Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 7 pm Palestine time
Suad Amiry, Palestinian author and architect (awarded the 2025 European Prize for Architecture)
Title: The Erasure of Palestinian Cultural Heritage 1948-2026: A Personal Journey
Abstract: The lecture reviews the systematic destruction of Palestinian Cultural heritage by the state of Israel since 1948 up till today. Through a personal journey (daughter of a refugee family from Jaffa) as well as a professional journey (Riwaq: Centre for Architectural Conservation) the presentation addresses the personal losses as well as the collective losses of homes, villages, towns and now 1948 refugee camps.
Bio: Suad Amiry is a Palestinian writer and architect living in Ramallah, Palestine. She is the founder of the Riwaq: Centre for Architectural Conservation (1991- ). The first of its kind to work on the rehabilitation and protection of architectural heritage in Palestine. Riwaq as well as Amiry have won many prestigious awards including the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and the Great Arab Minds Award.
She is the author of many architectural books as well fiction and non-fiction books. Her book “Sharon and My Mother-in-Law”, has been translated into 20 languages, and was awarded the prestigious Viareggio Prize in Italy. Her last two books are: “My Damascus” and “Mother of Strangers”.