Moon Tell me Truth
Moon Tell me Truth is an exhibition and related events across Edinburgh and online, featuring art and poems from Palestinian children from Gaza and responses from Scottish poets from across the country and children from Edinburgh.
Free and open to all at the Scottish Poetry Library, the Edinburgh Quaker Meeting House as well as online from 22 May – 20 June 2024 and extended until 27 June 2024
Curated by Heather Kiernan and Iliyana Nedkova. Supported by the Hands Up Project, Scottish Palestinian Forum, Scottish Poetry Library and Scottish PEN.
Despite the extremely challenging conditions experienced by the young people in Gaza for the whole of their lives, they still manage to produce inspirational poetry, plays and stories in English. All of us at the Hands Up Project are deeply honoured and proud that their unique voices may be amplified in the wider world, including across Edinburgh! Nick Bilbrough, Hands Up Project Founder
Further details: https://linktr.ee/moontellmetruth
THE EXHIBITION
Hosted by the Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 8DT the exhibition Moon Tell Me Truth is open 28 May – 20 June Mon-Thu 10am to 3pm – free and accessible to all. Extended until 27 June 2024. The exhibition Moon Tell Me Truth was inspired by a poetry collection of 60 illustrated poems created by children aged 9 to 15 from Gaza, Palestine for a competition run by the British educational charity The Hands Up Project, published in a book this year with a foreword by award-winning poet Alice Oswald. Alongside the illustrations and the poems, visitors will be able to find out about the two original artworks which inspired the poems in the exhibition – The Waiting by Malak Mattar and Purple Beam by Layla Mohammad Ibraheem Al Haj Abed.
The original poetry collection Moon Tell Me Truth, alongside the new poetry collection We All Need Peace, are also on view and available to purchase at the Scottish Poetry Library in support of Hands Up Project.
RELATED EVENTS
22 May 6.30pm for 7-8.30pm | FREE | Hybrid
Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2JL
and online via Zoom
Illustrated Talk by Nick Bilbrough, Hands Up Project Founder
In his illustrated talk, Nick Bilbrough, the founder of the educational charity Hands Up Project will share the stories behind two short plays:
- It will be over soon
Performed by children in a newly formed drama club in Jabalia camp, Northern Gaza - I can 2024
A remake of a winning play from the 2018 remote theatre competition, performed from their tents in Rafah
Despite the hell on earth that every man, woman and child has experienced for the past seven months in Gaza, young people and teachers involved in the work of the educational charity Hands Up Project are still continuing to create and perform inspirational theatre.
23 May 1.30-3pm | FREE | In-person
For pupils of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile Primary School and their grown-ups only
Pamphlet Launch, Exhibition Guided Tour and Online link up with Teachers and Children from Hebron
Led by Nick Bilbrough, Hands Up Project Founder
In one of the related events, the Scottish Poetry Library has also worked with the Primаry 6 Class of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile Primary School on a series of poetry workshops connected to the exhibition led by the Scottish Palestinian poet Iyad Hayatleh culminating in 17 new illustrated poems published in the pamphlet We All Need Peace. Download or browse the free pamphlet below.
13 June 6-8pm | FREE | In-person
Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 8DT
Come Here (Scottish PEN, 2024) – book launch and poetry event
An evening of beautiful words and heartfelt emotions with the launch of Come Here – a collection of poems by Scottish poets in response to poems written and illustrated by Palestinian children in the exhibition and anthology Moon Tell Me Truth. It is hoped that this exhibition related event will act as an expression of solidarity with the children of Gaza. The poetry reading will feature Christine De Luca, Jenni Daiches, Jim Mackintosh, Bashabi Fraser, Hugh McMillan, Jim Aitken, Ruth Reid, the Scottish Palestinian poet Iyad Hayatleh, and others who responded to the Scottish PEN’s invitation to contribute.
Come Here also includes three of the Gaza children’s poems and quotations from others, and contributions from Primary 6 pupils at the Royal Mile Primary School in Edinburgh.
ILIYANA NEDKOVA 