In this important conversation examining the vital role of journalists and documentarians in conflict zones, Palestinian journalist, Mariam Barghouti and Jenin resident, Rawand Arqawi share their firsthand experiences with Palestinian trauma healer, Ashira Darwish, cutting through the fog of misinformation to reveal the human realities often obscured in Western mainstream narratives.

Our guests shared first-hand experiences on reporting from Jenin and the broader region, exploring both the crucial importance of ground-level documentation and the challenges faced by those who undertake this work.  Documenting truth has become increasingly dangerous as we’ve seen more journalists killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza and Lebanon in the past 12 months than in any similar recorded period since 1992, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Mariam Barghouti is a Palestinian-American writer, researcher, and journalist based in Ramallah. She holds a BA in English from Birzeit University and an MSc in Sociology from the University of Edinburgh, where she focused on Israeli Ashkenazi-Mizrahi racial hierarchies.  Barghouti is known for monitoring humanitarian aid in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine for various organizations. Her political commentary and research have featured prominently in CNN, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, BBC, The New York Times, and more. She has contributed to books like I Found Myself in Palestine and written profiles on Palestinian figures such as artist Khaled Hourani and politician Dr. Hanan Ashrawi.

Ashira Ali Darwish worked for 15 years as a TV & Radio journalist and researcher in Palestine for the BBC, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. She is the founder of Catharsis Holistic Healing, a trauma therapy project pioneering a type of Sufi active meditation which draws its roots from ancestral and Indigenous knowledge. Her personal healing journey from full body paralysis with a severed spinal cord in 2012 has given her a deep insight into the process of recovery and healing. In 2021, she received the “ISABS Honours” from the Indian Society for Applied Behavioural Science for her contribution to positive societal transformation.

Rawand Arqawi is a producer and cultural manager who was born and grew up in Jenin.  She worked as a production coordinator for nearly six years with the Freedom Theatre, working under theater artist Juliano Mer-Khamis. During her time with the Freedom Theatre, she coordinated dozens of performances, workshops, international tours, exchanges, as well as managing communications, international volunteers, fundraising, and logistics. Beyond her work with the Freedom Theatre, she has contributed to various local artistic projects and groups, including working as a production assistant for Al Jazeera Children. In 2013, she initiated Fragments theater, and has since then continued to produce several performances and workshops. She is passionate about using arts as a tool of resistance.

Topics:

• 00:00 Introduction and Welcome


• 00:31 The Crisis in Journalism


• 01:55 Introducing the Guests


• 03:55 Rawand's Testimony on Jenin


• 14:27 Mariam's Insights on the West Bank


• 21:36 Challenges for Journalists


• 26:48 The Fragments Theater


• 27:38 Reflecting on Giuliano's Dream


• 28:14 Initiating Cultural Activities in Jenin


• 29:25 Challenges and Mental Health Initiatives


• 32:41 The Impact of Giuliano's Assassination


• 36:54 The Role of the Palestinian Authority


• 43:10 The Struggle for Life and Resistance


• 51:46 Supporting Jenin Cultural Center


• 54:33 Closing Remarks and Call to Action

Links:

• Support the Jenin Cultural Center


• Watch Where Olive Trees Weep


• Purchase the and the full 23-video series Conversations on Palestine


• Learn more about the SAND Community Gatherings

Support the mission of SAND and the production of this podcast by becoming a SAND Member