WHAT ROZANA DOES

A visit to a Rozana event is to be immersed in the sounds, visions, aromas, rituals, and products of Palestine’s cultural landscape – from the vigorous “dabke” dance to the bride’s henna ritual, from the elaborate embroideries by village women to the perfume of “zatar”, from the joyful noise of the Scout bagpipers to the solemnity of traditional Palestinian ballads and songs.  Rozana recognizes that culture is a powerful force.  For the visitor it can provide a connection between diverse people through shared experiences.  For the villager it can be a tool for economic improvement.  For Palestine culture is an inheritance and identity that Rozana and its partners are attempting to preserve.

The Palestinian landscape is a land of remnants – the remains of the numerous peoples who have traversed the country –  Roman ruins, Crusader citadels, 3^rd century Christian churches, 12^th century Islamic mosques, Sufi shrines (“maqams”), Ottoman architecture, and Mamluk homes.  It isa land of green grape vines and terraced olive trees, brown cliffs of stone, and golden dunes of sand.  There are steep hills for climbing and more level terrain for walking.  Rozana designs trails to explore all of these, of varying lengths and difficulty to suit individual travelers.  Local guides are experienced hikers with English language skills and knowledge of local history.

Rozana strives to protect, restore and rehabilitate the unique, often ancient, architecture of Palestine’s rural landscape with the goal of creating modern living spaces and community resources while simultaneously preserving Palestine’s architectural heritage.  The initial project was immense:  the rebuilding of Birzeit’s historic center, in collaboration with many other organizations, primarily RIWAQ.  Since then Rozana has expanded its vision to the shrines (“maqams”), khans, and other historic buildings beyond Birzeit.  Future projects include adding playgrounds to Sufi shrine sites and opening a site for weaving Majdalawi fabric.