The following letter went to The Western Mail and The Guardian today.  Copies will follow to the Heritage Ministry of the Welsh Government and the Israeli Embassy in London.  Many thanks to all who have supported this small but important attempt to speak up for the role of theatre in one of the world's most difficult situations.  I hope that our friends and colleagues in Jenin will be heartened to know that we hold them in our hearts.

Open Letter from the Theatre Makers of Wales

We, the theatre makers of Wales, deplore the recent attacks in Jenin on The Freedom Theatre, its people and property. Freedom Theatre is a beacon for artistic expression and cultural co-operation, offering children and young adults in the Jenin area a safe space in which they are free to express themselves, to explore their creativity and emotions. The theatre has the following admirable goals:

-       To raise the quality of performing arts and cinema in the area.

-       To offer a space in which children and youth can act, create and express themselves freely, imagining new realities and challenging existing social and cultural barriers.

-       To empower the young generation to use the arts to promote positive change in their community.

-       To break the cultural isolation that separates Jenin from the wider Palestinian and global communities.

Sadly, it is reliably reported that in the past week, Israeli soldiers attacked the theatre, and arrested staff members.

Unless initiatives such as Freedom Theatre are nourished and supported, there can be little prospect for wider understanding and peace. We call on the Israeli government to investigate and to bring an immediate end to these attacks. We call on our fellow artists in Israel and beyond to support The Freedom Theatre as an inspiring source of cultural understanding and artistic hope.

Signed

John McGrath, Artistic Director, National Theatre Wales

Arwel Grufydd, Artistic Director, Theatr Genedlaethol

Chris Ricketts, Director, Sherman Cymru

Kevin Lewis, Artistic Director, Theatr Iolo

Peter Richards, Artistic Director, Fluellen Theatre

Peter Cox MBE, writer

Greg Cullen, writer and director

Terry Victor, writer and performer

Rebecca Gould, director

Meredydd Barker, writer

Kaite O’Reilly, writer

Abdul Shayek, Creative Associate, National Theatre Wales

Carys Shannon, writer and producer

Carmen Medway-Stephens, writer and director

Tim Price, writer

Bridget Keehan, director

Guy O’Donnell, designer

Kath Chandler, writer

Chris Kinsey, writer

Tom Beardshaw, media artist

Sam Burns, writer

Alun Howell, writer

Sam Boardman-Jacobs, choreographer

Lisa Parry, writer

Alan Harris, writer

Tom Wentworth, writer

Brad Birch, writer

Ian Staples, writer

Kit Lambert, writer

Rick Allden, writer

Steven Elliott, actor

Catriona James, actor

Adele Thomas, director

Richard Huw Morgan, artist

Ieuan Watkins, writer

Manon Eames, writer, actress

James Roberts and Bridie Doyle, Citrus Arts

Georges Dewez and Jane Llloyd Francis, Equilibre Theatre

Amy Bonsall, director

Brent Morgan, performer and creator

Jorge Lizalde, photographer

Zoe Mills, actor

Paul Wines, producer

Gary Knowles, actor

Amanda Weeks, actor/writer

Charlie Elliot, actor

Kay Richmond 

Lisa Mellor

Cari Medway

Vanessa Medway

Colin Medway

Rhodri Stephens

Marie Suzanne Todd, performer

Rhiannon Cousins, writer

Lucy Ellinson, performer

Matt Ball, Creative Associate, National Theatre Wales

Devinda De Silva, TEAM Co-ordinator, National Theatre Wales

Nicholas Davies, Arts Council Wales

Ruth D. Majeed, theatre practitioner

Simon Harris, writer/director

Alex Louise Murdoch

Hannah Bevan, producer

Catrin Clarke

Michael Kelligan

Kevin Johnson, writer

Rhian Jones, Administrator, National Theatre Wales

Darren Webber

Lynn Hunter, actor and director

Femke van Gent

Liz Gardiner, actor and administrator

Anna Louise Poole

Naomi Doyle, actor

Sandra Blue, production/stage manager

Natalie Paisey, actor

Thomas Reilly, technical and production manager

Wyn Mason, filmmaker

Miranda Roszkowski, actress

Phillip Mackenzie, director

Caroline Beasley, actor

Anja Conti, actor

Matt Kidd, writer

Mathilde Lopez, director

Gilly Adams, director and workshop leader

Sarah Bickerton, director

Janine Cooper-Marshall, actor

Jaen Fox, writer and director Asking4It Productions

Matthew Bulgo, actor and writer

Sam Potter, director

Vivienne Buckley, director

Sian Thomas, Creative Producer, Adain Avion

Sian Taylor, performer, director and stage manager