In collaboration with the Institute for Palestine Studies
The author Mayssoun Sukarieh in conversation with Sarah Zahran

Wednesday, August 7th | 13:00-14:30
Location: The Palestinian Museum and via Zoom
Language: Arabic

Return Starts with You
By Mayssoun Sukarieh Illustrated by Hilmi al-Tuni

The event includes a creative writing activity inspired by the novel’s plot. Return Starts With You tells the story of two Palestinian teenagers from Shatila refugee camp, Ramla and Aed, who set out to discover where they are from and why they are refugees. In their dreams, they encounter an ancient Olive Tree from Palestine who challenges them by telling them that “Return starts with them.” Unable to understand what the Olive Tree means, Ramla and Aed set out to solve the Olive Tree's riddle. Will they succeed?

Through the course of the book, readers will learn about the traditional tatreez (embroidery) patterns and folk songs of Palestine, as well as the Nakba, Palestinian resistance, and the Right of Return. The book is based on questions that Palestine refugee children have long asked about their own lives and is written especially for teenagers.

About the speakers:

Mayssoun Sukarieh: Reader in the Department of International Development at King’s College London, and a research fellow at the Institute for Palestine Studies. She holds a PhD from UC Berkeley. Part of her research is connected to the knowledge production of refugees in Lebanon.

Sarah Zahran: Zahran holds a master’s degree in sociology from Birzeit University. She is interested in the arts and education and currently works at the Palestinian Museum as the Yasmine & Laila Qaddumi Education Unit officer.

Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86010849481?pwd=lKN3uD3z07pPUYCf1LiVc39HeaN20l.1

Meeting ID: 860 1084 9481
Passcode: 1948