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The Palestinian National Theatre or El-Hakawati Theatre ( ar, المسرح الوطني الفلسطيني) is a
Palestinian Palestinians ( ar, الفلسطينيون, ; he, פָלַסְטִינִים, ) or Palestinian people ( ar, الشعب الفلسطيني, label=none, ), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs ( ar, الفلسطينيين العرب, label=non ...
-owned
theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...
in
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
's American Colony neighbourhood, near New Orient House. The theatre has been serving to actively encourage and promote Palestinian artistic and cultural activities and collaborates with the Palestinian ministry of culture, several
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...
organisations, and a wide range of local and international
NGO A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active i ...
s. In 1989, guest performance by the El-Hakawati Theatre at
The Public Theater The Public Theater is a New York City arts organization founded as the Shakespeare Workshop in 1954 by Joseph Papp, with the intention of showcasing the works of up-and-coming playwrights and performers.Epstein, Helen. ''Joe Papp: An American L ...
,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * ...
, was cancelled by
Joseph Papp Joseph Papp (born Joseph Papirofsky; June 22, 1921 – October 31, 1991) was an American theatrical producer and director. He established The Public Theater in what had been the Astor Library Building in Lower Manhattan. There Papp created a ...
, as he said that he was afraid that the play would ""offend" Jews who "constitute a high proportion of the theater audience in any city, but especially in New York.""At Papp's Public Theater, a Show of Arrogance
July 15, 1989, by Alisa Solomon,
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...


See also

* Al-Kasaba Theatre


History and general information

The Palestinian National Theater (PNT) plays a vital role in the Palestinian community and until recently was the only Palestinian center for culture and art in Jerusalem. Since its inception in 1984, the theatre has served to actively encourage and promote artistic and cultural activities. The PNT was founded by the Palestinian El-Hakawati Theatre Company. After one year, the management of the center was handed over to a board of directors composed of artists, writers, and notable persons in the Palestinian community. The PNT serves as a forum for cultural and artistic activities, and is working to upgrade and rekindle interest in the arts at the national level. Its mandate goes beyond preserving Palestinian culture, folklore and tradition and includes the active search for new ideas and innovative approaches to Palestinian self-expression.


Mission and objectives

The Palestinian National Theatre (PNT) is a Palestinian non profit cultural institution which strives to create and to develop a unique cultural life in Jerusalem, by way of producing and presenting artistic, educational and entertaining programs that reflect the aspirations of the Palestinian people.


Main projects and activities

The PNT shall work on the basis of a national cultural policy that stems its spiritual strength from the pluralistic history, culture and heritage of Palestine. Its aim is to raise the literary and intellectual awareness of Palestinians by expanding their horizons and developing their awareness in order to produce a community of people that have confidence and pride in themselves and respect for the differences of others. Because children and youth represent the majority of the Palestinian people, the PNT shall give priority to programs that address this vital component of Palestinian society


Awards

The Palestinian National Theater (Hakawati) received the Yasser Arafat Award for Excellence and Creativity in 2016. It is one of the most important cultural monuments in Palestine, but as a whole the institutions of Jerusalem suffer from financial distress, resource scarcity and harassment.


References


External links


Official website
{{Coord missing, Israel Arts organizations established in 1984 Buildings and structures in Jerusalem Palestinian arts Tourist attractions in Jerusalem