80-Year-Old Grandma Relives Childhood Memories Of Jerusalem At Palestine Event In Dubai

The moment 80-year-old Aisha saw Qubbat Al-Sakhrah, the Dome of the Rock with its famous golden dome, she became emotional.“Ya Allah,” she said, as memories of her childhood in Jerusalem came back to her.

She remembered spending time there with her sister, who has passed away. "I was around 16 years and my sister was 18," she said, also remembering her brother going inside to pray at Al Aqsa Mosque in Jeruselem. "We would spend time in the evenings in the compound of Al Aqsa Mosque."

Standing at Expo City many years later, Aisha began talking about those memories one after another with her daughters, son, and grand children. For her, the display of the Golden Dome was not just something to look at. It reminded her of her parents, her brother, her sister and the time they spent together during her childhood.

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Aisha, who has visited Jerusalem several times over the years, was among thousands of Palestinians and other UAE residents who gathered at Expo City Dubai on Saturday for the inaugural Emirates Loves Palestine event, organised by Emirates Loves.

Abeer AlRamahi, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the UAE, thanked the UAE for hosting the event and bringing Palestinians together under one roof.

“We are very thankful to the UAE for organising such a beautiful event. Today is about Palestinian culture, our traditions, and our heritage, but it is also about Palestinians coming together and remembering the things that connect us to home."

"Seeing families, children and different generations celebrating our culture together makes this a very special day for us. It feels like Eid, a day of celebration, happiness and togetherness.”

Across the exhibition hall, Palestinian culture could be seen everywhere. Many visitors wore the black-and-white keffiyeh, and women and young girls came in traditional Palestinian dresses decorated with tatreez embroidery.

Older visitors said that the event brought back memories of Palestine. For Palestinians, it was a chance to show their children traditions, clothes, food and culture.

Rawand came with her family, including her daughter Jehan. Both were dressed in traditional Palestinian outfits with tatreez embroidery, and she said the event made the family feel closer to Palestine.

Seeing the familiar clothes, displays and traditions around them made the experience special, especially for the children. For Rawand, it was also a chance for her daughter to learn more about Palestinian culture while living in the UAE.

"My daughter has learned about our culture. She has not got a chance to visit Palestine yet," said Rawand. "The atmosphere made us feel as if we are experiencing a small part of Palestine in Dubai."

Siblings Waleed, Zaid and Zeina were among the children who quickly recognised one of the main displays. As soon as they entered and saw the recreation of the familiar Jerusalem landmark, they became excited and pointed it out to their father.

"Yes, they know the Al Aqsa Mosque very well. Its our dream to visit and pray there," said Basim, Waleed's father.

They later posed together near the display. For many children at the event, it was a chance to see Palestinian culture around them instead of only hearing about it at home or seeing it in photographs.

"This recreated dome is so beautiful. I wonder how beautiful the real monument will be," said Waleed.

The importance of such events

Abdullah Al Shami also came with his young son Yusuf Al Shami. As Yusuf sat on his shoulders, Abdullah said he wanted his son to learn about Palestinian culture and traditions from a young age.

"Events like these help our children understand more about where we come from. We are really thankful to the UAE and the leadership for such culturally rich event," said Al Shami.

"We can show our [kids] the clothes, food, and traditions instead of only explaining these things at home," said Al Shami.

The Palestinian food stalls were among the busiest parts of the event, with crowds gathering around the counters and people lining up for Palestinian dishes and sweets.

Traditional tunes get visitors dancing

A group of musicians performed traditional Palestinian tunes using traditional instruments, drawing visitors towards the performance area. As the music filled the venue, several visitors joined in, dancing to the familiar tunes while others gathered around to watch and record the moment on their phones.

Visitors moved from one the food stalls to another, while keffiyehs and traditional embroidered dresses could be seen across the venue. For some visitors, the day was about teaching their children about Palestine, while for others it was about seeing familiar sights, clothes and food again.

But for Aisha, one sight was enough to bring back a lifetime of memories. Seeing Qubbat Al-Sakhrah again, even as a recreation in Dubai, reminded her of playing with her late sister, waiting for her brother after prayers and having lunch with her family.

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