We Must Return to Another to Return Together

The Root of Radical

The word "radical" derives from the Latin "radix" meaning "root." To be radical is not to be extreme—it is to return to the root, to the foundation, to the source. For Palestinians, this understanding is essential: our struggle is not about extremism but about reconnecting with our severed roots.

Colonialism has systematically fragmented Palestinian clans, severing ancestral roots, authenticity, and values. This fragmentation is the root problem we must address. The path forward lies not in assimilation or compromise, but in returning to what was taken.

The Concept of Return

Return is both physical and spiritual. It is the right of every Palestinian refugee to return to their homeland, and it is the spiritual journey of reconnecting with ancestral practices, traditions, and ways of being that colonialism sought to destroy.

We must return to another to return together. This means rebuilding the bonds between fragmented communities, reviving the relationships that sustained our ancestors, and creating new connections based on shared struggle and shared dreams.

Muntadas: Spaces of Liberation

The muntada—the traditional Palestinian gathering space for critical thinking, creativity, and community building—must be revived. These spaces were where our ancestors debated, created, dreamed, and planned. They were the incubators of Palestinian culture and resistance.

Today, we must create new muntadas: physical and virtual spaces where Palestinians can gather to think critically, create freely, and imagine a liberated future. The Jerusalem Academy of the Arts aspires to be such a space.

The Continuum of Liberation

Liberation is not a single moment but a continuum. Each generation carries the struggle forward, building on the work of those who came before. Our ancestors planted seeds we now tend; we plant seeds future generations will harvest.

As Walidah Imarisha wrote, "Colonization of the imagination is the most dangerous and subversive form there is: for it is where all other forms of decolonization are born. When the imagination is unshackled, liberation is limitless."

Our task is to unshackle the Palestinian imagination—to dream of return, to envision liberation, to create the future we deserve. This is the work of the Jerusalem Academy of the Arts.