‘I Am Not Afraid’: Artists Use Music, Movement to Honor Palestinian Resilience

November 19, 2025

Artists and advocates organized a fundraising concert at the Palestine House of Freedom in November to support UNRWA staff working in Gaza amid ongoing conflict. The event showcased musical and visual performances, including two films directed by Ilana Alazzeh featuring compositions by Niko Michalopoulos that highlight Palestinian suffering and resilience. The artistic works incorporate testimony from Palestinian children and imagery representing mothers mourning their deceased children, aiming to raise awareness about casualties and displacement.

Who is affected

12,000 UNRWA staff members working in Gaza
Palestinian people in Gaza and abroad
Palestinian and Arab diaspora communities
More than 50,000 children killed or injured in Gaza since October 2023 (according to UNICEF report cited)
Palestinian children (at least one killed per hour according to Save the Children)
Event participants including Niko Michalopoulos (composer), Ilana Alazzeh (director), Crystal Silmi (belly dancer), and Jennah Mokhtarzada (high school student performer)

What action is being taken

Israeli forces are committing ceasefire violations (as stated in the article)
UNRWA staff remain on the ground in Gaza
Artists and advocates are holding fundraising events
The Palestine House of Freedom is hosting regular programming and events
Michalopoulos has stopped creating art not associated with Palestine

Why it matters

The artistic activism serves multiple significant purposes: it raises funds for humanitarian workers providing relief in Gaza, spreads awareness about what organizers describe as genocide and ongoing casualties (particularly among children), and provides a platform for humanizing Palestinians and countering dehumanization experienced by Palestinian and Arab communities. The work emphasizes that Palestinian displacement and violence extends back to 1948 and 1967, not just recent events, making global solidarity and sustained attention essential for supporting liberation efforts.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer