On a vibrant night at Point Ephemere in Paris, Kalam Aflam hosted an unforgettable evening themed "Figs & Olives." In accordance with the mission of Artists Against Apartheid (AAA) and against the backdrop of events unfolding in Gaza, the night was dedicated to uplifting Palestinian voices through the power of arts and culture until a permanent and immediate ceasefire is declared.
“We chose the theme ‘Figs and Olives’ months and months ago, but it resonates more deeply than ever today because it's olive harvesting season everywhere, but especially in Palestine, where for decades Palestinian farmers have been prevented from accessing their groves and peacefully harvesting their olives, as well as where thousands of olive trees have been uprooted and burnt. I want us to keep this in mind as we go through the evening tonight and through all the artistic forms that we'll be exploring. But beyond that, figs and olives have long defined our region. We drizzle olive oil, whether it's on fool in Alexandria or hummus in Beirut. And olive trees and cacti have defined the landscapes that we drive by from Ben Sleiman in Morocco to Jenin in Palestine. Tonight is really a night for us to remember the roots that connect us to each other, that connect us to our homelands,” said founder Hayat Aljowaily to open the night.
The cultural evening commenced with a sit-down dinner prepared by Yalla Traiteur, led by the Syrian chef Kinan Koudsi. Yalla Traiteur, with its commitment to gastronomy and environmental consciousness, treated attendees to a delectable menu of Levantine mezzes, capturing the rich flavors and cultural heritage of the region. The dinner was complemented by a tasting of olive oil from the renowned Tunisian brand Kaia, a family-led, direct-trade olive oil company deeply rooted in community, culture, and sustainability, helmed by Sarah Ben Romdane.
“We're here today to share in this connection with the land, to use it as a form of expression, as a form of solidarity. But most importantly, as a form of resistance. This is why we're why we're here today. Our presence here is resistance in itself, resistance against those that want our voices to be silenced, our experiences to cease to exist. We're here to say no to that. We are here to showcase our culture, our food, our art, and just the collective action of sharing our traditional meals together. It’s also an act of solidarity with those who are carrying out acts of resistance every single day on the ground in Palestine and [...] What we would love to see from this night is really a collective form of empowerment, where we share and enjoy each other's food, each other's art, our people's culture, our people's expressions of love, joy, sadness, pain, grief, anger and yearning for freedom and for liberation,” shared Palestinian co-founder Abood Al Bakri.
As the evening unfolded, Hekayyatna, a London-based non-profit, led a captivating conversation about "Food as Resistance." Attendees were invited to explore the profound ways in which culinary traditions have resisted colonization, erasure, and oppression. The interactive session delved into topics of resilience, tradition, and the unspoken tales behind what we eat.
This enlightening dialogue was followed by an engaging conversation between Hekayyatna's Zeina Dowidar and Dalia Soumi from La Palestine Nous Rassemble, where they discussed culture, transmission, and displacement.
“Food is not just nutrition, and food is not just ingredients. Food is not just stuff that we eat to survive. Food is is linked to creativity, it's linked to folklore, it's linked to, in certain cultures, to traditional dances that are going to be inspired by certain foods and vice versa. It’s linked to health. The way that we eat, our relationship to different ingredients, is, of course, before all of these things, it's linked to land to nature,” explained Dalia Soumi.
The night continued with a curated selection of Palestinian short films, including "Zaytoona" by Naima Almajdobah, "Zaitoon Sitti" by Jenna Masoud, and "Maradona’s Legs" by Firas Khoury.
The event concluded with mesmerizing live music performances by Egyptian TikTok sensation Maria Edward, who blended Arab classics with American blues and rock, and the Algerian artist and activist Chekbo, a musical nomad seamlessly transitioning between genres and languages.
Kalam Aflam, founded by Egyptian filmmaker and cultural programmer Hayat Aljowaily, alongside Palestinian-Jordanian marketing specialist Abood al Bakri and art director Jannah Rizk, continues to be a beacon of cultural exchange, solidarity, and artistic expression.
Kalam Aflam is a Paris-based association which aims to create a space for Arab & North African arts and culture, while giving a platform to young and emerging artists from the region.
PHOTOS [FULL ALBUM]: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wJIXQnUzSMf0luyZ0Rxgt5R6fVKfQU3J?usp=drive_link
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