Anamel Falasteen brings together more than 120 artists in Bethlehem and Gaza
Palestine News Network reports on 14 October 2026:
More than 120 artists from the occupied West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Palestinian communities inside Israel have taken part in Fingers of Palestine, “ Anamel Falasteen” a cultural exhibition organized by the Palestine Collective to showcase Palestinian creativity, strengthen cultural and national identity, and give artists a platform to tell their stories in their own voices.
The exhibition was held simultaneously at the Peace Center in Bethlehem and the Ghanem al-Den Gallery in Gaza City, with Palestine News Network (PNN) broadcasting a live feed connecting the two locations. The artworks explored Palestinian memory, heritage, identity and human experiences, bringing together artists separated by geographic barriers and movement restrictions.
The Bethlehem event was attended by Bethlehem Mayor Hanna Hanania, Beit Sahour Mayor Laith Qumsieh, Aida refugee camp Popular Services Committee Chairman Saeed al-Azza, Palestine Collective founding member Mohammad Abu Srour, visual and contemporary artist Osama Nazzal, who directs the Palestinian Association for Contemporary Art and helped organize the exhibition, as well as artists and members of the judging panel.
In Gaza, the exhibition featured Ghanem al-Den, a partner in the initiative, alongside a number of young participating artists.
By staging the exhibition simultaneously in Bethlehem and Gaza, organizers sought to demonstrate the role of art in preserving collective memory, bringing Palestinian voices to international audiences and strengthening cultural and national ties despite geographic divisions.
Organizers said “ Anamel Falasteen” marks the beginning of a broader program of cultural and artistic activities aimed at supporting Palestinian artists, connecting communities and expanding opportunities for creative expression.
Creating space for Palestinian voices
Mohammad Abu Srour, a Founding member, Palestine Collective, said the group was established about four years ago to provide a platform for artists, designers, filmmakers and others interested in art and culture. He said the initiative emerged amid a shortage of spaces where Palestinian creativity could flourish and artists could express their identity, culture and national narrative.
Abu Srour said Palestinian artists and young people face numerous challenges, including restrictions on movement, attacks on infrastructure, arrests and constraints on cultural institutions and initiatives.
He added that these challenges also include attempts to erase Palestinian memory and alter its national symbols, as well as restrictions on Palestinian digital content and efforts to silence voices seeking to convey the Palestinian narrative to the world.
Geographic fragmentation and restrictions on Palestinians have further separated communities, he said, adding that the Palestine Collective seeks to overcome these barriers and showcase the work and messages of young Palestinians in their own voices rather than through narratives told on their behalf by others.
“Palestine is not one story,” Abu Srour said, describing a broad range of human experiences reflected in the different voices and identities of people from Nablus, Bethlehem, Jaffa, Haifa, Acre, Jerusalem and other Palestinian cities. He said the “Anamel Falasteen” competition aims to bring artists from across Palestinian communities together and provide an open space to exhibit their work. The initiative, he added, goes beyond competition for awards, seeking instead to build a sustainable cultural platform that supports emerging talent and gives artists greater visibility.
For his part Ghanem al-Den, one of the exhibition’s organizers, said holding an exhibition in Gaza as part of a competition connecting Palestinians from different places was particularly important for participating generations given the current circumstances. He described the initiative as a challenge to the prevailing conditions and the oppression experienced by Palestinians across their communities.
Taqi Sbatin, another organizer, said the competition was not simply about selecting three winners. Rather, it offered artists a space to showcase their talents, express their feelings and present their artistic language and use of color to Palestinian audiences in Bethlehem and viewers around the world.
Art as a form of resistance
Bethlehem Mayor Hanna Hanania said art and culture constitute forms of Palestinian resistance because they communicate the history, resilience and attachment to the land of the Palestinian people.