Durham, NC - Members of the Duke and Durham communities are invited to a brown-bag lunch event showcasing photographs and several short films produced by Palestinian youth refugees in the West Bank during summer 2007, as part of the Contrast Project. The event will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 28, from 12-1 pm at the Center for Documentary Studies auditorium (1317 W. Pettigrew Street).

The Contrast Project engages Palestinian youth in using media as a tool for expression, empowerment, nonviolent activism, and advocacy. Youth participate in media workshops in which they learn photography and video skils, and then use those media to share personal experiences and tell community stories. The media projects are used locally and globally to raise awareness about issues identified by the youth.

The goals of the Contrast Project are to provide Palestinian youth with technical and artistic skills; offer youth a therapeutic means of creative expression; empower youth by providing a space for their stories to be told; and advocate for the needs and rights of Palestinian youth at the local, regional, and international levels.

The Contrast Project is coordinated by Julie Norman, a graduate of Duke University (Trinity '02). Julie is currently a Ph.D. candidate in international relations at American University in Washington, DC, focusing her research on nonviolent activism in the West Bank.