Tamer Institute for Community Education has launched a series of illustrated children's stories on Monday evening at the Palestinian Museum in Birzeit. The official launch event included an interactive exhibition titled "Stories from Palestinian Visual Art" featuring the works of artists Samia Halaby, Vera Tamari, Tamam Al-Akhal, and Mustafa Al-Hallaj.

The event was attended by the Minister of Culture, Dr. Atif Abu Seif, in collaboration with the Palestinian Museum and with the support of the Abdul Mohsen Al-Qattan Foundation through the grant "Visual Arts: Growth and Sustainability."

Furthermore, Tamer Institute organized a family-oriented day last Friday, attended by over 500 children, artists, and librarians from various governorates. The event included workshops and interactive activities in clay modeling, stamp-making, collage art, and painting, all inspired by the works of the artists. Artists Samia Halaby and Vera Tamari were present, along with writers Ibtisam Barakat and Huda Al-Shawa.

The project was initiated by Tamer Institute last year through an open call for Palestinian and Arab writers to explore the artistic careers of Palestinian artists who played a role in establishing Palestinian visual art. The aim was to produce inspiring stories that present the artists' biographies, their artistic style, and mediums in a simplified manner for children. Four stories were selected after being reviewed by the advisory committee, including stories about artists Samia Halaby, Tamam Al-Akhal, Vera Tamari, and Mustafa Al-Hallaj.

The selected titles of the stories are "The Jar That Became a Galaxy" by Vera Tamari, "Samia's Colorful Sky" by Samia Halaby, "Mustafa's Marvelous Mural" by Mustafa Al-Hallaj, and "The Lilac Girl" by Tamam Al-Akhal. Ibtisam Barakat, the writer of "The Jar That Became a Galaxy" and "The Lilac Girl," explained that her choice to write Tamam Al-Akhal's story came from "the story of a Palestinian who is stopped or prevented when visiting the place that represents their roots." The story narrates the journey of Tamam, a child who tries to visit her family home in Jaffa but is prevented from entering by an Israeli girl who lives there.

Writer Huda Al-Shawa, who wrote the story "Samia's Colorful Sky," aimed to simplify Halaby's relationship with abstract art for young readers and adolescents, as well as her connection to colors, nature, and cities. Al-Shawa chose to tell Samia's story starting from her studio and the window through which she sees the city, plants, and passersby, conveying all these elements into her paintings.

Through this series, Tamer Institute for Community Education aims to introduce a group of pioneering Palestinian visual artists, develop visual literacy among children and adults alike, and introduce and celebrate Palestinian artists and their local and international achievements. The project sought to deconstruct artistic structures and present them in a language accessible to children. The institute aspires to continue working on the series and introduce new names from the world of visual art for children in the coming year.

The family day included an exhibition and a range of activities designed by Ala Yunis and Aya Yunis. The exhibition showcases highlights from the artists' lives and artistic works, presenting their words and information that connect their art to their upbringing, studies, and work.