Curated by Shuruq Harb, Samah Hijawi and Toleen Touq.

From the 1st of October to the 24th of November 2012

The politics of segregation has greatly hindered a collective understanding of shared realities and common histories across the east and west banks of the River Jordan. As individuals who are invested in the relationship between Palestine and Jordan, the historical trajectory of the two compels us to examine where we are now, and how we can build new alliances to overcome the social, economic and political challenges of today.

The river has two banks is an initiative addressing the growing distance between those living on either side of the river by creating multiple occasions for discussions. The program unfolds over a time period starting in September and running until November 2012, across different locations in Amman, Ramallah, Birzeit and the Jordan Valley, and culminating in a bi-lingual Arabic/English online publication.

This series of connected events is made up of a showcase of artworks, film screenings, research projects and traveling artist talks that explore different contemporary and historical aspects of Palestinian Jordanian identities and politics. The invited contributors reveal unexpected stories around leading figures, unappreciated heroes and recovered audio-visual materials to create multi-layered interpretations that bring into question dominant ideological narratives.

The river has two banks examines the landscape that ultimately leads us to the river itself–both a symbol and a myth–which today, stands as a diminishing natural resource only a few of us have access to.

Online Publication

The River has Two Banks culminates in a bi-lingual Arabic/English online publication that brings together videos and photographs generated by the events as well as newly commissioned texts. Additionally, a loosely edited/curated section in the blog is dedicated to ongoing conversations with various cultural practitioners on themes and observations emerging from the program.

Curators: Shuruq Harb, Samah Hijawi, Toleen Touq,

Translation: John Rich

Copy-editing Arabic: Ahmad Zatari

Copy-editing English: Suna Kafadar

Design: Warsheh

For further information and detailed programme:

http://makanhouse.net/events/current [email protected]