'Palestina Resists' Tours Najah, the Old City and Balata Refugee Camp

A Spanish Delegation from Catalonia known as 'Palestina Resists' recently toured Nablus with the Zajel Youth Exchange Program of An-Najah University.

The delegation first visited the University campus and viewed presentations by the Youth Exchange Program and University Faculties. Also on the agenda was a presentation concerning the impact of the current situation on the academic process, with a view to promoting the right of Palestinians to an education free from violations by the Israeli Occupation.

The delegation subsequently toured the new campus of the university and enjoyed a performance of Oriental music by the Palestinian instructors of the Fine Arts Faculty. The delegation then visited the Faculty Art Gallery and viewed the paintings of students.

A tour of Nablus old city was also organized, and the delegation members enjoyed their experience of Palestinian heritage as they walked amongst the old buildings and streets. During their tour, the delegation also witnessed the devastation wrought by the Israeli occupation on the historic parts of a city widely regarded as one of the most important cultural sites in Palestine.

The delegation then visited Balata Refugee Camp, the largest West Bank camp in which twenty three thousand refugees live in drastically overcrowded conditions. The Catalan visitors were thus confronted with the reality of Palestinian refugees. This impression was later discussed during the delegation's visit to the Cultural Center of Yafa, where a brief about the refugee problem was presented along with a presentation on the refugee camp itself.

The visit of 'Palestina Resists' was the result of cooperation between the Alternative Tourism Group (ATG) of Bethlehem, and the Zajel Youth Exchange Program, to cultivate awareness of the daily sufferings of the Palestinian people.