From the biggest festivals to the smallest comedy shows, the world of art and culture has found itself wrestling with genocide in Palestine. In many cases, these discussions sidelined Palestinian voices, concerned more with rhetoric than the stark reality of lives lost every day. Welcome To The Fringe, Palestine was a necessary salve, reminding people how a country being decimated still brimmed with a unique and vibrant culture. 

Spearheaded by a core group including Farah Saleh, David Greig, Sara Shaarawi and Henry Bell, it took place in Portobello and featured theatre, dance, comedy, food, storytelling, music and poetry from across the Palestinian diaspora, centring its focus on the call for liberation from oppression. Given the incredible strain that many of these artists have been placed under, the fact that this festival could host them at all is a herculean feat, one bolstered by a crowdfunder which raised close to £40,000. 

At a time when many feel hopeless in the face of global conflict and the geopolitical impotence of Britain’s government, this was a deftly handled celebration of the power of art to foster hope, connection and understanding. More importantly, it broadened the perception of a Palestinian culture which has been viewed through a stubbornly myopic western lens. 

Main picture: Oliver King. 

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