We are going to end off the year with a really awesome Wednesday Session!
This month's Wednesday Session (30 November) features FIVE exciting components: we'll host an international filmmaker (Lia Tarachansky), have a discussion with the author of "Africa's Little Israel", provide a report back on the recent Russell Tribunal and play with some palindromes. Oh, and we have a surprise component!
>> Hosting International Filmmaker (Lia Tarachansky)
A visiting Canadian-Israeli filmmaker, Lia Tarachansky will showcase footage from her upcoming documentary, Seven Deadly Myths (
click here for the trailer). Tarachansky has a fascinating story, she was born in the Soviet Union but grew up in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in the controversial Israeli settlement colony of Ariel. She writes:
"At the time, I was unaware of the political implications of such a move, but many years later I was able to see how our settlement there was part of an ongoing expansionist project by the government of Israel, which daily annexes Palestinian land."
>> Discussion with the Author (Africa's Little Israel)
Dr Arianna Lissoni, a researcher at Wits University, will discuss her new and explosive journal article, "Africa's Little Israel: Bophuthatswana's Not-So-Secret Ties With Israel". Since its inception in the early 1970s, the secret military and nuclear alliance between the Israeli regime and apartheid South Africa has been the subject of much debate. The Israeli–South Africa military alliance was kept in the dark or remained ‘unspoken’, however there is another relationship between Israel and Apartheid South Africa which was very public in its day - the one between Israel and the Bophuthatswana bantustan.
Click here for a copy of Lissoni's article.
>> Report back on Russell Tribunal
A lawyer and two students who attended the
Russell Tribunal on Palestine, which took place earlier this month in Cape Town, will provide a short report-back. The most recent session of the Russell Tribunal looked into whether "Israeli policies are in breach of the prohibition on Apartheid under International Law". The tribunal, after hearing testimony from several experts and witnesses, found that Israel does indeed practice and is guilty of the crime of apartheid. Our in-house law expert will chat to us about what these findings mean and what are some of the expected steps that are now going to be taken to hold Israel accountable. Also, students are putting together a presentation with video footage and photos from their trip to Cape Town. Should be good.
>> Playing with Palindromes
We've been challenged. A local businessperson has committed to make a substantial donation to the group if we are able to come up with a palindrome on the topic of Palestine and resistance to Israeli Apartheid. What's a palindrome?
Click here to checkout a YouTube clip.
>> Interactive "Surprise" Component
Well, if we told you what this component is it wouldn't be a surprise anymore... but we assure you, it'll get you up and going!
Find all the info here.
WEDNESDAY SESSIONS
When: Last Wednesday of every month
Time: 19h00 for 19h30
Admission: Free
Where: Love and Revolution, Shop 4B, 7th Street, Melville, Joburg
Hosts: SA Artists Against Apartheid and the BDS Working Group
See you on Wednesday!
South African Artists Against Apartheid and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Working Group
ABOUT WEDNESDAY SESSIONS
Wednesday Sessions Feature: various, innovative and entertaining evenings including poetry readings, film screenings, live performances, exhibitions, discussions, (juicy) debates and more.
Wednesday Sessions Are: an open space where artists (and others) can discuss, deconstruct, share, provoke, debate, politicize, network, collaborate, exhibit, showcase... or perform their own work. Write to us know if you would like to take us up on the offer to present/perform your own work! (info@southafricanartistsagainstapartheid.com)
Wednesday Sessions Aim To: question and highlight the role of art, artists in society and general members of society in assisting ordinary people move beyond extraordinary circumstances. How did ordinary people in the international community assist South Africans in overcoming apartheid? How can we now assist those Palestinians and progressive Israelis who are resisting Israeli Apartheid?
Come to Wednesday Sessions To Learn: about Art & Politics ... Art and Politics in South Africa... the Palestinian-Israeli issue ... Israeli Apartheid ... or how you too can join the cultural boycott of Israel.
Wednesday Sessions May Inspire: you and other attendees to be creative and productive... to make artistic work ... to go out and graffiti or organise a flashmob. We encourage and will assist in this :)
