Ramallah / Occupied Palestinian Territories

In July and August 2009, the project “Dialogue in Pictures” takes place in Ramallah (Occupied Palestinian Territories – OPT). In photographic workshops that last six weeks, participants from Ramallah and cities nearby learn to communicate in pictures. Reading and understanding the own as well as other pictures leads to a more conscious approach to oneself and the individual surroundings. This is the basis for a respectful way of being together. Throughout an educational process, personal topics as well as general issues in photography issues are discussed and reflected upon. The participants decide whether and how they wish to present their perspectives to the public. In local exhibitions and on websites, they are in dialogue with each other as well as with a regional and international public. Photographs that do not represent the typical world of images promoted by the media become visible and tell stories that give new insights.

Project Description in Short

Self-expression through photography gives people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories the opportunity of dealing with their every-day-life marked by restricted mobility and the checkpoints’ effects on liberty and dignity.
According to the idea of empowerment intended by ipsum, the participants take decisions by themselves and have an impact on the process with their needs and constraints.
The participants are given the opportunity to take part in the follow-up project Jerusalem 2010.

Dialogue on Three Levels:

• Dialogue among the group:
  Photographic workshops based on dialogue and reflection foster self-expression of the workshop-participants and their exchange with each other.
  
• Dialogue on a local level in public space:
  The participants’ stories and perspectives are made accessible to the local public through presentations.
  
• Dialogue on a transregional level:
  The pictures are presented in other regions/countries and on different websites. People in different places are thereby provided with insights into unknown realities and can question prejudice.

Project Results:
The planned project...

• empowers people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to state and discuss different opinions and perspectives through photography.
• fosters dialogue between people, within and beyond borders and walls.
• provides photographic documents, views and perspectives that are usually not represented by the media.
• fosters a process of education and perception for participants as well as for visitors of exhibitions and internet portals.
• integrates the participants in a platform of dialogue that steadily increases in terms of members, countries and perspectives.

Partner Organisations and Funding Organisations:

The project “Dialogue in Pictures” consist of three parts: Ramallah 2009 (Occupied Palestinian Territories - OPT), Haifa 2010 (Israel - IL) and Jerusalem 2010. 47% of the project (35.000 €) are financed by the ADC (Austrian Development Cooperation). The project is implemented in cooperation with the following partner organisations:

• Südwind Agentur, (Vienna, A)
• Rainbow Association (Ramallah, OPT)

FördergeberInnen:

• Austrian Development Cooperation  (Vienna, A)
• Magistratsabteilung für Auslandsbeziehungen Wien (Vienna, A)