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Palestinian embroidery marathon

November 30, 2024The marathon will be taking place on Saturday, November 30 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.
MADRID
Casa Árabe headquarters (at Calle Alcalá, 62). The marathon will be taking place on Saturday, November 30 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. Prior registration required.
Register using this link.
In Spanish.

In commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, on Saturday, November 30, we invite you to participate in a marathon to work on tatreez embroidery, when we will be connecting with other embroidery groups from different parts of the world. Come and #EmbroiderPalestine.

In conjunction with the workshop/gatherings organized by Casa Árabe this fall to discover tatreez (Palestinian embroidery), we propose taking part in an embroidery marathon that will connect different groups from different places all over the world, thus raising awareness about this symbol of Palestinian culture, identity and resistance. 

In addition to the human and material annihilation of the Gaza Strip, there is also the destruction of its cultural heritage, which is often intangible, including the knowledge and tradition of Palestinian embroidery or tatreez, in danger of being lost forever in this region of Palestine. 

Tatreez, traditional Palestinian embroidery, declared since 2021 to be a form of Intangible Immaterial Heritage by UNESCO, is a Palestinian folk art traditionally practiced by women. It has now become a symbol of Palestinian culture, identity and resistance. A space for interaction shared along with similar customs and artistic practices from other regions in the Arab world and Mediterranean. Tatreez was used to decorate dresses, with specific shapes, colors and motifs that helped identify the region and place where they were woven in historic Palestine. 

During the gatherings hosted at Casa Árabe in the months of October and November, we will be collaboratively creating a panel for a traditional dress from Gaza using the contributions from people participating in the workshops, and the pieces sent it from people embroidering from other places. 

The Palestinian embroidery motifs that you embroider at home and the instructions for making those embroidery pieces will be posted soon on the website. We will be publishing a PDF file with 17 models and the embroidery instructions. 

Using all of the pieces contributed, we will be putting together the collective work from December 13 to 14, and it will be put on display at the Casa Árabe headquarters in Madrid throughout the week of December 16. During the months of December and January, we will gradually put together the scraps that you embroider at home and from other locations. 
Palestinian embroidery marathon