Emotion and high attendance characterized the opening of the photographic exhibition ‘I Grant You Refuge – Photographs from Gaza’, hosted across the Arca, the Civic Art Gallery, and the IAT office in Teramo.
The initiative, produced by the Municipality of Ravenna and curated by Paolo Patruno, received support and hospitality from the Municipality of Teramo.
Held under the patronage of the National Anci (Association of Italian Municipalities), the Abruzzo Region, the Province of Teramo, and the University of Teramo, the exhibition features the work of six Palestinian photographers – Shadi Al-Tabatibi, Mahdy Zourob, Mohammed Hajjar, Saeed Mohammed Jaras, Omar Naaman Ashtawi, and Jehad Al-Sharafi. Their images offer a direct view into the dramatic living conditions within the Gaza Strip.
The official inauguration followed the screening of a video by Palestinian reporter Mahomud Isleem, who was killed in Gaza. The exhibition’s title draws inspiration from a poem by writer Hiba Abu Nada, who died in Khan Yunis on October 20, 2023.
Shadi Al-Tabatibi, present at the opening, delivered a particularly moving address: “Gaza is a land full of pain but one that refuses to stop dreaming. Today, children cannot sleep even five minutes because of the bombings. The people of Gaza are living through a massacre, a genocide.”
Teramo Mayor Gianguido D’Alberto, also serving as Anci delegate for reception policies, emphasized the role of municipalities in building peace. Also speaking was Professor Guido Saraceni, who described Gaza as “an unmatched example of cruelty,” alongside representatives of the patron institutions: Giovanni Cavallari for the Regional Council, Andrea Core for the Province, Rossella Di Federico for the University, Rosanna De Antoniis for Anci Abruzzo, and Giovanna Santandrea for Ravenna’s Casa delle Cultures.
CGIL, Emergency, Amnesty International, the SAI Teramo (Reception and Integration System), and volunteers from the Patto per la Lettura (Reading Pact) were also involved. Elena Calaudi del Braga delivered an emotional vocal performance. The exhibition, running until September 7, also includes drawings from the “HeArt of Gaza” showcase, created by Palestinian children, some of whom did not survive the conflict.