The Palestinian Museum and the Municipality of Al-Bireh are exploring a joint path of collaboration aimed at exchanging expertise and developing cultural and archival initiatives that contribute to strengthening institutional work in the cultural field. This cooperation is grounded in the implementation of practical programmes encompassing archiving, digitisation, and the development of exhibitions and joint activities.
This initiative follows a visit by a delegation from the Municipality of Al-Bireh to the Palestinian Museum in Birzeit. The delegation included Acting Mayor Eng. Rubein Al-Khateeb, Director of Public Relations Jamila Awwad, Head of the Media Department Nasser Eid, and Director of the Al-Bireh Cultural Centre Saad Amira.
During the meeting, the Director General of the Palestinian Museum, Amer Shomali, gave an overview of the Museum and its programmes, affirming the Museum’s readiness to develop a strategic partnership with the Municipality of Al-Bireh based on the exchange of expertise and the creation of joint cultural initiatives. Such cooperation, he noted, would expand the reach of both institutions, and enhance the complementarity between them.
For his part, Al-Khateeb emphasised the importance of solidarity among cultural institutions across the country to safeguard Palestinian heritage and history. He also highlighted the Municipality’s ongoing efforts to develop the digital archive of Al-Bireh City, expressing his hope that this collaboration with the Palestinian Museum would serve as a practical model of joint work through the integration of cultural programmes and activities that benefit the local community and enrich the broader cultural landscape.
As part of strengthening this cooperation, the visit was followed by specialised meetings, including a visit by the Municipality’s Administrative Affairs and Archives Department to the Museum’s archive and collections, as well as a visit by the Information Technology Department to review the Museum’s data storage systems and the infrastructure of its digital platforms and servers. These meetings aimed to benefit from the Museum’s expertise in archiving, digitisation, and collection preservation, and to open prospects for developing joint projects that contribute to the dissemination of knowledge and its accessibility to the wider public.
Within the framework of this cooperation, the Palestinian Museum invited the Municipality of Al-Bireh to nominate one of its archive staff members to participate in an advanced course in document conservation. Consequently, one of the Municipality’s employees received training at the Museum’s Document Conservation Lab; an important step towards capacity building and the exchange of technical expertise between the two institutions.
The Palestinian Museum is an independent, non-governmental cultural institution dedicated to fostering an open and dynamic Palestinian culture on both local and international levels. It contributes to the production and presentation of new narratives about Palestinian history, culture, and society. The museum also provides a space for creative projects, educational programs, and innovative research, making it one of Palestine’s most significant contemporary cultural initiatives.