Students can exchange art with children of Gaza
A UN-sponsored program will bring US student-created art to the war-torn Gaza strip
Joce DeWitt
Issue date: 4/26/11 Section: News
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Official program coordinator Jessica Campbell, along with colleagues Emmet Whittaker and Shady Athamneh, introduced the cultural exchange program and its benefits to the students of professor Julie Green's Painting I class.
"This is a really wonderful time in history to start working with these kids," Campbell said.
Located in the Middle East on the Mediterranean coast, surrounded by Israel, Gaza is currently under a complete blockade, its citizens frequently going without daily necessities.
On her first trip to Gaza in December 2009, Campbell brought 2,000 backpacks after learning of the lack of school supplies for children in Gaza due to political conflict and isolation in and around the small nation.
"I was reading about the refugee camps, schools being bombed out and that students were having to share pencils," Campbell said, who decided to fundraise for school supplies that were later distributed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
Upon giving supplies to the children, Campbell realized her humanitarian aid was not what the children wanted most.
"The kids cared more about me being there," Campbell said.
In efforts to connect classrooms on the international level and ease sentiments of isolation felt by the children in Gaza, Campbell established the U.S.-Gaza Cultural Exchange.
The program is fully recognized and sponsored by the United Nations and students in the United States can create art of various medias and exchange it with art created by students in Gaza.
In order to generate a cultural awareness of what youth across the world experience in their daily lives, the theme for artwork developed by students in Oregon and Gaza is: What I See When I Look Outside My Window.
Athamneh, a Palestinian student at Western Oregon University, was inspired by the cause after he visited the West Bank two years ago for volunteer work.
"Last time I was there I saw a 10-year-old get shot in the face with a rubber bullet," Athamneh said.
Through the cultural exchange, he hopes to "educate children here through the eyes of children in Gaza."
A political activist for Palestinian rights and member of the Palestine Action Group, Whittaker expressed the dire separation people feel in Gaza, especially children, due to government-imposed regulations and limited points of entry into the country.
Gaza, a country of 1.8 million people, is 25 miles long, 8 miles wide at the widest point and completely isolated by a concrete wall.
"Freedom of movement is a huge issue," Campbell said.
Since the UNRWA supports the program, school and refugee camp, the likelihood of the children receiving the supplies is much higher.
The U.S.-Gaza Cultural Exchange plans to travel to Gaza in July with the artwork of American students, including those done by OSU students in Green's Painting I class.
"This is the first step, to hear about Gaza and the history of Gaza," Green said. "The best way to become a painter is to gain an overview."
For more information on the U.S.-Gaza Cultural Exchange and how to contribute, visit gazaexchange.org.
Joce DeWitt, staff writer
737-2231 news@dailybarometer.com
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