Tamer Institute began working with youth in the 1990s as part of its efforts to provide spaces for free and safe learning in Palestinian society. Through these spheres of engagement, the youth moved to self-organize, manifesting in a diverse constellation of specialized team. The Yara’at team was the first to be established in 1996, dedicated to literature, followed by the Voices from Palestine team (which focuses on international outreach and narrative-building in English), the Banafsaj team specializing in visual arts, the Sarb team centering on performing arts, and the Nakheel team committed to community engagement and action.
These teams contribute to creating spaces for youth for creative expression and cultural participation, from writing platforms to community-led interventions and social spaces. Although the teams' priority did not focus on producing writers and artists, they served as a formative school for individuals who would eventually amplify the visibility and resonance of Palestinian culture on a global scale. The youth program at Tamer Institute continues to support and develop these teams by "apprenticeship" youth and accompanying them in their experience, supporting them with varied ways from training and artistic supervision to organizing events that link youth with the public and local community, thereby enhancing their role as cultural actors and creators.
Yara’at Literary Team:
Yara’at team was established in 1996 and has since maintain widespread influence among youth interested in creative writing. Over the years, the team included a multitude of youthful voices who later left an indelible imprint on the Palestinian and international cultural scene. The team is responsible for producing the Yara’at literary annex, which is published alongside the Palestinian Al-Ayyam newspaper. Through its successive issues, this recurring publication has formed a young Palestinian literary archive documenting a pivotal stage in modern Palestinian cultural history. Also, Yara’at organizes literary evenings that have garnered wide interest and attendance from the Palestinian public, reflecting its novel role in supporting creative writing, enhancing the presence of youth literature, and creating vibrant platforms for cultural and critical discourse in Palestinian society.
Banafsj Team:
Established at the turn of the century, the Banafsaj team is dedicated to the visual arts, offering a nurturing sanctuary for youth and young adults to translate their internal narratives into drawing and fine art. The team has curated an extensive portfolio of exhibitions, including landmark showcases like 'Color from This World' and 'Mediterranean Vibrations.' By projecting these works internationally, the team has successfully elevated young Palestinian aesthetics to a global audience. Through these initiatives, Banafsaj fosters independent creativity and sustains dynamic artistic ecosystems that enrich the Palestinian cultural and artistic landscape.
Voices from Palestine Team:
Emerging during the period of the Second Intifada, Voices from Palestine serves as an English-speaking platform for youth narrative and digital advocacy. The team has been instrumental in fostering transnational solidarity through twinning initiatives, most notably its enduring partnership with Tromsø program, Norway. By curating successive annual publications, such as Novel GAZA that was published inside and outside Palestine, the team provides a critical space for Palestinian youth to articulate their socio-cultural reality to a global audience. Through these activities, the team cultivates critical literacy and uses English as a strategic medium for international dialogue and narrative reclamation.
Sarb Team:
Sarb team was established at the beginning of the new millennium as a youth team focusing on performing arts and theater, with a special interest in expression through the body and movement. The team provides youth and young adults with a space to develop their skills in theatrical and artistic performance, allowing them to explore various ways to express thoughts, feelings, and stories through the body and movement. The team also organizes performances and workshops that contribute to refining the participants' capabilities and enhancing the presence of performing arts in Palestinian society, making theater and physical art a means of cultural, social, and creative communication.
Sarb team, which was established at the turn of the century, specializes in preforming arts and theater, providing a dedicated arena for youth to explore storytelling through the body and movement. The team offers a transformative area where youth develop their movement-based performance, allowing them to explore various ways to express complex thoughts and feelings, and translate complex internal narratives into somatic expression. Through a series of workshops and public showcases, Sarb anchors the presence of the performing arts within the Palestinian landscape, utilizing the body as a primary medium for socio-cultural dialogue and creative innovation.
Nakheel Team:
The Nakheel team was established at the turn of the century as a youth team concerned with community and cultural action, providing a safe space for dialogue and critical thinking regarding the issues and complexities of youth lived experienced. The Institute provides strategic mentorship in the development of youth initiatives and enhancing its expressive tools, varying between writing, theater, singing, volunteer work, visual arts, and filmmaking This amplifies youth agency in the public sphere, equipping them with tools for critical expression and active participation in the public sphere.
The Nakheel team is distributed across various Palestinian governorates, implementing numerous community and cultural initiatives. Most notably, the 'Inscription on Stone' initiative acts as a bridge between generations, using the symbols and carvings of ancient architecture as catalysts for archiving collective memory. This work transforms historic buildings and towns into living texts that youth learn to read and share. Simultaneously, Nakheel addresses the future by fostering a critical media culture, ensuring youth are not just consumers but active, informed voices on global platforms.
