As part of the ongoing efforts to increase the visibility of Welfare Association (Taawon) in the USA, a dinner was held at the National Arts Club in New York City on the eve of Feb. 25, 2016. Taawon’s renewed efforts in the USA aim to attract funds through Palestinians in the diaspora, American friends, and relevant organizations and foundations. The dinner event including new friends in NY, introduce Taawon and the breadth of its activities with a focus on the Revitalization of Old Cities Program and the Palestinian Museum.
The dinner, organized by Dr. Francis Dubois, former Deputy Coordinator of the Secretary General in the Palestinian Territories, was attended by prominent figures from the UN, UNRWA, UNICEF, ABANA, King Baudouin Foundation, AAANY, prominent individuals with interests in Middle Eastern arts and culture. and Taawon NY based member Mr. Abbas Zuaiter.
Dr. Francis Dubois kicked off the event with welcoming remarks and introductions followed by a presentation of Taawon by Naila Handosh, Director of Fundraising and Outreach for USA & EU at Taawon. She stressed the importance of culture in bridging existing gaps, and the role the revitalization program plays in restoring the Old City of Jerusalem and preserving it for generations to come. She stressed the uniqueness of the Palestinian Museum as it overcomes political and social borders and provides Palestinians with a new narrative; one that is based on hope and humanity rather than disposition and displacement. The Palestinian Museum is like no other museum in the fact that it connects Palestinian in and outside of Palestine, and provides a platform for contemporary dialogue and discussion of Palestinian history and culture.
The guests were very impressed with Taawon’s work and in particular its ability to build the Palestinian Museum under the current difficult situation prevailing in Palestine. Three of the guests wished to honor the Palestinian Museum by donating old Palestinian paintings from their private collections.
An invitation was extended to all the guests to join Taawon for the inauguration of the Palestinian Museum on May 18, 2016 in Palestine. Dr. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian Ambassador to the UN thanked Taawon for the enlightening presentation. He expressed his pride in Taawon and its work, and spoke about the importance of culture in the Palestinian struggle for freedom. He expressed his desire to have a section at the Palestinian Museum at least that commemorates Alnakba and the displacement of Palestinians since 1948.