Common Ground – Deconstructing Walls is a series of symposiums which presents an intervention of art and activism that promotes dialogue and understanding within the diverse and sometimes polarized society of Vienna and beyond regarding Palestine and Israel. Against the backdrop of deepening divisions, dehumanization, and violence, from the ethnic cleansing of 1947, through the decades of occupation, to the mutual violence that culminated in the massacre carried out by Hamas on October 7 and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, these events will explore possible paths to accountability and reconciliation with the participation of experts, activists, artists, and representatives of civil society organizations from across the region and Europe.
The second event in the series, “Security and Freedom,” will address the concept of security within the Israeli sphere as a governing system which dispossesses Palestinians of their humanity, denies their freedom, perpetuates occupation and apartheid in the West Bank, enables the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and contributes to moral decay and the erosion of political freedoms within the Israeli political sphere.
Drawing on the expertise of legal scholars, historians, regional human rights organizations, documentary films, and a photography exhibition, the symposium will examine security as a mechanism of control and will explore practices, power structures, the suppression of Palestinian freedom, and their impact on Israeli society.
The symposium will be held in English.
Programm
Sat. 15.11.2025
- 11:00 Opening assembly, Cultural Councilor Veronica Kaup-Hasler, OneState Embassy Art Collective
- 11:30 Security as a mechanism of Control: Practices, Power Structures and the Suppression of the Palestinians’ Freedom (panel)
- 15:00 Securitization as a structure for Israel’s ethno-national supremacy, Adi Mansour, Adalah
- 17:00 Hebron: Under Occupation & Apartheid, Izzat Karake , Youth Against Settlements
- 19:00 Settler violence as a state tool for annexation of the West bank, Firas Alami, Yesh Din
- 20:30 Exhibition opening
- 21:00 In Conversation with the Artist Ibrahim Nubani
Sun. 16.11.2025
- 10:00 Occupation, Decay, and Israel’s Democratic Erosion, Dr. Thair Abu Ras
- 12:00 Out of Ashes: Binationalism as a Safe shelter, Dr. Avi-ram Tzoreff
- 15:00 Bureaucracy of occupation, Hanna Barag
- 17:00 The moral decay and the erosion of political liberties within the Israeli political sphere (panel)
- 19:00 Toward Safety and Freedom: Final Dialogues (closing assembly)
Exhibitions
The symposium will be accompanied by the following exhibitions:
- Activestills: Doaa Albaz, Mohammed Zaanoun, Yousef Zaanoun | Documenting Genocide
- Ibrahim Nubani | Recent Works
- Osama Zatar | White Hands
- OneState Embassy Art Collective | Diplomatic Performance: Passport Project
More info about the symposium and registration here
