V&A Releases Recordings on Culture and Conflict in Gaza and Afghanistan
- Frazer Macdonald Hay
- May 20
- 2 min read

Now Available: Culture in Crisis Event Recordings — GAZA & AFGHANISTAN
Plus: Thread Memory – Embroidery from Palestine Opens 26 June at V&A Dundee
The V&A’s Culture in Crisis programme has made available two powerful event recordings that spotlight the urgent intersection of cultural heritage, conflict, and resilience.
Culture in Crisis: GAZA
Recorded April 2025, V&A South KensingtonThis in-person event brought together Palestinian artists, cultural organisers, and activists to discuss the catastrophic impact of conflict on Gaza’s arts and cultural infrastructure.
Since October 2023, Gaza has faced the destruction of cultural institutions, studios, archives, and the deaths of many cultural workers. The conversation explored:
What has been lost across Gaza’s art and cultural landscape
How Palestinian practitioners are salvaging and sustaining their work
Visions of liberation beyond the status quo
The future of creativity, resilience, and cultural identity amid erasure
Speakers included:
Mohamed Abusal – Artist; Co-founder of Eltiqa and the HAWAF collective
Aser El Saqqa – Cultural organiser and activist; Founder of Arts Canteen
Dima Srouji – Architect, artist; Tutor, MA City Design, Royal College of Art
Malak Mattar – Artist and writer; MA Fine Art, Central St Martins
Venetia Porter – Honorary Research Fellow, British Museum (Moderator)
Watch the full recording here:
Culture in Crisis: Afghanistan – Breathing Life into Heritage in a Fragile State
Recorded February 2025, V&A South KensingtonThis earlier event brought together two cultural professionals who have worked in Afghanistan for over 17 years. Their conversation focused on engaging with local communities, sustaining creative practices under pressure, and the role of heritage protection as a vital part of peacebuilding and reconciliation.
Watch the Afghanistan recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t4fxbybllU
Thread Memory – Embroidery from Palestine
Opening 26 June 2025 V&A Dundee This forthcoming display explores Palestinian embroidery as a deeply rooted cultural practice and a form of resistance, memory, and identity. Featuring traditional and contemporary works, Thread Memory responds to cultural erasure by celebrating the vibrancy and resilience of Palestinian heritage.
These events and exhibitions form part of the V&A’s Culture in Crisis Programme and Jameel Programming, which support and amplify cultural voices in times of crisis.
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