Palestinian territories

Building Sumud Project

The Building Sumud project studies the interactions between the social and environmental impacts of occupation and acts of resilience (Sumud) in a logic of conflict transformation. It aims to establish a presence in the territories and create forums for exchange on the various non-violent and conflict-transforming initiatives concerning the old city of Hebron and the surrounding areas. It facilitates learning in action, to express and make initiatives known. The creation of a local team of researchers and observers is an essential result of this project. Based on our methodology, it seeks to develop capacities that should be transferable to other cities in the Palestinian Territories or abroad.

The project pursues three objectives :

  • Contribute to areas of research on home and place attachment, hardship, symbolic violence, resilience strategies, and adaptability.
  • The practical conceptualization of these research areas in order to translate research into empowerment strategies.
  • The creative conceptualization of multidisciplinary research linking design projects and artistic initiatives to strengthen interdisciplinary cooperation.

Project start

September 2011