Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, January-February 2008, page 54

Arab-American Activism

Palestinian Cultural Mural Honors Dr. Edward Said

AFTER A LONG struggle spearheaded by the General Union of Palestine Students (GUPS) of San Francisco State University, the Palestinian Cultural Mural honoring Dr. Edward Said was unveiled Nov. 2. A palpable buzz reverberated throughout the audience during a dramatic 10-second countdown before the mural—with its pensive portrait of the iconic Palestinian-American writer and scholar—was revealed.

Some 300 students and community members celebrated the momentous event—the mural is the first of its kind on any American university campus—with speeches, musical entertainment and poetry reading in the courtyard of the university’s Cesar Chavez Plaza.

Lead artists Fayeq Oweis and Susan Greene worked for over two years to design the artwork incorporating more than 20 visual elements symbolizing the life, work and words of Dr. Said, who died Sept. 25, 2003.

An array of speakers, including San Francisco State University Dean of Ethnic Studies Kenneth P. Monteiro, praised the students’ efforts, and the importance of the mural for preserving Palestinian identity and honoring Said’s lifetime work.

“I am proud of you for keeping Palestine alive,” said Birzeit University history professor Sonia Nimr. “This memorial is not only for Edward Said, but is a tribute to all of the Palestinian people. So many efforts have been made at home to dehumanize us, and this memorial is another way to say peace cannot be achieved without recognizing Palestinians’ rights. This is a memorial which says we are here and still determined to continue our struggle for liberation.”

“In remembering Edward Said we are putting Palestine on the map—although it never left,” University of California at Berkeley professor Dr. Hatem Bazian told the crowd. The professor went on to discuss the importance of Said’s books, particularly Orientalism and Covering Islam.

Guests enjoyed a wide range of entertainment from Al-Juthoor’s joyous debke performance to hip-hop artists Arab Summit.

The evening events included poetry readings by Fady Joudah, Zaid Shlah, Dina Omar and Deema Shehabi, and music by the Georges Lammam Ensemble, Tony Khalife, Elmaz Abinaber and Omar Khorsheed.

—Elaine Pasquini