25 November 2005

Photo Exhibition To Highlight Plight Of Palestinian Refugee Youth

An exhibition of stark photographs, accompanied by observations from young Palestinians, aims to bring the reality of daily life for Palestinian refugee youth living under Israeli occupation to the attention of Wellingtonians.

The photographs were taken by Wellington student Alia Levine in Dheisheh refugee camp in the Occupied West Bank. The exhibition will be launched at a Wellington Palestine Group function at St John's Hall, corner of Willis and Dixon Streets, Wellington, on Tuesday 29th November, 6pm.

Alia Levine says she sees the photo-documentary as a way for Palestinian refugee youth at the Ibdaa Cultural Centre in Dheisheh to speak about their lives under military occupation.

“There is an abundance of geo-political reporting in our mainstream media on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. But this approach reduces young Palestinians to anonymous stereotypes. There is a total lack of information about these young peoples’ daily experience of the confiscation, humiliation and violence at the hands of the Israeli occupiers, and what their thoughts are on the possibilities for peace in the region.

“The exhibit is intended to be thought-provoking and inspire discussion among people in Wellington. I hope that it will increase understanding of the experience of Palestinian refugee youth growing up and living in conflict”, Alia Levine says.

Don Carson, of the Wellington Palestine Group, adds, “The daily experiences of these youth highlight the need for New Zealanders to continue to speak against Israel’s illegal occupation. It is disgraceful that the New Zealand government has recently reopened diplomatic relations with Israel and welcomed the return of an Israeli embassy to Wellington”.

The launch of the photo exhibition on 29 November marks the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

ENDS

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