Madrid Hosts Global Forum to Protect Palestinian Culture Amid War

More than 30 countries will meet in Madrid next week for a conference aimed at protecting Palestinian culture, which the Spanish government says is under attack. The event, called the Ministerial Conference for the Culture of Palestine, will take place from July 14 to 16. It is organized by Spain’s Ministry of Culture, led by Ernest Urtasun. “When a people suffers, their culture is often one of the first wounds, because it holds their memory, identity, and will to exist,” Urtasun said Thursday. The conference will bring together delegations from over 30 nations, as well as organizations like UNESCO and the Arab League. Palestinian Minister of Culture Emad Hamdan will also attend. Among the artists present is Basel Adra, the Palestinian director of the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land.” Urtasun stressed the urgency of the meeting. “Culture is not a luxury that can wait until the emergency ends,” he said. “Every bomb not only destroys buildings, it destroys lives, memory, and future. Any genocide also implies a cultural genocide.” The Palestinian ambassador to Spain, Husni Abdel Wahed, thanked Spain for its support. He said Israel’s attacks on cultural centers, libraries, and universities in Gaza and the West Bank are not random. “They are the product of a systematic policy to destroy every trace of culture and future of the Palestinian people,” he said. The conference will focus on several key topics. These include protecting artists and creators, safeguarding cultural heritage, and strengthening Palestinian identity and collective memory. It will also discuss using art and literature as tools for resilience and recovery. A public event called the “Citizen Agora” will be open to visitors on July 14 and 15. It will feature cultural projects and cooperation programs with Palestine. The conference will be held at three major Madrid museums: the Prado, the Thyssen, and the Reina Sofía.