Ramallah, occupied West Financial institution – Shireen Abu Akleh’s radiant smile and compassionate face greeted and escorted the lots of of attendees from the doorway into the Ramallah Cultural Palace to their seats.
The 700-seat auditorium was full on Tuesday evening for the occasion organised by the Standard Artwork Middle (PAC), a Ramallah-based Palestinian cultural organisation, whose board Shireen sat on.
Massive banners and photos of the slain Al Jazeera reporter in memorable moments all through her 51-year life lead the viewers right into a poignant but painful memorial ceremony held two days earlier than the primary anniversary of her killing.
Quite a few Palestinian political, spiritual and cultural leaders, together with Atallah Hanna, the pinnacle of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, in addition to ministers from the Palestinian Authority, have been in attendance.
The viewers was taken on a superbly executed journey of conventional and modern music and dance performances devoted to Shireen, in addition to statements made by her household, mates, and colleagues, that left many in tears.
“It was a really outstanding, shifting and unhappy occasion – it was as if she left us in the present day, not a 12 months in the past,” attendee Vivienne al-Dalou, who got here together with her younger daughter, advised Al Jazeera.
“We got here as a result of it’s a part of protecting Shireen’s reminiscence alive. All she has given us and Palestine can’t be forgotten and can stay in our hearts. Till now, we’re very affected by her killing. She is a martyr who left us too quickly, and she is going to stay an icon,” stated al-Dalou.
Shireen was a veteran reporter from Jerusalem who was shot useless by an Israeli soldier on Could 11, 2022, whereas clearly recognized in a press vest and helmet and reporting on an Israeli military raid on the Jenin refugee camp within the northern occupied West Financial institution.
She was a family identify all through Palestine and the Arab world for greater than 20 years whereas working as an Al Jazeera Arabic TV correspondent masking the Israeli occupation.
“Throughout this 12 months, we handed via many phases and challenges with a purpose to try to obtain the justice for Shireen that so many have been ready for,” Tony Abu Akleh, Shireen’s brother, stated on stage.
“Not merely justice for the assassination of Shireen, however for the assassination of each Palestinian by the hands of the brutal occupation, that’s sadly accustomed to this sort of vanity with out accountability,” he continued.
Iman Hammouri, PAC director, gave an emotional assertion together with Walid al-Omari, the pinnacle of the Al Jazeera Palestine workplace, and Rula Muzaffar, who was an in depth pal of Shireen’s.
“A 12 months has handed together with your colleagues and I drowning within the heartbreak of separation,” al-Omari stated. “A 12 months, and you haven’t left us for a second. We point out you and bear in mind you in each scenario, place and time.”
Alongside Shireen’s path
Heavy applause and standing ovations got for quite a lot of performances, together with a music devoted to Shireen by the Edward Mentioned Nationwide Conservatory Daughters of Jerusalem orchestra, and performances of the dabkeh – a conventional Arab type of dance – by totally different troupes.
A particular dance quantity was carried out by the scholars of the PAC who held up candles and danced round Shireen’s press jacket hanging from the ceiling to a music of hope and love devoted to the slain reporter.
Iman Hammouri, who was additionally an in depth pal of Shireen’s, advised Al Jazeera Shireen was somebody who “thought of artwork and tradition was a approach of sending a message to the world, in the identical approach that journalism and media do”.
“Shireen was one of many individuals who was actually concerned within the centre. Irrespective of how busy she was, she would do issues like greet the artists who have been coming from overseas to carry out at our festivals on the Jordanian border after they arrived – in all modesty,” stated Hammouri.
“She was at all times very encouraging of youth, pushing them to bounce dabkeh and to take part in competitions. That’s the reason the scholars needed to dedicate a quantity to her, as a result of they actually felt her absence. In an ode to her loyalty to the centre, we thought that the least we may do is to revive her reminiscence,” she continued.
Shireen’s killing was a nationwide tragedy that despatched shockwaves all through Palestine, the Arab world, and internationally. Her funeral procession in Could 2022 prolonged over three days, from Jenin to Jerusalem, and was one of many longest processions in Palestinian historical past – with tens of 1000’s of individuals taking part, in a testomony to the outpouring of grief and respect for the slain journalist.
Occasions surrounding the anniversary of her killing started on Sunday, with a memorial mass organised by her household and mates on the al-Liqaa Melkite Greek Catholic Church in Beit Hanina, occupied East Jerusalem.
On Could 11 – the day she was killed final 12 months – the Ramallah Municipality together with the Al Jazeera Media Community will lay the cornerstone for the Shireen Abu Akleh Press Museum.
Palestinian political and civil society chief Khalida Jarrar who attended the ceremony on Tuesday advised Al Jazeera, “Shireen’s phrases at all times gave me a powerful push of help once I was in Israeli prisons – she was one of many first folks I might see at my navy court docket hearings.”
“The message in the present day is that the individuals are persevering with alongside Shireen’s path. Shireen’s physique could also be gone, however she is with us in each occasion, occurring and element that will happen. I believe it’s troublesome for our folks to neglect somebody like Shireen.”
