The Gaza Strip is sadly known because of constant conflict, bombings, blockage and unequal confrontation. People there struggle to get over all this suffering and still try to find new ways to create a better present, to turn bitterness into hope and destruction into construction. Gaza has not only asked Where is our justice? but also Where are our paintings?Where is our cloth? Where are our handicrafts? What can we create?
A group of young people from Gaza has both asked and answered these questions. Youthbank, a youth-led group that helps young people decide how to use resources and strengthen their own communities, decided to work together and create a Bazaar where young people who make products by hand (jewelry, embroidery, graphics, woodwork, pottery, food) could market and display their creations at the University of Palestine. Their work is not only energetic and resourceful; it is also inspiring in the truest sense of the world, born of a spirit and resilience that refuses to be limited by the blows dealt to their home.
With the funding of Dalia Association and the help of the American Friends Service Committee in Gaza they finally succeeded in the creation of this Bazaar. The Bazaar itself was held for two days in December 2009, and it was a spectacular success. Around 450 people attended, and at least 200 purchased something – which is an impressive percentage. What this means, too, is that people felt moved and impressed by the young people’s initiative and skill, and that they were compelled to support them. It’s possible to buy mass-produced, cheaply-made handicrafts for much less money, but this Bazaar was about something very different: community, strategy, and solidarity.
The success of the Bazaar also meant a lot for young people in Gaza as they gained skills and confidence from their work. This experience stands as an example for young people not only there but also everywhere in the world. It’s an example of team work, determination and how to overcome deprivation together; it shows us how a strong will to get ahead and change reality can actually accomplish this through believing in oneself and trusting other people to go for it.
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