The Palestine Writing Workshop, in partnership with by the Palestinian NGO Riwaq, organize story telling and workshops for children in the Ottoman Dar Khalil Palace in Jama’een renovated by Riwaq
Eleven months ago I made a life-changing decision to transition from being a writer to working as a writer. It wasn’t quite so brave. I was pretty much forced to make the choice as I moved from one job to another, not finding satisfaction in anything I did, always knowing my work didn’t align with my greatest passion, writing.
I quit my work and began thinking of ways to freelance as a writer. But being a writer in Palestine does not generate enough for anybody to live on. So I started searching for organizations to work with.
Two years ago I took a workshop with the Palestine Festival of Literature’s sister organization, the Palestine Writing Workshop. The training was given by a very creative writer and teacher, Dr. Elmaz Abinader, who had an unexpected, major impact on my life. I discovered that the greatest work I could do was to pass forward my love of writing to others. With the knowledge learned and experience gained by teaching creative writing to children and youth, I led my first summer creative writing workshop. From there, I began leading story telling activities in festivals and camps. I discovered my gift as a creative writing teacher and storyteller. It is work that both fulfills and pays forward again and again.
After giving my first workshop, I began to believe in the difference creative writing allowed for in the lives of children and adults. When a mother tells me the difference she sees in her child after eight sessions of creative writing, I know that our work does something formal education in Palestine never has—it empowers and makes possible great change.
It is not about creating a generation of writers, but about playing with writing and reading to render possible our development as individuals and communities.
The Palestine Writing Workshop, in partnership with by the Palestinian NGO Riwaq, organize story telling and workshops for children in the Ottoman Dar Khalil Palace in Jama’een renovated by Riwaq
Recently I began working with PalFest / PWW on another project, which is very powerful and valuable. We work in partnership with Riwaq—center for architectural conservation on cultural rehabilitation of historic buildings in villages where Riwaq has rehabilitated spaces for community use.
In this project we empower youth through playing with reading, writing and illustration to help them value their heritage. We also have a long term goal in using the buildings renovated by Riwaq as cultural centers and developing long term relationships with these centers and their youth.
For most of our children, reading and writing are boring at best, often threatening academic labor. They don’t think of them as play. We strive to change that.
I am a different person one year after I decided to embrace creative education through writing and reading, choosing to pass my knowledge and skills to others and touch young lives. PalFest / PWW make this possible by offering me not only a job but far more important by believing in my talent and helping me translate my skills and passion into education and change.
Morgan Cooper, educational coordinator
PalFest
www.palestineworkshop.org
Twitter : Facebook
Tags: ICT
