The Palestinian Return Center in London (PRC) has created and opened its first-ever art show, days before its highly anticipated "Return Week II" on December 6. The P21 Gallery in London will host the exhibition from December 2 to December 12. 

Among participating artists are Sliman Mansour, Fayez Elhasani, Halima Azaz, Malak Mattar, Hadil Alsafadi, Maher Naji, Safaa Odah, Jasmine Hawamdeh, Mohammad Sabaaneh, and Aya Ghanameh.

On the donation list is Protest Stencil Project, a collaborative art initiative that has been supporting activists with materials to enhance their campaigns since 2016. In contrast with the media, commercial and advertising spaces have been recently utilized to magnify Palestinian voices and tradition. 

The show was enthusiastically opened by Farrah Koutteineh, PRC's PR and Advocacy officer.

Koutteineh welcomed guests and touched on the timing of the exhibition, which falls on the 73rd anniversary of the UN Resolution 194, a resolution which states that “refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible.”

The Director-General of PRC, Tarek Hammoud during his welcome speech touched on the International Day in Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

“I am pleased to speak to you as part of this special artistic event to inaugurate Return Week II. This artistic exhibition embodies PRC’s belief that art serves as a weapon of resistance and that artistic expression is a translation of the heavy toll colonization has had on the Palestinian people for over five decades," he said.

The Director-General shed light on the living and security conditions of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and occupied al-Quds. 

Palestinian refugees are also living in difficult conditions and facing discrimination on daily basis, especially the Palestinian refugees from Syria who have grappled with the war in the country. 

“The worldwide support to the Palestinian people, solidarity campaigns, and legal battles waged against Israel’s war crimes and human rights violations have served to further isolate the occupying entity, which continues to strive for entrenching its self-proclaimed legitimacy,” Hammoud said. 

“Today, Israel and its lobbies continue to wage ferocious campaigns under the guise of anti-Semitism, extremism, and terrorism. The recent blacklisting of six Palestinian human rights groups involved in humanitarian work as terror organizations is a striking example of Israel’s scramble to quell human rights voices. The decision harms countless refugees who depend on these organizations for lifesaving support.”

Hammoud reiterated the Palestinian struggle and determination to return to their homeland.

The group urged human rights organizations to speak about the Palestinian cause, especially the refugees' plight, and to increase support for the UNRWA until Palestine is liberated, refugees have returned, and the border of 1967 is reinstated, in accordance with international law and UN resolutions.