On Sunday 15^th June, our local group hosted Palestinian poet, Dana Dajani, and her piece ‘An Olive Branch’. This evening of Spoken Word Poetry and curated conversation is shaped by the location and attendees, with Dajani skilfully using her poems as a tool for connection and solidarity.

Audience members represented the diverse and complex personal narratives of many Birmingham residents. Some have long-time family roots in the region, others joined us from international university exchanges. Many had family heritage narratives from or experiencing parallels with Palestine.

Birmingham’s specific history of solidarity with Palestine was embodied by the special guests. Birmingham-born Clare Short, Former Minister of

State for Development of the United Kingdom, spoke powerfully on the need for strengthened systems of international solidarity*. Birmingham poet and local group member, Zakariye, represented a new generation of artists engaging with horizontal solidarity. Qian Zephaniah gifted us with a reading of ‘People need People’ from the work of her late husband, the poet Benjamin Zephaniah. We were also blessed by a message from Lynne Segal, including her sharing from the powerful poem ‘Red Sea’. This poem, by Puerto Rican Jewish poet Aurora Levins Morales, ends with the powerful message ‘This time it’s all of us or none.’

It is a testament to Danjani’s skill as a host and MC that this evening of solidarity with Palestine so elegantly extended an olive branch towards Birmingham. She held space for the rich range of narratives from and about Palestine and reminded us of the strength of listening and sharing.

by Bella (co-secretary, B12, B13, B14) 

References

*For more of Short’s perspectives on strengthening ‘the UN and other multilateral institutions…and an increase in the capacity to prevent and end conflict’, see her article ‘Reconsidering Britain’s role in the world’-https://www.clareshort.org/articles/reconsidering-britains-role-in-the-world

https://palestinecampaign.org/tribute-to-psc-patron-benjamin-zephaniah/

http://www.auroralevinsmorales.com/red-sea.html

People need people, Benjamin Zephaniah- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsC3QAFrf8E