Environmental activism with Palestine's new generation

In the rolling hills between the village of Ein Kenya and Ramallah, 10 dunums of land were purchased in 2013 on which to establish a protected environmental area to educate new generations of Palestinians about the environmental preservation of Palestine’s bio-cultural heritage.

The project – Mashjar Juthour – is one of many that have been founded over recent years which aim to counteract the myriad Israeli restrictions on Palestinian land and the subsequent destruction of Palestinian heritage. From rooftop gardens in refugee camps, to permaculture projects and fish farming, various ‘green’ techniques are today being incorporated in to wider Palestinian activism.

Since 2014, Mashjar Juthour has piloted many workshops, refurbished the torn stone terraces and carved environmental trails through the landscape complete with eco-toilets. The project aims to create a safe haven for indigenous flora and fauna in which to educate new generations of Palestinians who, whilst growing up in cities, lack the depth of understanding about land and nature that was inherent to former generations.

Nearly a thousand Ramallah-area students and their teachers were hosted in Mahjar Juthour in its inaugural year and various educational resources have been produced for distribution to visiting groups.

On Friday June 5th, the day marking the 48 years since the beginning of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, Mashjar Juthour held an open day featuring a range of environmental workshops, tours and performances.

Images by MEMO Photographer Rich Wiles.