Introduction: 

After witnessing the unending atrocities perpetrated against the Palestinian people over the last fifteen months, I decided to step up and do something more impactful, and mobilise my network of friends, acquaintances, and contacts to raise funds for Palestinians in urgent need of medical aid. And so, over the past nine months, I enlisted the help of designers, translators, proofreaders, and editors to create a book as a focal point for fundraising. 

I have chosen Medical Aid for Palestinians (www.map.org.uk) as the aid organization that will be receiving the final donation. They have a well-established reputation and have proven themselves over the past forty-two years of providing aid. 

The book is a bilingual Arabic/English publication titled The Farthest Place. It is an art-photography collection showcasing daily life within the Old City of Jerusalem. The prevailing theme is to humanize the Palestinian people going about their daily lives under occupation in Jerusalem. 

The book is divided into two parts: the first features images showcasing life in and around the Old City, while the second part highlights life in the Haram al-Shareef complex, which occupies a large portion of the city. The book will be 28.5 cm x 21.5 cm (portrait), hardcover, and will feature 200 full-color images. 

In addition to the book, I will be collaborating to arrange a launch event in Amman (and possibly internationally), where an auction of images will be held to increase the donation funds. 

Everyone involved in the project has given their time and expertise free of charge in order to maximize the amount of money for donation. This approach should ensure that 80-90% of the proceeds from each book are donated to MAP. 

The current fundraising goal is 12,000-15,000 GBP (roughly 500-600 books sold), but the hope is to raise much more with everyone’s help.