ABOUT US

Bethlehem Cultural Festival is an independent platform for artists and cultural practitioners from Palestine

Bethlehem Cultural Festival was launched digitally in December 2020. A virtual celebration of Palestine’s rich and diverse cultural scene through music, film, dance, cookery and panel discussions.

In 2021 the festival was held in December, with live events in London and in Glasgow alongside online events.

People across the world for centuries, have come together to sing carols and present Nativity plays at Christmas. The Bethlehem Cultural Festival brings us together to remind everyone of the importance of Bethlehem and Palestine – not just historically and geographically but through its arts and cultural scene too.

Renowned theatres, arts and cultural centres and individuals from Palestine, along with up and coming young artists and film makers, have a platform to showcase their work. We will be welcoming them in person and online for the 2022 Festival – a hybrid of digital and physical events from Palestine as well as it’s diaspora.

THE TEAM BEHIND THE FESTIVAL

Festival co-directors: Melissa Scott; Abdelfattah Abusrour; Fadi Kattan

Glasgow marketing and programming: Rachel Mooney, Cairsti Russell

Palestine school outreach coordinator: Manal Odeh (Bethlehem); Amal Mukheirez (Gaza)

UK festival: Angela Feeney

Bethlehem film crew: Mohamed Abu Haniyeh; Wisam Aljafari

UK marketing: Zeina Ramadan

Festival Partners have included: Alrowwad, Amwaj, Bethlehem Municipalty, British Council, Educational Bookshop, Glasgow City Council, National Piping Centre, Scotland’s National Centre for Languages (SCILT)

Branding: Caroline Hagen (Reach)

Website design: Andy Webb (Dreamabstract)

UK registered charity number 1185770: Friends of Bethlehem UK