An evening reflecting upon the resilience of Palestinians in Gaza. 

The diaries of four women are at the heart of Voices of Resilience: Sondos Sabra, Batool Abu Akleen, Nahil Mohana and Ala’a Obaid. Their diaries and poetry record love, family, community and humour, alongside accounts of bombardment and invasion.

Presented by Comma Press, this is a performance of testimonies from people experiencing what has been described as a genocide by a UN commission, read by Julie Hesmondhalgh, Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan, Dani Abulhawa, Liana Abdel-Hafiz, Mohammed Ghalayini and Leyla Barakat.

Diary entries will be accompanied by traditional Arabic music performed by Ahmed Adnan and a visual score by Gazan filmmaker Hossam Abo Shamallah.

Followed by a Q&A with local Palestinians, academics and activists. The event will be followed by a panel with Sondos Sabra, Robert Lizar (human rights lawyer and representative of Jewish Voice for Liberation), lisa luxx (British-Syrian poet, playwright and activist) and Musheir El-Farra (Palestinian human rights activist, filmmaker and author from Khan Younis).

Voices of Resilience has previously been presented at the Barbican, Edinburgh International Book Festival, HOME Manchester and Belgrade Theatre Coventry. It will also be presented at Theatre Royal Plymouth and Birmingham Literature Festival.

Directed by Danielle McIlven.