Our space is heavily toured, with extensive information on local history and culture passed on to individuals and groups by tour guides. Most guides hardly refer to the Palestinian history and presence in this space in the period before the Nakba, despite the fact that it represents a key chapter in the country's modern history. Recently, however, growing numbers of tour guides are showing interest in including the Nakba in their tours. Despite this encouraging trend such tour guides face difficult challenges and dilemmas, as they have not received knowledge and tools for teaching the Nakba in available programs.

In order to promote tours focused on the Nakba designed for the general public, Zochrot invites tour guides and educators to take part in this groundbreaking course, based on more than a decade's experience in guiding Nakba tours to diverse audiences in Palestinian sites throughout the country.

The course will combine theoretical and hands-on learning with practical experiences in planning and guiding tours in Palestinian sites destroyed in the Nakba. During the course, participants will learn about the history of the Nakba and the erasure of Palestinian existence and culture from space in general and physical space in particular, acquire practical tools and develop the skills needed to plan and guide their own tours based on Zochrot's professional model by going to the field.

Schedule

The course will include 12 weekly sessions over a period of three months. Participants will meet once a week on Friday mornings for three hours (9:30-12:00), for a total of 36 hours.

The course will be held in Hebrew and Arabic.

The first session will take place on December 6, 2013.

Lectures will be held in Zochrot's offices in Tel Aviv. Tour sites will be determined during the course.

Cost: 450 NIS

Admission

The course is designed for Palestinian and Jewish tour guides, or people interested in becoming tour guides. Priority will be given to experienced tour guides, social activists and formal and informal educators. Up to 25 participants will be admitted, subject to an interview and commitment to take part in all course meetings.

For further details and registration, please contact  the course coordinator, Umar al-Ghubari at tours@zochrot.org

Candidates should attach their CVs.

Registration deadline: November 8, 2013