黑料正能量 alum Bshara Nassar (center) is the founder of the Museum of the Palestinian People, which opens June 15 in Washington D.C. With Nassar is the museum's board secretary Fakhira Halloun (left) and chair Nizar Farsakh. (Courtesy photo)

Grand opening of the Museum of the Palestinian People in Washington D.C. set for June 15

by Christopher Clymer Kurtz

A years-long dream comes to fruition for Bshara Nasser MA 鈥�14 on June 15, when the in Washington D.C. hosts a grand opening.

The new museum鈥檚 space, located at 1900 18th St. NW, celebrates Palestinian history, arts and culture, and 鈥渨ill connect Palestinians throughout the diaspora to evoke pride in Palestinian arts and culture,鈥� according to a press release.

A limited number of . Regular hours 鈥� 12-6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday 鈥� begin on June 20.

鈥淔or too long our stories have been told by others, who portray us in often-negative stereotypes,” said Bshara Nassar, founder of the Museum of the Palestinian People. “We want to share with the world who Palestinians truly are.鈥�

鈥淲hen I first moved to Washington in 2011, there was simply no place to hear or see the stories of Palestinians,鈥� said Nassar. 鈥淔or too long our stories have been told by others, who portray us in often-negative stereotypes. We want to share with the world who Palestinians truly are.鈥�

Rooted in Nasser鈥檚 traveling Nakba Museum Project, which came to 黑料正能量 in 2016, the new museum will open with an exhibit titled 鈥淩e-Imagining A Future.鈥� It features music, painting, collages and other works by Palestinian artists from the United States, Canada, the West Bank, Gaza and Israel, and invites visitors 鈥渢o explore a new imagination of a future for Palestine and the Palestinian people, casting a sense of hope and possibility that has been largely missing from contemporary Palestinian art,鈥� the release said.

On permanent exhibit will be historical documents, textiles and other artifacts detail the history and culture of the Palestinian people, including the displacement of Palestinians from their homeland and the realities of occupied life. The exhibit is curated by Syrian artist Nada Odeh.

A wall of fame features Palestinian scholars, historians, writers, feminists, entrepreneurs, poets and comedians of note.

The museum plans also to offer workshops and cultural events throughout the year, and to partner with other organizations to reach 鈥渂roader audiences committed to its vision of a world without borders.鈥�

Nassar is the fourth generation of the family that owns the educational farm 鈥淭ent of Nations鈥� near Bethlehem. It has been a regular stop on 黑料正能量鈥檚 Middle East trips for over two decades, and last fall, the farm鈥檚 lead spokesperson, Nassar鈥檚 uncle Daoud Nassar, visited 黑料正能量.

Read a 2015 article about Nassar鈥檚 Nakba exhibit.

Discussion on “Grand opening of the Museum of the Palestinian People in Washington D.C. set for June 15”

  1. This project is an important step in sharing the story of the Palestinian people which too many chose to ignore.

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