A group of 20 young Palestinians will showcase a circus performance, partnered with their Belgian counterparts, in five Belgian cities throughout the month of July.
They are part of the Palestinian Circus School, a non-profit organisation established in 2006. Their trip represents the second phase of an exchange initiative with Belgium. Last summer, Belgian circus performers travelled to Palestine, but security concerns led to their proposed tour being cut short, confining the group to Ramallah in the central West Bank.
"Since then, escalating violence in Gaza and increasingly in the West Bank has complicated the context surrounding their upcoming visit to Belgium," said the organisation.
The exchange project aims to use the universal language of circus as a tool to confront the current realities in Gaza. "In this 'language', they can narrate their personal stories, express themselves uncensored and discuss issues close to their hearts," explained the association.
Performances are set for Saturday 20 July at Quel Cirque in Anderlecht, Tuesday 23 July at Miramiro in Ghent, Thursday 25 July at Kruidtuin in Mechelen, Friday 26 July at Hal 5 in Leuven, and Saturday 27 July at Cirque Plus in Bruges.
