Palestinian youths have recently been promoting a campaign called "My Palestinian Shirt." The campaign, which has been operating a Facebook page of the same name since December 2012, includes the sale of tee shirts with various images and captions such as maps of greater Palestine, the slogan "I am a Palestinian," a key symbolizing the right of return, and more. According to the founders, the idea for the campaign came when they noticed many youths wearing foreign clothing brands with slogans in foreign languages. They wrote on their Facebook page: "Our idea is very simple. A lot of us buy clothes that have unknown words like brands or letters. Our idea is to replace them by using our Arabic language with meaningful words and drawings that express our feelings as Palestinians so that we can share our voice with the whole world."[1]
The Campaign's Purpose – To Make Our Voices Heard Worldwide
The tee shirts are made in Hebron, printed in Jerusalem, and distributed from Ramallah, and the campaign appears to have widespread support, with over 54,000 likes on its Facebook page. A German-language website selling the shirts claims that since 2012 thousands of shirts have been sold in the Palestinian Authority, Arab countries, France, and the U.S.[2]
Tee shirts with different variations of maps of greater Palestine and slogans such as "I Love You," "Palestine," and "All The Land Is Ours."
Map of greater Palestine and the slogan "We Belong To The Homeland And Will Return There."
Shirt with the slogan "Oh, My People, Rise Up."
Youths wearing the tee shirts. On the far right is one with a map of greater Palestine in the shape of a key, symbolizing the right of return.
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Shirts with the slogan "Palestinian woman."
Young children wearing shirts with the slogan "Palestinian."
Mohammad Assaf from Gaza, winner of Season 2 of Arab Idol in 2013, holding a shirt with the slogan "Palestinian."
The Campaign Around The World
The campaign organizers distribute their shirts in many cities in the Palestinian territories as well as inside Israel, in cities like Jaffa, Ramla, Haifa, and more. In addition, the shirts are distributed at the Arab American University in Jenin and Al-Quds University in Abu Dis, as well as abroad to Arab countries and even Western countries such as Germany, France, and the U.S. Fans show their support by sharing photos of themselves wearing the shirts. According to Alwatanvoice.com, which reported on the campaign, most of the photos were taken "in occupied Palestinian cities – especially Jerusalem, the 1948 territories, and Gaza."[3]
A list of some of the countries where the shirts are distributed, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, France, Germany, and the U.S.
Man wearing shirt with the slogan "Palestinian" near Damascus Gate, Old City, Jerusalem.
Youths in Saudi Arabia wearing the tee shirts.
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