art and words dedicated to the children of Palestine

Letters for Palestinian childhoods

is an online and in-person travelling exhibition of letters, poems, and artwork dedicated to the children of Palestine.

It aims to counter dehumanising narratives about Palestinians, showing solidarity by attending to the names, stories, experiences, dreams, and struggles of Palestinian children and the actions of the Western-backed Israeli state which are so violently shaping their lives.

December 12, 2023

Where is my family?

Where is my family?

I’m still young

Where is my family?

And our farewell became a destiny

Where is my family?

Why did this pain happen to me?

Where is my family?

Blood is all over my walls

Where is my family?

I opened my eyes and

I saw nothing but my shadow

Mum, dad, brothers and sisters

No one answered

Echo was all I heard

I found myself alone

I felt like a stranger

In a demolished home

I’m the innocent one I don’t know myself

I am the child of the stone

I cry blood

And I can’t find someone to wail to

What happened to my hometown?

What a destruction that wiped my home

It made me lose my shadow

Nothing left but rubble

The light of hope has gone out

And signs of peace have disappeared

And this is me

Hurt, shattered, gone

And this is only my destiny

And the destiny of my brothers not enemies

By Sanaa Mouadib (UK)

Arabic>English translation by Sharifa K Al Battashi

أين أهلي ؟

أين أهلي؟

ولا زلت صغيرا

أين أهلي؟

وفراقهم صار مصيرا

أين أهلي؟

والدماء ملطخة جدراني

أين أهلي؟

فتحت عيني

فلم أجد سوى خيالي

هتفت

أبي ، أمي، اخوتي

ولا من مجيب

لم أسمع غير صداي

وجدت نفسي وحيدا

فأحسست أني غريب

في بيت مهدوم

فأنا البريئ لا أعرف حالي

بل أنا طفل الحجر

أبكي دما

و لا أجد لمن أشكو

ماصارت عليه دياري

آه من خراب مس مثواي

أفقدني ظلي فلم يبقة سوى الانهيار

انه ضوء الأمل انطفئ

ولواء السلام اختفى

وهاهو ذا كياني

مجروح مكوي قد انتهى

وما هذا الا قدري

و قدر أخواني لا أعدائي

سناء مؤديب

Images: The posters are made by my daughters, Ferdowse El Alaoui, Jannate El Alaoui and Rihab El Alaoui. The oldest one had cancer in the left kidney. She suffered a lot and she is still weak but Alhamdullah for everything.
هذه الرسمات رسمتها بناتي فردوس العلوي، جنات العلوي و رحاب العلوي . ابنتي الكبرى كانت تعاني من السرطان في كليتها اليسرى. لقد تألمت كثيرا و مازالت صحتها ضعيفة و لكن الحمدلله.