By Waed Abbas | Palestine Projects Assistant
We’ve shared with you before about the amazing work that the Edward Said Public Library in Gaza has been doing; especially under the even more complex reality of life under covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions. Today we would love to take you from the Edward Said Libraries in Gaza to the Edward Said Library in Silwan; the heart of Jerusalem.
The Edward Said Library in Silwan is part of the Madaa Silwan Creative Center, in Wadi Hilweh, where it has opened its doors amid a global pandemic in early March of 2020. This might appear to be an irresponsible move, but realizing the rather tricky and challenging reality that was now imposed on everyone, it was rather vital to have the library get up and running to attend to the newly developed needs on the ground and behidn screens.
We’re talking about either schools closing, or have reduced numbers of students or classes, zoom classes, having kids spend more time in already crowded households and neighborhoods due to the ongoing Israeli policies regarding planning and zoning. Palestinian homes contiued to be demolished leaving children and their families in rather tough and vulnerable emotional, mental, physical and financial state. And children were still being put under home-arrests.
A year later, following the opening, the staff and volunteers working in the library have gone up and beyond to turn the library (that has its own cafe as well) into a safe haven; not only to the children of Silwan-Wadi Hilweh, but also their mothers and fathers. The library has had Book Clubs (virtual and personal with taking necessary precautions) for both the mothers and the children. They had programming courses, writing courses, campaigns to encourage reading books, and they even launched their first magazine early this year and it was shared with other kids at their libraries in different areas in Palestine.
Dealing with such a harsh reality under military occupation is rather challenging on its own, let alone with a global pandemic, that only emphasized the weaknesses and gaps we already have within our communities. Yet, regardless of all of that, the team (staff and volunteers) at ESL in Silwan have managed to light a candle in such dark hard times.
We are beyond honored to have been part of this journey, and we are beyond excited to see where the journey takes them next. The library is raising hope; one child at a time, and the Edward Said legacy of knowledge and empowerment lives on.
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