A PHOTOGRAPHY exhibition opens in Edinburgh today, documenting peace initiatives in the Middle East, including the disputed territory of the West Bank.
It follows a commission of Scots duo – photographer, Angela Catlin, and writer, Billy Briggs – by the organisters of the Sixth Edinburgh International Middle East Festival.
The exhibition is at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall, in the capital’s Dalmeny Street.
Says Briggs: “The region often makes headlines for the wrong reasons but despite the political turmoil there is some outstanding work on-going at grassroots level to promote peace and tolerance.
“The media often focuses on the negative, so we wanted to provide contrast and highlight the positive and the work of individuals who look beyond the labels people attach to each other.
“We met some inspiring people who often put their lives at risk to aid others.
“We interviewed Rabbis who work side by side with Palestinians in Jerusalem and visited an unique village called Neve Shalom where Arabs and Jews have lived together peacefully for more than 30 years.
“We also spent a day with Jewish doctors who forego time-off at weekends to travel to the West Bank and Gaza to treat Palestinians.”
