In the Spring of this year I visited the shockingly overcrowded Shatila refugee camp in downtown Beirut. Several close friends of mine have been there, are from there or have lived there at various times, including 1982 when the massacre happened and most of the camps was destoyed, killing over 3000 people. So it was quite an emotional journey into the heart of the camp, where I met some wonderful people and joined a musical ensemble. I wanted to go back and bring more music, especially to the women and children living in the camp, and collaborate with local musicians, so I was naturally overjoyed to be invited to join a deligation of Palestinian women to commemorate the 36th anniverary with a tour of 13 refugee camps around the country. The plan is to sing well known and much loved Arabic songs, particulaly the ones from and about Palestine, accompanied by oud and cello, to the communities in the camps we visit during our 10 day tour, which will conclude with a big event in Shatila.In order to make this all possible I need to raise money to cover my travel expenses and basic shared accommodation. Anything you can give will be an great support towards bridging the scattered Palestinian diapora communities, making sure the Palestinian people resident in the camps in Lebanon as of the past 70 years are not forgotten and honouring the memory of all those martyred there.

Photos by Fatima Helow and Julia Katarina. The profile picture is of an acrylic painting by Fiona Green fionaskene@hotmail.com