Pegasus Theatre, Oxford

In Summer 2011, the Pegasus Theatre organised the MESH Oxford International Youth Arts Festival to connect young people across cultures through the arts. The 10-day festival brought together 200 young people from six different countries, including Gaza in occupied Palestine. As well as showing their work to each other, the young people led post show discussions, participated in creative workshops culminating in a final performance in the Oxford Town Hall, and took part in a main debate on the issues of human rights and young people.

Hoping provided a grant to help bring the ten young Palestinians from Gaza to participate in the festival. They performed a series of monologues that they had written, in conjunction with Ashtar Theatre in Palestine, about their fears, hopes and dreams following the occupation of the Gaza strip.