A Journey Through Time | Bedouin Heritage at Maqam al-Nabi Musa
As part of its Culture and Youth Programme, Sharek Youth Forum continues to implement “A Journey Through Time,” an initiative designed to reconnect young people with Palestine’s cultural heritage, collective memory, and the stories embedded in its historic places. Through immersive experiences, the initiative brings together heritage, the arts, documentation, and community engagement, allowing the past to be experienced, understood, and carried forward by a new generation.
Within this framework, Sharek Youth Forum, in partnership with Al-Orjuwan and the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, organised a Bedouin heritage event at Maqam al-Nabi Musa, as part of a broader series of cultural heritage initiatives implemented in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the European Union.
Maqam al-Nabi Musa was selected for its distinctive historical, cultural, and architectural significance, providing an authentic setting in which heritage could be experienced in its natural context. Traditional clothing, embroidery, objects, stories, customs, and elements of Bedouin life came together with the memory of the site, offering a vivid reflection of the richness and diversity of Palestinian cultural heritage.
“A Journey Through Time” goes beyond the conventional presentation of heritage. It seeks to transform historic and cultural sites into living spaces for learning, interaction, and documentation, where young people can explore the social and cultural life of previous generations and engage with the traditions, crafts, clothing, music, food, and oral histories that have shaped Palestinian identity and collective memory.
The initiative’s focus on Bedouin heritage reflects its integral place within Palestine’s cultural diversity. Bedouin traditions embody a rich legacy of hospitality, solidarity, simplicity, resilience, and a deep connection to the land, alongside distinctive forms of dress, craftsmanship, music, social practices, and knowledge passed down through generations.
Through its Culture and Youth Programme, Sharek Youth Forum works to place young people at the heart of safeguarding and revitalising Palestinian cultural memory. Photography, film, arts, cultural tours, digital documentation, and interactive activities are used to connect heritage with contemporary forms of expression—enabling young people not simply to experience heritage, but to become active partners in preserving it, interpreting it, and carrying its story forward.
“A Journey Through Time” is not simply a return to the past. It is a journey through memory to better understand the present—and to ensure that Palestine’s cultural story remains alive through its people, places, and future generations.
