The Palestinian Head of Mission, H.E. Ms. Rawan Sulaiman with Ms. Anissa Rabbani, a Palestinian lady in national dress.
By Sofie Victoria T. Hagen.
On Thursday the 29th of November, diplomats, ambassadors, as well as members of the Palestinian people and their allies, gathered in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in The Hague for a ceremony hosted by The Palestinian Mission to the Netherlands.
The occasion was the UN International day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, and it is clear that the importance of this occasion was not lost on the attendees.
The event started off with an introduction to Palestinian culture, namely Palestinian music, by “The Trio Nur”, to the delight of the guests. “The Trio Nur”, first performed independently, and then were joined by two Dutch musicians on the violin and contrabass.
Subsequently, the Palestinian Head of Mission, H.E. Ms. Rawan Sulaiman, held a moving speech conveyed both in English, as well as her native tongue, Palestinian Arabic.
In her speech, Ambassador Sulaiman emphasized her appreciation for the growing support she has seen from the Dutch people throughout her two years as Ambassador in The Netherlands. Additionally, she shed light on the harsh reality of the current situation the Palestinian people face, saying “The UN designated this special day as a constant reminder that the Palestine question remains unresolved, and that the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights, including the right to self-determination, are yet to be attained”.
Furthermore, she underlined the importance of marking this day, as it “serves as recognition that Palestinians are not alone, and have not been forgotten”.
Moreover, the Ambassador’s words in context with the location of the evening’s event was not lost on the attendees.
The Ambassador quoted President Mahmoud Abbas, saying “We await the day when we may together celebrate the freedom of our people in the independent state of Palestine”, as well as, in the words of the poet Mahmoud Darwish, “To be Palestinian is to be inflicted with incurable hope.”
The event ended with the guest’s admiration of the paintings the church had been decorated with prior to the event, all carefully executed by the Palestinian artists Maha Abu Shibab, Tarek AlAssad, and Nabeel Shoublak, who all have found themselves in refugee camps in Lebanon and Syria.
Traditional Palestinian food was also served, provided by Darwish food, and was enjoyed by all attendees. The artworks and food both reminded the guests of the Ambassador’s words:
“Culture is a very powerful tool, through which we can spread awareness, and come together as peoples of the world, in support of freedom, justice, and peace. Through culture and music, we build bridges, dialogue, and tolerance.”
