Palestinian artist Mahmoud El-Belbeisi tells us why his first trip outside Gaza definitely won’t be his last.
Thirty-year-old Mahmoud had long dreamed of seeing the world. But the political challenges of leaving the besieged Gaza Strip had left him unable to travel.
That all changed in 2022 when his friend Ashraf, the art director of Taghreeda Arts Team, offered him the chance to take part in theatre training in the UK, supported by the British Council. Mahmoud began excitedly imagining the visit – only for his UK visa application to be rejected.
But Ashraf and the British Council were determined to make the training happen. They moved it to a new location: the Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival in Cairo, Egypt. Within a week Mahmoud was approved to travel, and not long after he held his breath as he crossed the border into Egypt. It was the first time he had ever left Gaza.
‘The enormity of Egypt overwhelmed me. The streets were wide and buildings huge. Everything in the city was astonishing. I was like a child who had left his room and entered a big, new world,’ he says.
Mahmoud took part in training with two UK theatre professionals and a group of young Egyptians. They played games to build their confidence and imagination, and learned new techniques to improve their artistic practice.
But it was his experience at the festival that left the biggest impression on Mahmoud. He saw artists perform from across the world, enjoyed expressive and contemporary dance shows, and met artists from throughout the Middle East, sharing ideas on the challenges facing their work and ways to overcome them. He also connected with other Palestinian artists.
‘There is pride in knowing that other Palestinians are presenting beautiful and innovative art about our identity and cause,’ he says. ‘My elation was mixed with regret as to why we could not travel freely to see this beautiful world. Why does my hometown only have war, bombardment and drones overhead?’
Though his experience was bittersweet, Mahmoud left Cairo inspired by everything he had seen and learned at the festival, and determined to share it with other artists in Gaza. He now hopes to return to Egypt with Taghreeda Arts Team, to present their own art and theatre show at the festival.
‘This dream will happen, like my dream of travelling to another country.’