After our disheartening experiences with Visarte Region Basel’s board members and co-president we raise urgent concerns about the institution’s ethical principles in regards to Palestine—especially regarding the genocide in Gaza and the Israeli Apartheid. We want to encourage an open and transparent discussion about art, its role in society and its inherent political nature. We believe that the transformative power of our collective work bears the potential to foster mutual understanding despite polarisation.

The event Voices from Palestine: A Call for Solidarity took place on 19.12.2024 as part of Regionale 25 with journalist Mousheera Jamal, political activist Majed Abusalama, student and activist Sabreen from Gaza, and another speaker from the West Bank. It was hosted by artist Stella Meris in collaboration with Visarte Region Basel as part of the exhibition Striving for Common Access. 

We wanted to collectively create a space of solidarity to talk freely about the genocide in Gaza, the struggle for the liberation of Palestine and possibilities of building a decolonial future. Attendees were invited to ask questions and engage in a meaningful dialogue.

To our distress, Visarte Region Basel’s board members and co-president, as well as one of the curators, perpetuated discriminatory methods like policing, silencing, and intimidation towards our pro-Palestinian cultural production, putting irresponsible pressure on the artist and compounding injuries of Palestinian speakers by subjecting them to institutional hypocrisy and disrespect while being invited to share their traumatic experiences rooted in racism and colonialism.