I am from the north of 48 and here I cannot declare my identity or acknowledge that I am Palestinian. Here, there is systematic violence towards Palestinians, where those who aim to harm us are handed weapons by the Israeli state who recruit criminal organisations to shed our blood day after day! As an actor, I have taken advantage of my platform to talk about what the occupation carried out against my people, including raids, massacres, starvation, humiliation, and killing of children, women, men and the elderly. Theatre is a means of expression and a form of resistance that the Palestinian artist uses for the sake of their cause and their country... As an actor I have performed in several productions that have toured across Palestine. These include Keffiyeh Made in China by Dalia Taha, 970 a piece that combined dance and theatre, and Fragments of the Revolution. International I participated in several exchanges including the Slovenia Youth Festival, the Catalunya Youth Exchange and touring across Norway as an artist. These were important experiences for me to communicate what is happening in my country, sharing cultures, meeting new artists and building joint projects in the future. Despite the intensive censorship by Israel in Historical Palestine, I write my experiences contributing texts to Youth Against Invasion. My professional experiences in theatre and my studies as a student at The Freedom Theatre have given me the skills to become a trainer and educator in arts. I offer theatre workshops to several groups, for example for people with special needs, at homes for the elderly, and in kindergartens and schools.

I live in Silwad Camp, a place that is heavily targeted by the Israeli occupation. Living in a place under constant threat and pressure has made me see technology and theatre as a big gateway to another world that I can shape according to my desires. I studied engineering and acting, and aim to be the first actor inventor. As a result of my two passions, I created an autonomous interactive lighting system and developed applications to control lighting, providing a dynamic tool for theatre production. One of my proudest accomplishments was been working for the Silwad Social Youth Center. Here, I have been able to put my cultural and leadership skills to use, focusing particularly on young refugees and children in camps. It started as just an idea in my mind when I saw how the generations younger than me have nothing beyond school and trying to earn money. I am working on preparing activities in the centre because my dream is to make the children in my camp benefit - to provide them with a space to play, imagine and release their energy. As an actor, I performed in the play * قضية ٧٤* (Case 74), at the Palestine University Theatre Festival, receiving Award for Best Theatre Actor and Best Show. I continued to build on this experience with shows such as "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Big Love" at The Freedom Theatre. Internationally I participated in the tour across Norway, the Youth Exchange in Catalunya and the Slovenia Youth Festival. I well as performing I have a passion for writing poetry and contribute poems to Youth Against Invasion, which I have read to thousands of people at protests in Norway.

I was born in the city of Tulkarm and currently live in a neighbourhood called Dhannaba, located between Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps. Both are relentlessly targeted by Israel, and he describes his reality as being punched in the face from both directions. I am studying Prosthetics and Medical Assistive Devices at the Arab American University and acting at The Freedom Theatre. I am and actor, poet and karate athlete, having won first place in the Afro-Asia Karate Championship. Due to my achievements in combat sports, I dream of becoming an action film actor. As for my life in Tulkarm, it is very challenging. There is a lot of destruction, ruin, and blood. We are considered one of the strongest cities in the West Bank in terms of resistance against the occupation. My younger brother is imprisoned in Israeli occupation jails, and my father is banned from travelling. The rest of my family, including my grandparents and the entire Al-Sarsak family, live in Gaza. It was strange for my friends and the people in my city to see Saleem, the one who loves armed resistance, loves Palestine, and solves everything with strength, become an actor and a theatre artist! At first, it was difficult for me, but later I understood the importance and strength of arts in Palestine, especially at a time when Palestinian culture is being attacked and destroyed. The Isreali occupation is strong in arts and culture, and this is where my challenge began: to be a voice for Palestine, telling mine and my people’s expereinces. I have share my story around the world, including as part of the Slovenia Youth Festival, the Catalunya Youth Exchange and across Norway as an artist, and through writing for Youth Against Invasion. As a Palestinian artist, it is incredibly important for me to talk about the martyrs, prisoners, wounded, children, women, elders, religions, and above all, Gaza, Gaza, Gaza.

I was born in the village of Anza, south of Jenin, which has held a strong resistance against the Israeli occupation for many years. I study computer science at the Arab American University, and studied theatre studied at The Freedom Theatre in Jenin camp. Perhaps the question that is most asked of me is what is the link between art and programming. The answer has always been that art and theatre are a hobby and a life. My view of the Palestinian artist is that they are not like any artist in this world. We must carry a great cause on our shoulders, one that we must speak about wherever we travel in the world. It is a humanitarian, religious, human rights and national cause, and say what you will about it; I believe it has been the most exciting cause in this world for 75 years and more. I cling to this, perhaps because it will remove some of the weight from my shoulders, and give me strength when resisting this colonial cancer. I must talk about the martyrs and the resistance, about the prisoners and the oppressed. I support them with what I have and that is my voice. Culture is a way to resist and whilst resistance has all types and forms, the compass is always one. I create content on social media, to transmit to the world my personal and national story. This includes sharing testimonies and videos as part of Mayday an artist-led citizen journalist platform in Jenin and writing texts for Youth Against Invasion. My international experiences included at the International University Festival of Monodrama in Tunisia, where I was the lighting technician for The Last Sunset a one women show by Aya Samara. I also participated in the Slovenia Youth Festival, the Catalunya Youth Exchange and toured across Norway as an artist. During these experiences I saw how our efforts to speak about Palestine, inspired friends and audiences to take action. How by creating a role model through a character I can encourage others to understand or even emulate these people. How by telling a story of a resistance fighter, it becomes possible for people to see their honesty and humanity. How art allows people to understand our struggle, challenge how the West portrays us as terrorists and turn the story around, showing who the real terrorists are.

My home sits on a road, with Jenin Refugee Camp on one side and Jenin City on the other. Due to the location, I am on the frontline of the Israeli invasions and my house is repeatedly raided and occupied by Israel, who position snipers there. From where I live, I can see The Freedom Theatre, so I have also witnessed the Israeli attacks on the cultural centre. I study at Al-Quds Open University, specialising in counselling and mental health and studied as an actor at The Freedom Theatre. I work as a photographer for celebrations like weddings and the harsher experiences my community faces. As a Palestinian artist living in Jenin, I participate with young artists on the front line. I use my art, my expressive writing, and my work as a photographer as a form of national resistance towards my occupier; work that I consider cultural resistance. As a photographer, I document everything that happens with my lens carried out by the brutal Israeli occupation. I film videos of invasions and the destruction of the city and its camp. Showing firsthand every detail of what is happening to the world, I use social media as a platform and contribute testimonies, videos and photos to Mayday an artist-led citizen journalist platform in Jenin. I also write these experiences as texts, published as part of Youth Against Invasion, a project which I am also a co-ordinator and translator for. As an actor I performed in Signal, created with Al Limite Collective from the USA, Case 74, which awon Best Show among universities across Palestine, and the Red Laila and Commedia dell’Arte with the French director John Luc. At The Freedom Theatre I photographed the daily activities, including the summer camp, documenting the children as they train theatrically and play despite all the country's tragedies. Through the camera, the stage and by writing, I send a different image from how we are viewed around the world. We love life and resist for the sake of life, and this is the smallest duty I can perform for my country and against my occupier.