Palestine Exhibit Now Open

Jackson’s International Museum of Muslim Cultures Launches Exhibit on the Conflict in Palestine/Israel

JACKSON, Miss. – The International Museum of Muslim Cultures (IMMC) launched its exhibition titled Journey to Understanding; Palestine & Israel Unveiled on Thursday January 11th, 2024 in Jackson Mississippi. Given the ongoing atrocities against humanity in the Holy Land and the lack of knowledge of the root causes of the conflict, the International Museum of Muslim Cultures felt compelled to create an educational exhibition that presents the history of the conflict, the current events, and how a peaceful resolution could be achieved. The exhibit is sponsored by Texas-based United Hands Relief, and is set to travel to several major cities across the country. The exhibition opening coincided with the historic South African International Court of Justice case hearing against Israel with allegations of genocide against the Palestinian people.

Curated by the museum’s Deputy Executive Director, Lina Ali, the exhibit features numerous informational and historical text panels including captivating images and graphics on themes ranging from Zionism, apartheid, parallels with the Native American and African American experiences, and the Gaza genocide. The exhibit includes motion picture displays, scannable QR codes for additional material and resources, a conceptual art installation highlighting the destruction of Gaza and the deaths of over 10,000 babies and children, and an array of works by guest of honor, Palestinian artist Hanny Alkhoury, and other notable Palestinian artists including Rawan Anani, daughter of the pioneering Nabil Anani (known as one of the founders of the contemporary art movement in Palestine), award-winning artist Basel Almisshal, and Palestinian-Lebanese artist Zahra Jamal.

Also included in the exhibit are several forms of Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery (tatreez in Arabic) both in art form and in the traditional Palestinian thobe form, or women’s dress, which is included in the United Nations' cultural agency (UNESCO) Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The exhibit aims to create a space for dialogue, empathy, and a deeper understanding of this enduring issue and includes peaceful forms of activism such as protesting and petitioning lawmakers to call for an immediate ceasefire. The exhibition includes ancillary programming featuring notable speakers, authors and inter-faith group leaders. The exhibit is free and open to the public from Jan 17 to April 30, 2024.