Rafeef Ziadah (Arabic: رفيف زيادة) (born 1979 in Beirut, Lebanon) is a Palestinian-Canadian[1] poet and human rights activist who currently lives in London. She released the spoken word album, Hadeel.

Rafeef Ziadah

Biography edit

Ziadah was born in Beirut, Lebanon to Palestinian refugee parents[2] and began writing at a young age.[3] She grew up in Tunisia.[2] She attended York University in Toronto.[3] In 2004, she gave her first public performance after she was motivated by her experience of racism to write a poem.[3]

In 2009 Ziadah released her first spoken word album, Hadeel.[4] Ziadah produced Hadeel with a grant from the Ontario Arts Council within their Word of Mouth program in 2008.[5] Ziadah has traveled to countries all over the world to perform and conduct poetry workshops.[4] In 2011, Ziadah performed with Palestinian-American poet, Remi Kanazi in London, UK as part of the tour for his book, Poetic Injustice.[6] In 2012, Ziadah was chosen to represent Palestine at the South Bank Center Poets Olympiad.[4] In the same year, she performed at the World Village Festival in Helsinki.[7] During the summer of 2014, Ziadah contributed an opinion piece for The Guardian regarding the 2014 Gaza War and the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement.[8] On November 14, 2014 Ziadah performed at a benefit concert for Palestine with Palestinian Hip hop group, DAM-Palestine sponsored by Manchester Palestine Action.[9] Rafeef Ziadah is well known-for her poems "Shades of Anger" [10] and "We teach life, sir".[11] Ziadah's poem "We teach life, sir" became the inspiration for a photography show for display inside the Scottish Parliament.[12] The exhibit was titled, "We Teach Life: The Children of the Occupation."[12]

References edit

  1. ^ Grugeon, Bart (13 June 2019). "Nadie es ilegal y nadie quiere morir en el Mediterráneo" [No one is illegal and no one wants to die in the Mediterranean]. Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b "The pick of the world's poetry in London: The Southbank Centre hosts the largest gathering of international poets ever in the UK for the Olympics". Evening Standard. 2 July 2012. Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Farooq, Aisha (14 May 2012). "An interview with Palestinian poet, Rafeef Ziadah". Women's Views on News. Archived from the original on 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  4. ^ a b c "About". rafeefziadah.net. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  5. ^ "Annual Report and Grants Listing". Ontario Arts Council. 2008–2009. p. 39. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  6. ^ Barrows-Friedman, Nora (14 November 2011). "WATCH: Palestinian poets Remi Kanazi and Rafeef Ziadah — 'We teach life, sir'". The Electronic Intifada. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Programme: Rafeef Ziadah (PLE)". Maailma kylässä. 2012. Archived from the original on 11 December 2017.
  8. ^ Ziadah, Rafeef (28 July 2014). "As the Gaza crisis deepens, boycotts can raise the price of Israel's impunity". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  9. ^ "DAM, Katibeh 5 and Rafeef Ziadah, Manchester Concert at Kraak". Manchester Palestine Action. 14 November 2014. Archived from the original on 26 Jun 2015.
  10. ^ "Rafeef Ziadah - 'Shades of anger', London, 12.11.11". Stern Chen Productions. 15 November 2011. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2024 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ "Rafeef Ziadah - 'We teach life, sir', London, 12.11.11". Stern Chen Productions. 13 November 2011. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2024 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ a b Pycott, Lauren (8 January 2013). "Palestinian children's photography showcased in Scottish Parliament". The Electronic Intifada. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2024.