Palestinian music and cultural events returned to the West Bank city of Ramallah for the 15th edition of the “Wein a Ramallah” festival, which was suspended due to Israel’s Gaza Strip attacks two years ago.

The festival, which is being organised by Ramallah Municipality, is running from Aug. 10 to Aug. 14 at Rashid Al-Haddadin Square, opposite the municipality building, and will start at 8:00 p.m. every evening.

This year’s edition will be under the theme “We Remain” (Baqoon), and the municipality has presented the festival as an attempt to maintain the Palestinian cultural identity, collective memory and artistic continuity.

Palestinian artists make a comeback to Ramallah stage

Hosting the opening night, Palestinians came together to enjoy artistic and musical shows that included Palestinian singers and groups.

The municipality called the festival “a festival we haven’t been able to hold for the past two years” due to Israel’s attacks, including in Gaza, which “are part of an assault on people, culture, the environment and the foundations of everyday life.

The return of the festival was aimed at reinforcing the continuity and development of Palestinian culture amid a situation in which Palestinians are experiencing a war against their existence, organisers said.

The municipality explained that “culture is not just a luxury in times of calm, but a resistance, permanence and preservation of collective memory against attempts of erasure and destruction.

‘We Remain’ puts cultural continuity at center

The municipality also has the objective of preserving, nurturing, and transmitting Palestinian identity to future generations, which is also manifested in the theme “Baqoon”.

Organisers have been working to unite Palestinian artists and groups from both inside and outside the Palestinian territories at the festival since its inception in 2010.

This mission is still at the core of the festival, and it is back in Ramallah for the 15th edition, after a two-year interruption, the municipality said.