2044 In Jerusalem: creative writing workshop

As the state of Israel celebrates its 67th year, the status of Jerusalem, Israel’s declared capital, remains at the centre of international debate and negotiations. Yet, rather than political statements, the inhabitants of Jerusalem might be in need of a vision of their life in the Jerusalem of the near future, a vision to which they too can look forward. How will everyday life in Jerusalem of 2044 look like?

The initial UN resolution of 1947 imagined Jerusalem as an international protectorate. Today, this vision seems to be transformed into a plan of division between two capitals, or a shared capital for Israelis and Palestinians. While diplomatic programs proliferate and politicians speak (or do not speak) about their plans for the city, what Jerusalem may be lacking most is a vision of the small details and everyday human existence of its future.

In this creative writing workshop we will try to imagine, inspire, and write down our everyday visions for Jerusalem in 2044. We will do that with the assurance that every small act of imagination, utopian as it might look today, will make this Jerusalem closer to reality and more familiar to its inhabitants, visitors, and even politicians.