Palestine House in central London is already partly up and running.
Sitting above the Hiba Lebanese and Palestinian restaurant on High Holborn, two of Palestine House's planned five storeys are completed. The redesign emulates the ambiance of a traditional Palestinian interior: think colourful tiles, lattice skylights, exposed stone walls and wooden beams. A giant wooden key — traditionally the symbol of exiled Palestinians — is suspended above the main atrium.
Already, Palestine House has hosted supper clubs; live music, visual art and poetry; and a vibrant Palestinian marketplace. Now, the man behind the cultural centre, filmmaker Osama Qashoo, is pushing for the completion of Palestine House by early 2025, with a £300,000 crowdfunding campaign.
Says Qashoo: "Palestine House is the birth of a dream I had some 17 years ago as a young refugee when I was feeling lonely and sought refuge from the world. Palestine House is a place which I’ve always felt was missing.
"I want Palestine House to be a place where we can accumulate all of this pain and sorrow and convert it into strength and beauty. This house is for everyone, everyone is welcome at Palestine House."
When all five floors of the centre are completed, Palestine House will, says Qashoo, celebrate Palestinian culture with a year-round events programme featuring film screenings, lectures, book readings, exhibitions and concerts. It will also serve as "a space for everyone who is in solidarity with Palestine and other oppressed or displaced communities to meet, to work or simply reflect".
Read more about Palestine House's Crowdfunder campaign
