By LAUREN JONES
The Ramspondents
More than 20 community and faith organizations will come together April 18 to host a celebration of Palestinian culture and history at Trinity Lutheran Church.
The event, Celebrating Palestine: Faith, Hope, Culture, and Historical Perspectives, is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 301 E. Stuart St., according to the Heart of the Rockies Christian Church website. Admission is free and lunch will be provided for attendees.
"Our planning team is excited about the widespread support for the festival. Over 30 community and faith organizations are cosponsoring.”
The festival will include traditional food, live music, dance performances, and speakers throughout the day, along with hands-on activities such as henna art, Palestinian embroidery, and writing names in Arabic. Attendees will also have the opportunity to explore a Bedouin tent and a small exhibit featuring artwork, artifacts, and traditional clothing.
"Our planning team is excited about the widespread support for the festival,” said Jeff Wright, a retired pastor at Fort Collins’ Heart of the Rockies Christian Church. “Over 30 community and faith organizations are cosponsoring.”
Organizers say the event will focus on both historical and contemporary elements of Palestinian culture.“There’s a lot of misinformation out there,” Wright said. “We hope to introduce the community to the history of Palestine and to the life and culture of the people who live there.”
The event will offer a range of activities for different age groups, with programming scheduled throughout the day that allows attendees to arrive and leave at their convenience. The event is open to the public and offers a space for community members to engage with Palestinian culture and history.
Volunteers are still needed. For more information and sign-up time slots, click here.
Lauren Jones is a third-year psychology major at Colorado State University with a minor in journalistic reporting and storytelling. She is passionate about human behavior, global issues, and ethical reporting.