Saleem Dabbour
Saleem Dabbour (), is a Palestinian writer and scenarist, born 18-09-1970 in Jalazone Camp. He recently traded his home in this refugee camp near Ramallah on the West Bank for life in the adjoining village of Jifna. Lived from 1998-1999 and between 2000-2003 in the Netherlands.
He holds beside the Palestinian nationality also the Dutch nationality (after a Royal Decision by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1998).
He attained a BA degree in English Language and Literature (Bir Zeit University, West Bank, 1996). Higher Education in Cultural Studies, the Netherlands (2001).
Saleem started writing poetry and stories at a very young age. His first poem was published in the national newspaper aged 12. He continued writing and publishing throughout his teenage years; at least hundreds of his writings, including poems, short stories, song lyrics and articles were published in mainly Arabic, but also a few Western/American magazines and newspapers. He sang, recorded various tapes and performed at several occasions in his late teens. In university he became editor of both the Arabic and English university magazines, as well as an important contributor. He wrote several plays (among others 'Khaliluha'; Keep Her - on the social custom of early marriage, 'Fi Beetina Jinn'; A Ghost in Our House - on superstitions and 'Mala'ikaat Rahmeh; Angels of Mercy - on performance of nurses) most of which were performed in the main Palestinian theater houses. He also authored two novels; 'Saber' - A common name that can be translated as The Patient One; on the life of a Palestinian between 1982-1993, and 'Al-Kharqa al-Belliyya' - The Dirty Rag, on social and political life of a group of young Palestinian adults; but both remain unpublished. Saleem continued writing short stories and won literary prizes, incl. First Prize for Short Prose 2003, El-Hidzjra Foundation, Netherlands, for 'Eyewitness' - a story on the Jenin Massacre in 2002, in which hundreds of Palestinians were brutally killed. English and Dutch translations of his work are distributed through a network of admirers in the USA, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France.
Saleem was also selected for participation by Stateless Nation, a project from the Venice Biennale that collected video interviews with prominent Palestinians in Palestine and the Diaspora for ongoing exhibition throughout Europe, starting at the Venice Biennale in 2003 and currently (2008) at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.
Upon return to the West Bank in late 2003, Saleem started working for the Association of Women Committees for Social Work, where he is still the General Manager of PR and Programs on a full time basis. He established and runs his own semi-independent department within this organization to empower Palestinian women and promote their rights.He was selected to take part in the US Department of State-funded International Visitor Leadership Program in 2006 .as sole Palestinian representative, during which he was presented the Distinguished Visitor Plague by the Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights. He was voted in the Top 5 Cultural Personalities in Palestine, public poll Ma'an, 2009-2010.
AMONG HIS WORKS
FEATURE FILMS
* TURNING POINT-BEYOND THE SUN 2012
* SPIDER WEB- SHEBAAK AL ANKABOUT 2010
* Kaffa - Enough 2007
Kaffa was awarded the Gold Prize at the Tunis Arab Media Festival, 2009 and won the Silver Prize at the 14th Arab Media Festival in Cairo, 2008, in the short film category.
PLAYS
* SHAHBOUR 2012
* LET’S VOTE 2011
* A DANCE WITH DEATH 2008
* BALAK BITHOUN 2007
ANIMATION FILMS
* AL-HAYAA AHLA 2007
DOCUMENTARY FILMS
* THE ROAD TO SUCCESS (Documentary) 2008
TV SERIES
* SHU FI MA FI 20 Episdoes 2006
He holds beside the Palestinian nationality also the Dutch nationality (after a Royal Decision by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1998).
He attained a BA degree in English Language and Literature (Bir Zeit University, West Bank, 1996). Higher Education in Cultural Studies, the Netherlands (2001).
Saleem started writing poetry and stories at a very young age. His first poem was published in the national newspaper aged 12. He continued writing and publishing throughout his teenage years; at least hundreds of his writings, including poems, short stories, song lyrics and articles were published in mainly Arabic, but also a few Western/American magazines and newspapers. He sang, recorded various tapes and performed at several occasions in his late teens. In university he became editor of both the Arabic and English university magazines, as well as an important contributor. He wrote several plays (among others 'Khaliluha'; Keep Her - on the social custom of early marriage, 'Fi Beetina Jinn'; A Ghost in Our House - on superstitions and 'Mala'ikaat Rahmeh; Angels of Mercy - on performance of nurses) most of which were performed in the main Palestinian theater houses. He also authored two novels; 'Saber' - A common name that can be translated as The Patient One; on the life of a Palestinian between 1982-1993, and 'Al-Kharqa al-Belliyya' - The Dirty Rag, on social and political life of a group of young Palestinian adults; but both remain unpublished. Saleem continued writing short stories and won literary prizes, incl. First Prize for Short Prose 2003, El-Hidzjra Foundation, Netherlands, for 'Eyewitness' - a story on the Jenin Massacre in 2002, in which hundreds of Palestinians were brutally killed. English and Dutch translations of his work are distributed through a network of admirers in the USA, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France.
Saleem was also selected for participation by Stateless Nation, a project from the Venice Biennale that collected video interviews with prominent Palestinians in Palestine and the Diaspora for ongoing exhibition throughout Europe, starting at the Venice Biennale in 2003 and currently (2008) at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.
Upon return to the West Bank in late 2003, Saleem started working for the Association of Women Committees for Social Work, where he is still the General Manager of PR and Programs on a full time basis. He established and runs his own semi-independent department within this organization to empower Palestinian women and promote their rights.He was selected to take part in the US Department of State-funded International Visitor Leadership Program in 2006 .as sole Palestinian representative, during which he was presented the Distinguished Visitor Plague by the Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights. He was voted in the Top 5 Cultural Personalities in Palestine, public poll Ma'an, 2009-2010.
AMONG HIS WORKS
FEATURE FILMS
* TURNING POINT-BEYOND THE SUN 2012
* SPIDER WEB- SHEBAAK AL ANKABOUT 2010
* Kaffa - Enough 2007
Kaffa was awarded the Gold Prize at the Tunis Arab Media Festival, 2009 and won the Silver Prize at the 14th Arab Media Festival in Cairo, 2008, in the short film category.
PLAYS
* SHAHBOUR 2012
* LET’S VOTE 2011
* A DANCE WITH DEATH 2008
* BALAK BITHOUN 2007
ANIMATION FILMS
* AL-HAYAA AHLA 2007
DOCUMENTARY FILMS
* THE ROAD TO SUCCESS (Documentary) 2008
TV SERIES
* SHU FI MA FI 20 Episdoes 2006
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