GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Gazans are always open to opportunities that might bring them joy, including passionately welcoming the chance to participate in artistic events. The political situation has limited the arts, but that appears to be slowly changing, as evidenced by the recent Palestine International Festival for Dance and Music.
The festival opened in Gaza City on July 27, and in a first, did so in parallel with the festival opening in the West Bank, a landmark in sharing Palestinian art. This was the first year that Gazans took part in the festival and that Gaza hosted festivities, which was founded in 1993 by the Popular Art Centre.