Elusive Voices: Preserving the Stories of Elderly Palestinian Refugees

Palestinian director, Muhammad Ibrahim, directed a series of interviews capturing the experiences of refugees from 180 villages. Documenting information that has been erased elsewhere, these interviews hold a great historical importance in addition to a significant cultural value to the identity of past and present Palestinians.

Palestinians in exile are one of the most enduring refugee communities in the world. The proposed survey will lead to the digitization and preservation of 359 DVDs containing approximately 700 hours of interviews with elderly Palestinian refugees recorded between 2009 and 2015 in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The Arab Resource Center for Popular Arts will undertake the digitization in Beirut, Lebanon, which works with marginalized communities and produces resources for children and youth. This project will ensure the preservation of the memories of refugee elders, which are becoming increasingly elusive.

Project Details


Location: Lebanon, Middle East, Asia Organiser(s): Modern Endangered Archives Programme (MEAP) Project partner(s): Carleton University; Arab Resource Center for Popular Arts (AL-JANA) Funder(s): Arcadia Funding received: $15,000.00 Commencement Date: 03/2022 Project Status: Active
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