Palestinian refugees at the Husn Camp north of Amman, locally known as Martyr Azmi al-Mufti Camp, have covered the walls facing a school with Palestinian symbols and slogans after similar art painted on the school itself was erased.

The coordinator of the initiative, Azzam Abu Malouh, told Al-Monitor, “The people of the camp came up with the idea. The refugees donated money to buy the paint while 10 Palestinian artists, both from the camp and outside, volunteered to paint. They believe it is important to remind the refugee children of the Palestinian cause and their homeland and to keep it alive in their hearts.”

He continued, “Painting on the walls of houses and shops surrounding the UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East] school is only the first stage. Later on, we will work on changing the names of stores to the names of Palestinian towns and villages, adding some symbols and banners related to the Palestinian cause and the right of return.”

The initiative came in response to the decision by the UNRWA to remove various drawings and symbols from the walls of the school at the end of August. In a spontaneous, unorganized activity, professional and amateur artists in the camp had decorated the walls with the names of Palestinian towns and villages whose residents were driven out and displaced in 1948 and 1967 during what is known as the Palestinian Nakba (Catastrophe) and Naksa (Setback). They also painted flags and slogans in support of the right of return.