FOURTEENTH ANNUAL ARTAS LETTUCE FESTIVAL

To our families
who shared their memories of Palestine
To our children
So they will cherish our heritage
And to those who still cannot visit their homeland
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FOURTEENTH ANNUAL ARTAS LETTUCE FESTIVAL April 10-13, 2008
submitted by Artas Folklore Center	09.04.2008

Fourteenth Annual Artas Lettuce Festival
Thursday, April 10-Sunday, April 13, 2008
Artas Village
:عربي
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Read on for Activities,Schedule, Map, Directions and Links to Photos and Text of Previous Festivals.

The Artas Folklore Center

Under the Sponsorship of the Palestinian Ministry of Culture

In Partnership with the Arab Educational Institute-Open Window, Bethlehem Peace Center, Judhur, Palestine Wildlife Society, Rowad, Siraj

Exhibit and Stalls


Crafts: Embroidery, Wood Carving, Plaster, Ceramics, Replicas of Ancient Pottery, Glass, Mosaics

Farmer's Market: Products of the Artas Valley; homemade goods: jam, pickles qubbeh, savory pastries, tabbouleh, and other typical Palestinian food);fresh Taboun and Ishraq Bread made on the site; nutrition projects

Paintings: Exhibit of Paintings from the 2007 Artas Lettuce Festival Paintbrush Competition, by Palestinian artists from various Palestinian towns, villages and camps.

Photographs: Artas Villagers, New and Old; Amulets from the Bethlehem; Flora and Fauna of Palestine

Tourism Publications

Artas Folklore Center's Folklore Museum

With Participation by: Arab Educational Institute-Open Windows, Artas Folklore Center, Ibda, Judhur, Palestine Wildlife Society, Siraj, Women from various areas of the Bethlehem district, including the villages of Al Khader, Al Ebediyeh, Beit Fajar, Zaatara


Spring Hike:

There are two hikes, one from Solomon's Pools to Artas Village, and the other from Solomon's Pools to Herodium, with a stop in Artas. (Transportation back to Artas by bus.*)Participants will see historic and archeological sites from Ottoman, Mamluke, and Byzantine Periods, the ancient water system, the springs on the land of the village, ecological diversity, and wildlife. Among the sites along the route to Artas are:
Murad Fortress, Solomon's Pools, Saleh Spring, Pine Forests, Prehistoric Cave, Attan Spring, Um Ayub, Etam, Khirbet Aytam, Deir el Banat, the "Wall", Wadi Abu Umeira, the Hortus Conclusus Convent, the Artas Spring, the "Sitt" Louisa Baldensperger House, Craft Stalls and Farmer's Markets, Artas Folklore Museum Wadi Khreitoun, Ta'amreh Arabs, Herodium

*Fee for bus according to number of participants.


Performances

Debka: Artas Folklore Center's Ahya al Turath Folklore Troupe,
Al Rowad Center, Ibdaa Folklore Troupe, Kazar Folklore Troupe, Surif Folklore Troupe, Ferdous High School for Girls

Dramatic Sketch: St George and the Dragon, Arab Educational Institute, Open Windows

Children's Entertainment: Rowad Center

Poetry: Artas Poet Amanallah Ayesh

Folksinging: Artas Folklore Center's Ahya Al Turath Folklore Troupe

See Schedule of Activities for details


Note: Center for Jerusalem Studies will be taking guests to the festival on Friday, April 11. For more information and to reserve your place, contact: Center for Jerusalem Studies 02 628 7517;cjs@planet.edu

Program subject to change without notice. For photos of last year's festival and latest information and map check www.artasfolklorecenter.net and www.palestine family.net
Contact: artasfc@yahoo.com or 02 276 0533


Program


First Day, Thursday, April 10, 2008

14:00 Gathering at the Festival Site, Artas
14:30 Opening of the Festival
14:35 Reading from the Quran
14:37 Palestinian National Anthem
14:38 Moment of Silence for Palestinian Dead
14:45 Traditional Artas Greeting by Artas Girls
14:50 Word from the Governor of Bethlehem
14:55 Word from the Ministry of Tourism
15:00 Word from the Artas Folklore Center
15:10 Debka by Ahya el Turath Troupe
15:25 Debka by Markaz Rowad lil Thaqafa wa Tadrib il Masrahi
15:40 Folksongs by Ahya el Turath Troupe
15:40 Dramatic Sketch, St. George and the Dragon by Arab Educational Institute- Open Windows
16:00 Debka by Ibda'
16:15 Break: Opening of Exhibits and Farmer's Market
17:00 Debka by Kazar Troupe
17:30 Poetry by Artas Poet Amanallah Ayesh
17:45 Dramatic Sketch by Al Ain Theatre
18:15 Folksinging by Ahya el Turath Troupe
19:00 End of the Activities of the First Day

Second Day, Friday April 11, 2008

9:00 Gathering at the Solomon's Pools across from the Fort for the Hike to Artas
9:30 Set off on Hike to Artas
9:30 Opening of Exhibits and Farmer's Market
13:00 Rest in Village for those who participated in the hike
14:00 Programs for children, Markaz Rowad lil Thaqafa wa Tadrib il Masrahi
16:30 Debka by Surif Folklore Troupe
17:00 Debka by Girls from Ferdous High School, Artas
17:20 Debka by Beit Fajar Folklore Troupe
17:50 Debka by Ahya el Turath Folklore Troupe
18:30 Distribution of Certificates of Appreciation to Festival Participants
19:00 End of Activities of the Second Day

Third Day, Saturday April 12, 2008

9:00 Gathering at the Solomon's Pools across from the Fort for the Hike to Artas
9:30 Set off on Hike to Artas
10:00 Opening of Exhibits and Farmer's Market
14:00 Rest in Village for those who participated in the hike

Fourth Day, Sunday, April 13, 2008

9:00 Gathering at the Solomon's Pools across from the Fort for the Hike to Herodium
9:30 Set off on Hike to Herodium
10:00 Opening of the Exhibits
11:00 Hikers arrive in Village for Break
11:30 Hikers continue to Herodium
16:00 Return to Artas

End of Program of Fourteenth Annual Artas Lettuce Festival


Note: Center for Jerusalem Studies will be taking guests to the festival on Friday, April 11. For more information and to reserve your place, contact: Center for Jerusalem Studies 02 628 7517;cjs@planet.edu

Program subject to change without notice. For photos of last year's festival and latest information and map check www.artasfolklorecenter.net.
Contact: artasfc@yahoo.com or 02 276 0053


Map and Directions to Artas



How to get to Artas

By Car:

Cross the Bethlehem checkpoint past the two “no-entry signs.” Don’t worry. Everyone does it. Passing Arij, on the right, continue to the end of the road ( Nativity Road ). On your right, you will see Maha Saca’s Palestine Heritage Center . Turn Right and immediately left onto Hebron Road . Now go straight all the way until you reach a free-standing arch on your right to Al Khader Village; on your way, you will pass the Intercontinental Hotel on your right, the Bethlehem / Beit Jala Intersection, and Dehaiseh Refugee Camp on your left. It should take five to ten minutes from the checkpoint. There is no sign mentioning Artas. Immediately after El Khader Arch, turn left. You will enter a lightly wooded area. On your left is Murad’s Fortress and the new Solomon’s Pools Complex. On you right are the now-drained Solomon’s Pools. Continue until you reach the fork in the road. Keep to the right on the lower road and follow it until the sharp turn to the right. Take this road all the way down to the valley. You will pass the Convent of the Enclosed Garden on your left, the Artas Spring on your left. The Artas Folklore Center/Women’s Center is a bit further on your left up the first set of stairs across from the Mosque. The traditional Artas house/museum is up the second set of stairs a bit further on.

Other transportation:

Service Taxi
You can take a service taxi from the checkpoint to the “Cinema” Taxi stand (across from Shepherd’s Hotel up the road to the left of the Beit Jala/Bethlehem Intersection (Bab ezqaq) for two shekels per person and from there another service to Artas for another two shekels per person.

Private Taxi
By taxi: A private taxi from the checkpoint to Artas should cost 20 NIS A private taxi from the checkpoint to the “Cinema” service Taxi stand should cost 10 NIS

For Photos and Text of Previous Festivals, See: http://www.palestine-family.net/index.php?nav=223-222&cid=534&did=2126&pageflip=1