Getting Across The Palestinian Message Through Numerous Media

From Nor Faridah Abd Rashid This second and final series on the inaugural Palestinian media forum looks at how the different media and the language factor can enhance coverage on the Palestinian cause. ISTANBUL, June 12 (Bernama) -- At the close of the Palestinian media forum, a recommendation was made for further attention and focus on the development of different media geared to promote the Palestinian cause to a worldwide audience. The forum also called for the creation of communication channels, which advocates the rights of the Palestinians in various languages. Farheen Umar an executive producer with an independent television station had done just that – she produced the heart wrenching film "Farah" about a Palestinian girl, who suffered a third-degree burns when a bomb went off near her house in 2009 during the Gaza War. Farah was brought to a hospital in San Diego, US, where she went through multiple surgeries before eventually returning to the Middle East. The Gaza War or also known as Israel's Operation Cast Lead had resulted in the death of some 1,440 Palestinians including Farah's mother compared with 13 on the Israeli side. However, Farheen said that when she wanted to start the film, she was disappointed that she could not find any Islamic organisations or foundations that could fund her effort. Before producing the film she went online to look for funding but could not find any. MANY FOUNDATIONS TO FUND JEWISH FILMS Being American-based, Farheen said she did not know who to contact and as such had searched online for any related organisations that could fund the movie. "The thing is that when you go online (to search for funding) for Jewish films, or anything about the Israelis, there are so many foundations that can provide funding. "They (the Jewish foundations) encouraged people to come out and make films but there is nothing for the Muslims. "So where do we go for money and film", she asked, adding that making films is a very expensive process. Farheen finally produced "Farah" herself, which she said highlighted the Palestinians in a different approach compared with the Arabic media. The documentary made its debut in San Diego in 2011 and during the forum the documentary was screened to the participants. FARAH Farheen described the documentary as a very human and emotional story which people could connect to. She noted that most Americans did not know much about the Palestinian issue. The story showed how Farah was taken care by her host mother, an Arab-American family, whom she stayed with for nine months while undergoing treatment for the burns she suffered on her body. "The big story is the host mother who is very attached to the girl. And her emotional journey is what I wanted to show. Farah is now with her father, step mother and grandmother", Farheen said. Farheen said that there would be another story about Farah, this time it would be filmed in Gaza. FILM TO BRIDGE GAP BETWEEN EAST AND WEST The Pakistani-American filmmaker, said that her main aim in making movies is to bridge the gap between the East and West. This is because there was a lot of misunderstanding in the US about Islam, the Middle East and South Asia. "So I try to do topics which bridge the gap. I have made a film about Muslim women – Women of Islam - Veiling and Seclusion - about the veil and the hijab because there is a lot of misunderstanding in America about the veil, the burka or the hijab", she said. She made the film to clarify what hijab was all about. CONFUSION ABOUT THE HIJAB She said that Women of Islam was done after the Sept 11 attacks. At that time there were a lot of issues and films shown about Afghanistan, and how women in Burkas there were being oppressed (by the talibans) and that the hijab was oppressive. "In America, a lot of American Muslims were taking up the hijab and some Americans are confused, they ask why are these people embracing the hijab when there are no Talibans here". As such she made the film to shed light on the hijab. She interviewed women from Pakistan and Iran who have to cover themselves while in Turkey it is different. "I wanted to make a film to clarify that", she said. LANGUAGE During one of the forum's sessions, "language" was one of the issues debated in highlighting the Palestinian cause. Participants from non-Arabic countries including a participant from Africa felt that the "language" used about the Palestinian issue should be expanded to the language of the country where the Palestinian cause is highlighted or at least in English. This will help to enhance understanding of the Palestinian issue and gain more support from a wider range of the world's population including the vast continent of Africa. A senior editor from MEMO, Ibrahim B. Hewit pointed out about English being the international language. "We have to develop media professionals who are very confident in English who can speak to an English speaking audience in a way that we understand so that we can get the message across properly", he said. The forum was mainly conducted in Arabic but with translation provided. On the forum, Ibrahim felt that it was good. "I don't know whether it will make a difference, that is the problem. We go to a lot of conferences on Palestine, we speak and then we go away and nobody does anything. This can be very frustrating", he added. ORGANISERS' HOPE The forum had attracted participants and speakers from countries such as Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Malaysia, Russia, the US and the UK, for two full days of panel sessions, workshops, training, and an exhibition space for media outlets and companies. The organisers hoped that the Istanbul gathering would be the first of many such events. At the close, the conference recommended that media organisations support their Palestinian counterparts and journalists in the development of their skills and abilities in order to improve the role that they play. The conference announced the launch of the International Palestine Media Award to encourage excellent media coverage and creative artistic production that serves the Palestinian cause. It also announced the establishment of the Palestinian Film Centre, which will document, promote and distribute Palestinian films. The Centre will encourage communication between filmmakers and others in the industry. SOLIDARITY DAY The conference stressed the importance of activating and participating in the International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People and dedicating this day to promoting the rights of Palestinians in the international media. The United Nations' International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is annually observed on Nov 29. The day is also known as Solidarity Day. The Solidarity Day has traditionally provided an opportunity for the international community to focus its attention on the fact that the question of Palestine is still unresolved and that the Palestinian people are yet to attain their inalienable rights as defined by the UN General Assembly. These are the right to self-determination without external interference, the right to national independence and sovereignty, and the right to return to their homes and property from which they had been displaced. --BERNAMA