From: Elsa Marston <elsa.marston_at_gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:14:50 -0500

Hello, CCBC friends--

Not on-topic, but I hope you'll read this short report from my trip to the West Bank, Palestine, in October/November. The small-group tour part of my visit included helping with the olive harvest in a relatively remote village, and meeting many extremely impressive cultural, peace, and resistance activists. Then for five days I stayed in Ramallah, guest of the head of the Palestinian chapter of the International Board of Books for Young People, Jehan Helou. As a visiting author, I spoke to students and faculty at Birzeit University and Arab American University of Jenin (a "dream" of mine for decades!), as well as several other groups of teachers, writers, and other people concerned with children's literature.

The Tamer Institute, where I gave a writing workshop, was founded in 1989 to promote reading awareness and to provide good books for children. Winner of the 2009 Astrid Lingren Memorial Award, it carries on a variety of school and community programs, such as providing books--some translated from other languages, most in Arabic and a few bilingual (Arabic/English)--to schools throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Its vigorous publishing program produces books for young children and elementary grades, with a few at the YA level. I must add that I saw not one iota of political or "angry" publication or activity; I can't speak for every teacher in every school in Palestine, of course, but the overwhelming philosophy among educators is to focus on the modern education and wellbeing of young people, accurate awareness of Palestinian history, and preservation of Palestinian culture.

The Tamer Institute's website is www.tamerinst.org. "Tamer" simply means "date" (the kind you eat). If anyone would be interested in more information about this important cultural institution, or my own observations, I'd be happy to hear from you individually.

Elsa Marston
Received on Fri 04 Dec 2009 02:14:50 PM CST