Madrid Hosts 30+ Nations to Save Palestinian Culture from ‘Systematic Erasure’

Madrid Hosts 30+ Nations to Save Palestinian Culture from ‘Systematic Erasure’

More than 30 countries are gathering in Madrid for a ministerial conference to protect Palestinian culture, which Spanish officials say is under deliberate attack during the ongoing war.

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The Ministerial Conference for the Culture of Palestine, running from July 14 to 16 in Madrid, brings together delegations from over 30 nations alongside UNESCO and the Arab League. Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun warned that “every bomb not only destroys buildings, it destroys lives, memory, and future,” adding that “any genocide also implies a cultural genocide.” The Palestinian ambassador to Spain, Husni Abdel Wahed, accused Israel of a “systematic policy to destroy every trace of culture and future of the Palestinian people,” citing attacks on cultural centers, libraries, and universities in Gaza and the West Bank [191972].

The conference will focus on protecting artists and safeguarding cultural heritage, with Palestinian Minister of Culture Emad Hamdan in attendance. Oscar-winning Palestinian director Basel Adra, whose documentary “No Other Land” won international acclaim, will also participate. A public event called the “Citizen Agora” will be open on July 14 and 15, featuring cultural projects and cooperation programs with Palestine [191972].

The gathering comes as the 71st anniversary of the Asian-African Conference (AAC) was commemorated in Bandung, Indonesia, where the Palestinian issue took center stage. The event highlighted ongoing calls for solidarity among Asian and African nations in supporting Palestinian rights [194320].

Sources

Madrid Hosts Global Forum to Protect Palestinian Culture Amid War #191972Asian-African Conference Turns 71: Palestinian Issue Takes Center Stage #194320

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