From the irrepressible Freedom Theatre, a thrilling new initiative is set to go on the road:

For nine days, 23 September – 1 October, the Freedom Bus will embark on a historic and ground-breaking solidarity ride through the West Bank of Occupied Palestine.  [See tour itinerary here.]

Inspired by the Freedom Rides of the Civil Rights era in the USA, the Freedom Bus will promote cultural resistance with community visits, concerts, hip hop performances, giant puppet shows, university seminars, and Playback theatre performances based on people’s direct experience of daily life under occupation.

Endorsed by well-known cultural and political figures like John Berger, Alice Walker, Maya Angelou, Judith Butler and Noam Chomsky [full list here].

The ride will embark despite many challenges over the last year, including continual harassment from the Israeli military since the assassination of the Freedom Theatre co-founder Juliano Mer Khamis in April 2011, and the ongoing hunger/thirst strike of co-founder Zakaria Zubeidi, who has been imprisoned for the last four months with no charge.

In the face of these challenges, the Freedom Riders – Palestinian actors, photographers, musicians, activists, and bloggers – are determined to share their unique brand of cultural resistance across the West Bank.

Judith Butler, author, philosopher and recent winner of the Adorno prize comments, “The Freedom Bus represents the aspirations of the Palestinian people to be freed from an illegal occupation, to exercise rights of self-determination, and to demand justice after decades of oppression.  The Freedom Bus ride represents as well the freedom of movement and a movement for freedom.”

Last call:  Don’t miss this opportunity to participate directly in the movement towards freedom and justice in Palestine!

If you can’t be there in person, join the ride via the Freedom Bus website.

You can also support the Freedom Riders by buying a bus ticket, here.

All aboard for freedom and justice!