tuque /tūk/ n Canadian English, var. toque [19th c. Canadian French, from the French toque, from the Basque tauka] 1 A close-fitting knitted cap, often with a long tapering end or tassel or pompom. 2 fig Something quintessentially Canadian.
souq /sūk/ n from the Arabic سوق var. souk 1 An open-air marketplace. 2 fig A central meeting place for the circulation of news and ideas.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Jenin's Freedom Theatre Embraces 2012

2011 was a year of tough perseverance for the Freedom Theatre in Jenin Refugee Camp, Palestine. The joint Palestinian-Israeli project -- a collective community rehabilitation endeavor, art school and theatre troupe -- suffered an enormous tragedy with the April 4 murder (still unsolved) of its founder and leader, Juliano Mer Khamis.

Israeli military raids into Jenin Refugee Camp have intensified lately, with the targets including Freedom Theatre volunteers. Co-founder Zakaria Zubeidi, a former leader of the camp's armed resistance to Israeli occupation who renounced violence in 2006, recently had his amnesty revoked by Israel and faces possible re-arrest.

To welcome a new and hopefully more peaceful year, the Freedom Theatre is engaging supporters in a fundraising campaign to sustain its various programs, including the acting school, photography school, community art projects and stage productions. From its latest press release:

The accomplishments of The Freedom Theatre over the past six years are many and we are confident that we will continue implementing creative projects that change the lives of children and youth in the local community – but we need your assistance. You can best help us by signing up for a monthly donation program, becoming a long-term partner of The Freedom Theatre. We hope to get 1000 people from around the world to donate at least 10 USD/EUR or equivalent per month.

If you're so inclined, please support the Freedom Theatre. For more information [shameless plug alert] check out this 2007 article from This Magazine, written by Tuque Souq author Richard A. Johnson.

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