Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) and

 Ministry of Culture (MOC)

Press Release by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) & Ministry of Culture (MoC) on the occasion of the Palestinian National Culture Day

To mark the Palestinian National Culture Day on March 13^th, PCBS & MoC present the Status of Cultural Institutions in Palestine.

A cultural institution is defined as an institution that includes items (tools and equipment) used for arts, crafts, recreational and sport activities that work for the promotion and preservation of culture and facilitate the practice of cultural activities in a broad sense.

The number of cultural centres operating in Palestine increased compared to the previous year

The number of cultural centres operating in Palestine increased from 577 cultural centres in 2021 to 584 cultural centres in 2022, with a clear gap in the number of cultural centres between the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Distribution of Cultural Centers Operating in Palestine by Region for Selected Years

The number of cultural activities increased in 2022 by 4% compared to the previous year.

Training courses continued to rank first among cultural activities held in cultural centres (about 66% of the activities).

Percentage Distribution of Activities Held in Cultural Centres Operating in Palestine by Type of Activity for Selected Years

More than half of participants participated in face-to-face cultural activities

In 2022, about 588 thousand persons participated in the cultural activities of the respondent operating cultural centres (about 331 thousand participants participated in cultural activities held face-to-face (about 56%)); about 369 thousand participants in the West Bank and 219 thousand participants in Gaza Strip. In 2021, about 437 thousand persons participated in cultural activities, of whom about 209 thousand participants participated in cultural activities held online.

Distribution of Participants in Cultural Activities Held by Method of Holding the Activity, 2022

A noticeable increase in the number of museums visitors during 2022 compared with 2021

There were 32 museums operating in Palestine in 2022: 27 museums in the West Bank (two of them did not respond) and 5 museums in Gaza Strip.

The number of visitors to museums that provided data reached about 265 thousand visitors in 2022: 77% were Palestinians and 23% of them are from other nationalities. In 2021, 2020 and 2019, the number of visitors to museums was about 114 thousand, 26 thousand and 388 thousand respectively. The results showed that the largest number of visitors was in March with about 31 thousand visitors, while the lowest number was in February with 14 thousand visitors.

The number of theatre plays decreased in 2022 compared to the previous year

There were 17 operating theatres in Palestine: 14 in the West Bank (two of them did not respond) and 3 in Gaza Strip that did not practice activities through 2022.

346 plays were performed in the West bank in 2022, while no plays were performed in theatres in Gaza Strip for the same year; out of which 201 plays were for children, 84 plays were for adults and 61 plays were for both children and adults. There were about 43 thousand theatre attendees; where the highest number was in August with about 8 thousand attendees, and the lowest number was in April with about one thousand attendees. In 2021, the number of plays performed in Palestine was 370 plays and the number of theatre attendees was about 33 thousand.

Contribution of Ministry of Culture in Supporting Cultural Activities in 2022

During 2022, the Ministry of Culture launched the "Wiki Palestine" program and the "Memory Code" to preserve and document the Palestinian narration, through digital content, and the "Memory Code" is about films carved on stone of Palestinian personalities and events. 25 editors were trained in this field.

In 2022, there was 8 awards that were awarded for Literature, Arts and Humanities, where the State of Palestine gives out as appreciation and gratitude for all creative Palestinians

Also, MoC supported seventy cultural projects, organized 150 cultural events, including heritage seminars, and launched the National Theatre Festival, with the participation of 10 performances, as well as opening competition on 5 awards for the best director, the best actor, the best theatrical performance and the best playwright.

On the commemoration of the martyrdom of the Palestinian novelist Ghassan Kanafani, MoC launched the Ghassan Kanfani Award, where four awards were awarded to novelists and writers from Arab countries, as well as organizing the Palestine Forum for the Palestinian Narration with the participation of 13 novelists from Arab countries, Festival of Ghassan Kanafani Theatre, 3 scientific, literary and critical conferences, art gallery with the participation of 15 artists from Palestine and Diaspora in this event. Organizing a forum in the name of Majid Abu Sharar, in the commemoration of his martyrdom, for the Arab story, with the participation of 35 novelists and writers from Palestine and Arab countries.

Moreover, MoC organized three literary forums and 20 activities in diaspora camps and in the occupied Palestinian Territory in 1948 to strengthen the national narrative in Palestine.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Culture organized the Palestine International Book Fair 2022, where 450 Arabic and local publishing houses and 150 Arab writers participated . In addition, MoC published 100 books before Al-Nakba, and around 250 thousand books, published by the Ministry of culture, were distributed to schools libraries, cultural centers and institutions. MoC also supported about 100 schools and public/municipalities libraries by publications of the Ministry, as well as supporting 150 events and activities within the National Culture Day.

Additionally, MoC organized the Dabkeh Folk Festival on the occasion of the 74^th anniversary of the Nakba, with the participation of 30 Dabkeh bands, in order to have this cultural activity enlisted among the representative items of the intangible cultural heritage at the UNESCO.

Lastly, MoC organized 30 training courses in the field of traditional industries and held 4 exhibitions to promote traditional industries.

   Sources:

1.    Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 2023. Database of Comprehensive Survey on Cultural Centres, Museums and Theatres, 2022. Ramallah-Palestine.

2.    Ministry of Culture 2023. Directorate of Planning & Project Management. Database of Administrative Records, 2022. Ramallah – Palestine.