Samiha Al-Khalil (1923-1999) was born in Anabta in Tulkarem. Her father, Yousif Al-Qabaj, was the chairman of the municipality of Anabta for thirty-six years. Her mother is Halima Tukan. Samiha was a charity worker and a prominent figure in Palestinian politics.

She was enrolled in a private school in the city of Nablus when she was seven years old. She studied until the second grade of elementary school. In the early thirties, she joined a school in TulKarem and studied until seventh grade, and then she joined “The Friends” School in Ramallah and studied until second grade in high school. She continued her studies of the Arabic language until her third year in Beirut Arab University but could not finish her studies because she was banned from travelling by the Israeli occupation.

She earned her high school degree twenty-five years after she got married. In 1940, she married Salama Khalil.

In 1948 Samiha and her family became refugees. They lived in Gaza where she used to sell jewelry to survive until leaving by boat to Lebanon. IN 1952, all the family left Gaza by boat to Beirut and returned to the West Bank.

The experience of war and of being a refugee shaped her life as she struggled to gain back her country by shaking off the effects of Israeli occupation and oppression.

Samiha was an active women and she was considered one of the pioneers in social and women’s action in the West Bank.

In 1965, Khalil came to the public eye when she founded the al-Inaash al-Usra society in her garage – it would grow to become one of the largest and most effectivePalestinian welfare organization.

The organization empowers women through vocational skills trainings.  The center also offers residential child care and, through its sale of embroidery and crafts, helps preserve Palestinian heritage and culture during the years of occupation. From modest beginnings, Ina’ash El-Usra has grown to have a $6 million annual budget, giving Palestinians the opportunity to maintain their dignity and hope as they struggle to maintain their presence in their historic home.

In 1970, she became a member in the leadership of the “National Front in the West Bank”.

In 1978, she was chosen to be a member in the “The National Committee of Guidance,” the supreme leading bureau of the Palestinian people inside Palestine. She was the only woman in that committee.

She established, and later became president of, the “Society of Reviving the Family” for thirty consecutive years. This society was one of the most prominent national societies to stand up against the occupation of the West Bank after 5 June 1967.

During the 1980s, Khalil was tied to the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and detained six times by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) ; she saw two of her children deported from Israel and the other three (who had been out of the country at the time) forbidden from re-entering. She was eventually placed under town-arrest in al-Bireh.

In 1996 she ran for president of the Palestinian Authority, losing to Yasser Arafat, while garnering 11.5% of the vote.

A grandmother of 13, Khalil remained an active member in the political scene, serving on the Palestinian National Council up until her death in 1999.

She was a member of the Young Christian Women, of the administrative bureau of the Union of Charities in Jerusalem, the chairman of the Union of Volunteer Women Societies, which includes fifty-five societies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, member of the administrative committee of the branches of the Charities Union in Jerusalem, Al-Khalil, and Nablus, the treasurer of the Illiteracy and Senior Teaching Committee, of Al-Maqasid Charity, an honorary member of the Arab Lawyers Union

She wrote a poetry book entitled Uprising to Statehood.

Medals and Prizes:

• Medal of Jerusalem for culture and literature-1991
• Medal from the Public Union of the Students of Palestine-1992
• Medal from the Cultural Sports Center, Baka Al-Gharbiya
• Medal from the Arab American Society, Ramallah-1993
• Medal from the American Union, Ramallah-1993
• Medal from the Palestinian Society of Mathematical Sciences-1993
• Medal from the Palestinian Ministry of Culture-1995
• Medal of “For you, Jerusalem” Conference-1995
• Medal from Al-Bira municipality, Palestine-1995

Sources:

– www.jadaliyya.com

– www.passia.org

Further reading:

– When life hands you lemons

http://www.cipe.org/blog/2010/03/11/making-lemonade-from-lemons/#.VH2JFZUtDtQ

–Women Beyond Borders

http://www.arabfilm.com/item/384/

May Khoury is a Palestinian collector of antiques and designer. She was born in 1940 in Ramallah, Palestine. She studied at the Friends Girls School and went to Bir Zeit University. She has been living in Amman, Jordan since 1974until now. She is considered a cultural conservationist- for over 16 years, her creations have earned a deserve status as a Traditional Handicraft Designer. She believes she has a mission to help preserve the traditional facets of Arabian crafting skills, from fading away.

May became a worldwide promoter of Arabian heritage, transforming its aged beauty with new furniture and clothing designs to adorn the modern-day home.

Her fresh approach to redesigning folkloric pieces has gained popularity with younger and older generations alike. The recycling process of breathing new life into older pieces has become her trademark in producing desirable, artistic, and functional creations.

Her creations were introduced to Arab and European countries, as part of the Mediterranean handicraft promotion. With her work she expresses her own vision on heritage preservation, through the holding of several fashion shows abroad and in Jordan where she lives.

She is a member of the International Women Forum, Jordan Branch, of the Jordanian Forum for Business & Professional Women, networking to enhance, develop and empower business women in Jordan, of the world Crafts Council, and member of Alhoush Network which is the premier cultural networking and e-commerce portal to contemporary art and design from the Arab world.

She is the Founder & Designer: Badr Adduja Arts & Crafts. Badr Adduja Brand is the signature of novel crafts, handmade with traditional authenticity and the personal creativity of its founding designer, May Khoury. Inaugurated in 1999 by HRH Princess Muna Al Hussein, Badr Addujafast grew to become a symbol of designing and producing the ultimate in beauty as the name suggests; in Arabic, Badr Adduja means the full moon at night.

Badr Adduja has played an essential role in giving back to the community, where it has employed and cultivated the talents of over 30 artisans, granting them a stable income while sustaining their traditional craftsmanship skills. Together with May Khoury, the growing family of Badr Adduja continues to preserve Arabian folklore and bring its heritage to life.

From eccentric furniture pieces and accessories, to rich textiles and even one-off clothing items, some of Badr Adduja’s creations have made it to the homes of prominent people and private VIP lounges, as well as renowned museums and hotels around the world.

Awards

-Winner of both Gold & Silver A Design Awards 2013-2014 in the category of Arts & Crafts.

-Winner of the Silver A Design Award 2012-2013 in the category Arts & Crafts -Nominated for Prime Designer of the year 2013 by a member of the International Designers Association.

-Won the 2^nd Laureate of the UNESCO crafts prize for the Arab states, held in Algeria in 2002, for the design of a unique wooden chair, carved and decorated with Traditional Palestinian intricate embroidery and motifs.

Private Exhibition

-9th – 31st July 2000 at Badr Ad-duja arts& crafts Under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania AL-Abdullah (Wooden Rhymes)

-Exhibition 14th March 2002at Badr Ad-duja arts & crafts Under the patronage of H.R.H. Princess Muna AL- Hussein (Authentic Textile In Style)

-Exhibition December9th 2007at Badr Adduja gallery An exhibition of Jordanian home furnishings & Accessories (Creations defining a nation )

-November 24th 2008 At Badr Adduja, under the Patronage of her Excellency Minister of Culture Nancy Bakir (Creative Melodies of Oriental Legacies) Exhibition

Mixed Exhibitions

– Dubai: March 12-17, 2014 Beirut Art Fair 19-22nd Sept. 2013 Amman Art Week 5-16 September 2013 30th April

– 2nd May 2001 Abu Dhabi – UAE in The Jordan Festival Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Nahyan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan & H.R.H. Prince Feisal Bin Al – Hussien 5th

– 14th Nov. 2002 Paris – France First Salon of Euro med Craftswomen organized by “Women from Two Shores” at salon des pont neuf Paris, France. 25th Feb.

– 11th Mar. 2004 – France Exposition itinérante “ Empreintes et couleurs de Méditerranée” Organized by Project PRODECOM Chambre des Beaux Arts de Méditerrané At Unesco headquarters Paris, France .4th

– 11th Dec 2004 Amman Exhibition for designers of handicrafts from the Mediterranean at city hall, Amman municipality. 22nd Apr

– 1st May 2005 Florence/Italy An exhibition in the International Florence Fair in coordination with unesco.

– 28th June – 24th Sep. 2005 Paris Exhibition for Heritage Artisana & Design at gallery Viaduc des arts. Paris, France

Videos

This is Palestine – May Khoury

Sources:

www.alhoush.com

http://www.badr-adduja.com.jo

http://competition.adesignaward.com

Further reading:

– Interview with May Khoury

http://competition.adesignaward.com/designer-interview.php?profile=122615