Phoenix of Gaza: Keynote and Virtual Reality Demonstration
Naim Aburaddi and Ahlam Muhtaseb created The Phoenix of Gaza XR as a platform for people around the world to learn, engage, and connect with the people of Gaza. As media scholars and social justice activists, they believe that 360-degree technology and virtual reality can be powerful tools for social change.
Join us for their opening keynote, followed by a reception with Palestinian food and VR demonstrations. Attendees will receive instructions for signing up to visit the VR exhibit in the Humanities Quadrangle at 320 York Street (room 102).
The Phoenix of Gaza XR is a virtual gateway to pre-destruction Gaza. Open to the entire Yale community December 3–6, this extended reality project features hundreds of videos and images of daily activities in Gaza taken with a 360-degree camera. The vast majority of the locations captured are historical places in the Gaza Strip before they were destroyed (about 80% of the Gaza Strip has been destroyed since October 7, 2023). The Phoenix of Gaza XR, with its 360-degree documentation of a land scarred by destruction, includes images and videos of historical monuments, cultural sites, public squares, universities, schools, cafes, streets, agricultural areas, parks, beaches, markets, and amusement places. This virtual tour also connects audiences to Palestinian culture through footage of weddings, stitching workshops, dabke (traditional dance), palm harvesting, clay and pottery making, and the work of other artisans.
The VR exhibit, featuring headsets that offer an immersive window into pre-destruction Gaza, will be installed in HQ at 320 York Street (room 102) and open for visits by classes, groups, faculty, staff, students, and members of the community.
Virtual Reality exhibit in the Humanities Quadrangle open to all! Sign up for the opportunity to experience the Phoenix of Gaza exhibition and immerse yourself—with VR glasses—in images and videos of pre-destruction Gaza. Open 9:00 am–4:00 pm, December 4–6. Sign up for a 20-minute VR session.
Cosponsored by Yale Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity, and Transnational Migration; Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage; Whitney Humanities Center; MacMillan Council on Middle East Studies; Department of the History of Art; School of Architecture; Anti-Arab Racism and Islamophobia Lecture Series; Center for Collaborative Arts and Media