Palestinian and Italian circus performers showcase skills in Gaza

Italian and Palestinian circus performers showcased some of their circus skills and skating at the conclusion of a two-week training course in the Gaza Strip.

The circus course is part of a cultural exchange between the Italian and Palestinian peoples and aims at enabling Palestinian youth to develop their circus skills, amid a siege imposed on Gaza, where most young people were not allowed to travel abroad and participate in international festivals.

During the course, the Italian coaches trained a group of Palestinian students in the techniques of circus art, skating, and the art of entertainment. At the end of the course, the students showcased amazing circus skills they have learned in a park in Gaza, amidst a big welcome and loud cheers from people.

Speaking to A24 News Agency’s reporter Mohammed Al-Najjar, Palestinian circus coach Ahmad Mushtahi called for allowing young people to travel abroad and take part in international circus schools and shows.

He also said he hopes to have fifty or a hundred circus artists instead of only twenty in Gaza Circus School and to increase number of schools to five instead of one.

Italian circus coach Daniel said he admires the Palestinian culture, describing the circus as a mission that combines the two countries’ cultures and hoping for a better future for Gaza children.