Scholar and former ambassador to the Netherlands Cynthia Schneider takes us behind the scenes at the Freedom Theatre and no, it’s not located in Hollywood or New York City, but inside the Jenin refugee camp in Palestine. As Ms. Schneider pens, “Against all odds, The Freedom Theatre, a beacon of creativity, discipline, and vision located in the heart of Jenin refugee camp, recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. Known for its fierce fighters and its conservatism, Jenin refugee camp, where over 16,000 live on one square kilometer, increasingly is known as well for its art.”
Juliano Mer Khamis was the theatre’s founder and despite his unfortunate death five years ago, his legacy continues to live on. As Ms. Schneider writes, “Mer Khamis urged his acting students to wage a cultural intifada, warning that the occupation of the mind was more dangerous than the occupation of the body. Unlike many charismatic leaders, Mer Khamis developed an institution, not a cult of personality (even though he was adored). Following Juliano’s untimely and unsolved murder in 2011 — he was shot sitting in his car just outside the theater, with his infant son in his lap – the devastated theater soldiered on, a living testament to the powerful impact of his teaching and vision.”
“When Juliano died he gave us the strength to continue and he showed us the strength we had in ourselves, so we kept going,” says 24 year old Ahmad Matahen who studied at the theatre. Mer Khamis encouraged him to discover his individual talent and he now studies stage design in Bethlehem. A clear success story when many at the refugee camp say they don’t want to live because they have no jobs – no life – says Ahmad.
