Oslo/Fusion | In Conversation: Ahmed Shihab-Eldin

We are only days away from one of the darkest anniversaries of our time, and we are grateful for Ahmed’s spirit and enthusiasm to participate in this special two-part event.

Two conversations of 45 minutes, with a 15 minute break in between.

Presented with support from the Fritt Ord Foundation.

THIS EVENT IS FREE, BUT TICKETS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY. GET YOUR FREE TICKETS THROUGH THE LINK ABOVE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARTICIPANTS, GO TO OSLOFUSION.NO

Part One: DOCUMENTING GENOCIDE

Amidst the encroaching darkness of our times, the once comforting power of imagination crumbles as we watch, horrified, the genocide of Gaza unfold in real time. Through TV screens and social media, the chilling reality grips us: for 300 days, nearly 40,000 have perished, families have been shattered, and over 1.5 million people have been chased from their homes, seeking refuge where none seems to exist.

Hospitals, once sanctuaries of healing, have been reduced to rubble, with bombings turning them into merciless graves. Relatives scour the wreckage in sorrowful searches, seeking to grant their lost the dignity of a proper farewell amid indescribable atrocities.

As we helplessly observe this genocide broadcast across the globe, a profound question burns in our hearts: "How do we record such systematic slaughter?"
The imperative to document and remember this brutality is urgent – we must not let the narrative fade, nor can we allow the threads of our shared humanity to unravel in forgetfulness.

Text by Ayman AlAzraq

A conversation with artist and filmmaker MAHMOUD ALBISHTAWI.

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Part Two: QUEERS FOR PALESTINE & PINKWASHING

For decades queer people have been protesting Israel's brutal occupation of Palestinian land. This phenomenon became known as Queers for Palestine, and for as long as it has existed, Israel has ridiculed and censored the movement.
What is Queers for Palestine and what are its practices? And why is it that Israel targets queer people who support Palestine? Everything is connected.

Pinkwashing refers to when a state or organization appeals to LGBTQIA+ rights in order to deflect attention from its other harmful practices. This has long been a propaganda strategy by the Israeli government; to cynically exploit LGBTQIA+ rights to project a progressive image in order to conceal their occupation and apartheid policies oppressing Palestinians.

A conversation with Assistant Secretary General of Salam Norway,
THEE YEZEN AL-OBAIDE