelling | "ุงู„ุทุงูˆู„ุฉ ุงู„ู…ุณุชุฏูŠุฑุฉ: ู…ุณุคูˆู„ูŠุงุช ูˆู…ุณุชู‚ุจู„ ูู† ุงู„ุญูƒูŠ ุงู„ูู„ุณุทูŠู†ูŠ"

    • Three questions for discussion, participants asking questions on papers | ุทุงูˆู„ุฉ ู†ู‚ุงุด ุชุชู†ุงูˆู„ ุซู„ุงุซ ุฃุณุฆู„ุฉ ุฑุฆูŠุณูŠุฉุŒ ูŠุทุฑุญ ุงู„ู…ุดุงุฑูƒูˆู† ุฃุณุฆู„ุชู‡ู… ู…ูƒุชูˆุจุฉ ุนู„ู‰ ุฃูˆุฑุงู‚

    • Opening Presentations: The Art of Storytelling โ€“ Parallels Between Irish and Palestinian Narrative Traditions (Paola Initiative) | (ุงู„ุนุฑูˆุถ ุงู„ุงูุชุชุงุญูŠุฉ: ูู†ู‘ ุงู„ุญูƒูŠ: ุฃูˆุฌู‡ ุงู„ุดุจู‡ ุจูŠู† ุงู„ุชู‚ุงู„ูŠุฏ ุงู„ุณุฑุฏูŠุฉ ุงู„ุฅูŠุฑู„ู†ุฏูŠุฉ ูˆุงู„ูู„ุณุทูŠู†ูŠุฉ) โ€” ุจู…ุจุงุฏุฑุฉ ู…ู† ุจุงูˆู„ุง

    18:00โ€“19:30๐Ÿ“ The Storytelling Center

    Storytelling Performance: Stand Up Comedy, Wonder Tales, Sha'er AlRababa | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ูƒูˆู…ูŠุฏูŠุฉ ูˆุฑุจุงุจูŠุฉ ุนุฌูŠุจุฉ

  • 08:00โ€“09:00๐Ÿ“ Seraj Library, Jiftlik, Jordan Valley โ€“ Family Garden

    Storytelling Around Breakfast | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุญูˆู„ ุงู„ุฅูุทุงุฑ

    09:00โ€“10:00 ๐Ÿ“ Fields, Jordan Valley

    Stories From and To Farmers | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ู…ู† ูˆู…ุน ุงู„ูู„ุงุญูŠู†

    10:00โ€“12:00 ๐Ÿ“ Jordan Valley

    Storytelling Performance: The Earth | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุงู„ุฃุฑุถ

    12:00โ€“13:00๐Ÿ“ Family Garden, Jordan Valley

    Stories Around Lunch | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุญูˆู„ ุงู„ุบุฏุงุก

    13:30โ€“15:30๐Ÿ“ Ein Helwa & Wadi Elmaleh, Tubas, Jordan Valley

    Storytelling Drive and Walk: From Salt to Sweet | ู…ุณุงุฑ ุญูƒูŠ ู…ู† ุงู„ุญู„ูˆุฉ ู„ู„ู…ุงู„ุญ

    17:00โ€“19:00 ๐Ÿ“ Jordan Valley

    Storytelling in Tents | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ููŠ ุงู„ุฎูŠุงู…

    11:00โ€“12:00๐Ÿ“ Seraj Library, Birzeit Old City

    Storytelling Performance: Women | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ู†ุณูˆูŠุฉ

  • 08:00โ€“09:30 ๐Ÿ“ The Old Town of Birzeit

    • Tea & Breakfast (Manakeesh Sakhin) | ุดุงูŠ ูˆุงูุทุงุฑ (ู…ู†ุงูƒูŠุด ุณุฎู†)

    • Tea & Coffee on the Fire | ุดุงูŠ ูˆู‚ู‡ูˆุฉ ุน ุงู„ุญุทุจ

    • Walk and Talk: The Olive Path | ุฏุฑุจ ุงู„ุฒูŠุชูˆู†

    09:30โ€“10:00 ๐Ÿ“ The Old Town of Birzeit

    Manakeesh Taboun | ู…ู†ุงูƒูŠุด ุทุงุจูˆู†

    10:00โ€“12:00 ๐Ÿ“ The Library / Activity Room / Meeting Room / Children Library

    • Hamza: "Palestinian Narrative Storytelling in the Time of Genocide: Between Preserving Memory and Creating Hope" | ุงู„ุณุฑุฏ ุงู„ูู„ุณุทูŠู†ูŠ ููŠ ุฒู…ู† ุงู„ุฅุจุงุฏุฉ: ุจูŠู† ุญูุธ ุงู„ุฐุงูƒุฑุฉ ูˆุตู†ุงุนุฉ ุงู„ุฃู…ู„

    • Paola: "1, 2, 3, Eyes on Me!" | ูˆุงุญุฏุŒ ุงุซู†ุงู†ุŒ ุซู„ุงุซุฉุŒ ุฃู†ุธุงุฑูƒู… ุนู„ูŠู‘!

    • Johan: "Oral Storytelling Inspired by Rhetoric Exercises" | ุงู„ุณุฑุฏ ุงู„ุดูู‡ูŠ ุงู„ู…ุณุชูˆุญู‰ ู…ู† ุชู…ุงุฑูŠู† ุงู„ุฎุทุงุจุฉ

    • Sally Shalabi: "Between Memory and Imagination" | ุณุงู„ูŠ ุดู„ุจูŠ: ุจูŠู† ุงู„ุฐุงูƒุฑุฉ ูˆุงู„ุฎูŠุงู„

    13:30โ€“14:30 ๐Ÿ“ Outside Theatre

    How Did Sindibad Sneak into My Stories Without a Visa | ูƒูŠู ุชุณู„ู„ ุงู„ุณู†ุฏุจุงุฏ ุงู„ู‰ ู‚ุตุตูŠ ุฏูˆู† ุชุฃุดูŠุฑุฉ

    14:30โ€“15:30 ๐Ÿ“ Outside Theatre

    Waseem and Dalia Talk: "The Art of Storytelling Through Poetry and Playwriting" | ุญูˆุงุฑูŠุฉ (ูู† ุงู„ุญูƒูŠ ู…ู† ุฎู„ุงู„ ุงู„ุดุนุฑ ูˆุงู„ูƒุชุงุจุฉ ุงู„ู…ุณุฑุญูŠุฉ)

    15:30โ€“16:30 ๐Ÿ“ Outside Theatre

    Storytelling: Between Theory and Practice | ูู† ุงู„ุญูƒูŠ ุจูŠู† ุงู„ู†ุธุฑูŠุฉ ูˆุงู„ู…ู…ุงุฑุณุฉ

    17:00โ€“18:30 ๐Ÿ“ Outside Theatre

    Women Saving Heritage | ุงู„ู†ุณุงุก ุญุงุฑุณุงุช ุงู„ุชุฑุงุซ

    ๐Ÿ“ Outside Theatre

    Storytelling Performance: A Story to Live | ุญูƒุงูŠุฉ ู„ู†ุนูŠุด

  • 09:00โ€“11:30 ๐Ÿ“ Old City of Bethlehem

    Storywalk in Bethlehem: Aqaba and Wad | ู…ุณุงุฑ ุงู„ุนู‚ุจุฉ ูˆุงู„ูˆุงุฏ

    13:30โ€“16:00 ๐Ÿ“ Aida Refugee Camp

    Aida Refugee Camp Storywalk | ุญูƒูŠ ูˆู…ุดูŠ ููŠ ู…ุฎูŠู… ุนุงูŠุฏุฉ

    15:00โ€“16:00 ๐Ÿ“ Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society, Aida Camp

    • Performances: Women Stories | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ู†ุณูˆูŠุฉ โ€“ The Center

    • Performances: Stories of Hope | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุงู„ุฃู…ู„ โ€“ The Roof

    • Storytelling Performances: Stories of Love and Care | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุงู„ุญุจ ูˆุงู„ุฑุนุงูŠุฉ โ€“ The Library

    17:00โ€“19:00 ๐Ÿ“ Dar Yusuf Nasri Jacir for Art and Research | Bethlehem

    Storytelling Performance: Stories Between Rivers | ุญูƒุงูŠุงุช ุจูŠู† ุงู„ุฃู†ู‡ุงุฑ