See more photos of the visit
Between the 5th and 20th of November, the YMCA-YWCA Joint Advocacy Initiative and the YWCA of Palestine have organized a program in Palestine for a Ten Sing Norway group, coming to learn about the situation in Palestine, visit a variety of historical sites and places, and share their unique blend of creative expression with local communities.
Bringing 24 young adults from the YMCA and YWCA of Norway, Ten Sing is an outlet for young adults to show their creative expression through many media types, such as singing, dancing, drama, band, etc. Ten Sing, which is largely youth run, brings together anyone who wants to be a part of it, no matter who you are or what your skill level is, you are welcome to be a part of Ten Sing. Beyond developing performing arts, Ten Sing teaches life skills through active participation, such as leadership and community dynamics.
The Ten Sing group came in the midst of a wave of violence washing over the region, giving them an opportunity to see the daily reality of life in Palestine up close and personal. Although there has been a greater intensity in violence over the past two months, the group was able to keep safe, taking it as an opportunity to learn and to share an alternative and accurate narrative to what the media provides when they are back home in Norway.
Throughout the program, the Ten Sing group traveled through many parts of West Bank and East Jerusalem. Meeting with different organizations and going on active learning tours, the group learned about the current geopolitical context and historical roots impacting the Palestinian people and land. The Ten Sing group spent time visiting with the YMCAs and YWCAs through the West Bank and East Jerusalem, meeting with youth, giving workshops on singing and drama acting, and performing. Although a large portion of the trip was meeting with local organizations and communities, the Ten Sing group was also able to see some of Palestine’s famous historical and holy sites, such as the Church of Nativity and Shepherds Fields in Bethlehem and Beit Sahour, the old City of Jerusalem, and Jericho and the Jordan River.
One of the main goals of this visit was to start a Ten Sing Program in Palestine. After spending two and a half weeks meeting with different youth groups and learning about the situation in Palestine, the group announced in partnership with the youth of the East Jerusalem YWCA, that they are going to start Ten Sing in Palestine. This program will seek to fuse performance, singing, and dance as a creative outlet and community-building tool for youth and young adults in East Jerusalem and, hopefully as it grows, more places through the West Bank.