During the Palestinian Naqba of 1948, the Asfours were driven out of Jaffa  to Lebanon, and eventually emigrated to the United States in the early seventies. Mrs. Victoria Asfour bought these dresses during one of her trips back to Palestine while residing in California. The Foundation would like to thank Hala Asfour Hunt for her generosity and moral support of PHF activities. 

The next day, Thursday, we visited AL BADIA embroidery workshop downtown Beirut and toured both Sabra and Shatila refugee camps. Walking in the narrow alleys and seeing poverty at its worst, we stopped to pay tribute to the hundreds of Palestinians massacred by the fanatic and racist Phalange, who were buried in one mass grave within the camp. Eventually, we stopped at a  nursery school serving as the home to many young Palestinian girls, and run by Association Najdeh. The building was run down, the girls and the teacher sat on the floor, but the moral was very high. 

PHF to Participates in Arizona Exhibit

The Palestinian Heritage Foundation was recently asked to participate in an exhibit relative to the history of the Arab-American community in Arizona. Crossing Boundaries: The Arab-American Experience in Central Arizona is scheduled to open at the Mesa Southwest Museum in October, 2004 and last until March 6, 2005

In a letter received from the Mesa Southwest Museum, City of Mesa, both, Franak Hilloowala, Guest Curator and Keith Foster, Curator of History requested the Foundation to help in borrowing selections of the Munayyer Collection to be displayed during the exhibition.

The exhibit will be divided into three sub-themes; an introductory element, a historical element and a cultural traditions element. Within the second and third sub-themes there will be seven separate sections or exhibit areas.

The introductory element will include a definition of the exhibit's main title," Crossing Boundaries," relating to the process of immigration to the United States in general. This exhibit will mark the first in a series of exhibits that will focus on a group-by-group experience in immigration to the U.S. and their ultimate impact on the economic, political and cultural development of central Arizona. The introductory element will also include a brief explanation of the intent of the exhibit and the identification and definition of the focus group-Arab-Americans.

The next element of the exhibit will explore the history of Arabic-speaking immigrants to the U.S. and their communities in Arizona. This area will include three sections - a general history of Arab-American immigration to the United States, early Arab immigrants in the Valley (pre WWII) and later Arab immigrants in the Valley (post WWII). The history of both earlier immigrants who were predominantly Christians from Lebanon and Syria and the later immigrants predominantly Muslim who came from other areas of the Middle East arriving in the greater-Phoenix area will be defined through work/profession, culture/tradition and community involvement/contribution.

The third and final element of the exhibit will focus on various cultural traditions that are still prevalent to one extent or another among Arab-Americans and recent Arab immigrants in central Arizona. Included in this area will be educational information as well as artifacts that will underscore costumes and dress, language, family/generosity/hospitality and music. Text and objects will compliment and build on previous components as well as presenting a positive and accurate image of Arab culture.

The American Museum of Natural History here will open a spectacular exhibition on Jordan's greatest historical attraction on October 18, 2003.

"Petra: Lost City of Stone," under patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan, will showcase archaeological artifacts, sculptures and reliefs, ceramic ware, metalwork, ancient inscriptions, and sections from some of the most famous monuments of the city long hidden and forgotten in the desert of southern Jordan. It was rediscovered by a Swiss explorer in the early 19th Century.

Texts interspersed with the displays will relate how Nabataean tribesmen founded the "rose-red" city 2,500 years ago, developed it into the leading trading center of Arabia, and carved ornate temples, colonnades, theaters, civic buildings and dwellings from the steep sandstone cliffs that enclose Jordan's number one visitor attraction.

The exhibition will continue through July 6, 2004 and is the first major cultural exhibition jointly mounted by the USA and Jordan. It will open in Cincinnati in September 2004 and then move to several other cities in the USA and Canada.

"Petra: Lost City of Stone" was organized by the American Museum of Natural History and the Cincinnati Art Museum with the assistance of the Jordan Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the American Center for Oriental Research in Amman, Jordan.

Treasures of Palestine showcases a wide selection of traditional material ranging from costumes, embroidery, jewelry and ceramics to mother-of-pearl inlay work, posters, photography and olive wood sculptures. Through these objects, visitors to the exhibition can appreciate the richness and depth of Palestine's cultural heritage. 

These artistic and documentary materials cover significant historical periods: to 1948, and through to the present. They represent the integrity of a living tradition and of cultural and spiritual continuity within Palestine and throughout the Palestinian diaspora. The beautiful mother-of-pearl collection of contemporary work demonstrates both the Christian and Islamic religious traditions of the Palestinian people. 

Objects such as the mother-of-pearl nativity scene and a model of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, made in Bethlehem, are evocative of age-old traditions. Other Christian objects include olive wood rosary beads and carvings of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and the Last Supper. 

A banknote and a selection of coins are of particular importance and are symbolic in their representation as social history documents. For example, the banknote was produced in Britain in 1939, features an image of the Dome of the Rock and is printed in Arabic, Hebrew and English. Embroidery, seen in Palestine as being important in keeping cultural traditions alive, is also featured in the exhibition. 

The collection illustrates how patterns and colors have changed since 1948 to include iconic images such as olives, wheat and even the word Palestine. Treasures of Palestine invites visitors to engage with the Palestinian people themselves and their strong sense of identity as reflected in their material culture. Moreover, the exhibition encourages us to see beyond the present conflict to the people of Palestine. 

Community Cultural Days Linked to the exhibition will be two Community Days on 29 and 30 November. Experience the diversity of Palestinian history, culture and tradition with performances of classical Arabic music, poetry readings, a talk on and demonstrations of tatreez embroidery and screenings of Palestinian films.

The material in Treasures of Palestine is from the collection of Mr Ali Kazak, Head, General Palestinian Delegation to Australia with the support of Al-Maktoum Foundation, National Australia Bank and Arab Bank. 

The Foundation's video Palestinian Costumes and Embroidery: A Precious Legacy is being showcased during the exhibition hours.