Are you interested in connecting with teenagers from another part of the world, sharing stories, and creating something excitingtogether?
This project brings together young people aged 15 to 18 from Palestine, Cairo and Ireland to meet online, chat about life, and work on creative writing together – whether that’s poetry, storytelling, or responding to each other’s words.
If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, join us for our first session:
Details
Date: Tuesday, 10 December
Times: Palestine (1pm ); Cairo (1pm or 2pm); Ireland (11am)
Join: Register here (Zoom link will be sent to you when you register). You don’t need a Zoom account to login. The Zoom link you will be sent will allow you to log in without a Zoom account.
We can’t wait to see what we’ll create together.
My name is Liam Horan, and I’m delighted to join with Nick Bilbrough and the team at The Hands Up Project to introduce a unique writing collaboration that brings together young voices from Ireland and Palestine. Through the Creative Writers in the Community (CWIC) module at the University of Limerick, we’re creating a space for school children from both communities to connect, share, and explore each other’s lives, stories, and cultures in an inspiring exchange of creativity.
Who Can Join?
This project is open to participants from Ireland and Palestine aged 15 to 18. Together, we’ll create a supportive and engaging space for:
- Young writers and storytellers looking to connect with their peers in another part of the world.
- Teachers and facilitators who are interested in promoting cross-cultural collaboration.
- As of now, we expect to have about ten Irish-based writers and ten in Palestine / Cairo.
How It Works
- Facilitated Zoom sessions (supervised by adults and teachers) will bring participants together to discuss their interests, hobbies, experiences, and creative ideas.
- Each session encourages collaborative writing, where participants may create shared poems or prose together, or craft responses to each other’s pieces in a supportive, respectful environment.
- Over the course of several sessions, we will gather selected pieces to publish in a collaborative collection, with the permission of each writer and their guardians.
- Each participant will be encouraged to submit at least one item of work for use in the publication, but this is not obligatory.
- We also hope to do a live online reading of the work.
What to Bring
Just bring a pencil, paper, and a readiness to explore new perspectives and work together creatively.
Relevant links:
- The Hands Up Project
- University of Limerick Creative Writing Master’s Programme
- Email address for Prof. Eoin Devereux, Module Leader, CWIC, University of Limerick
- Previous student publication Ink & Imagination facilitated and edited by Liam Horan
- Creative facilitation experience, Liam Horan