Listen to an ensemble. Cook a family recipe. Discover a film, a children’s book and a different way to test medicines. Meet five people through the work they’ve made.
01 / Music
Palestinian-Australian musician Yousef Alreemawi founded Tarab Ensemble in 2019. The group brings instrumental classical Arabic music to audiences in Melbourne, including at Melbourne Recital Centre. On 3CR he talks about his work and introduces music by composers he admires.
02 / Food
Aheda Amro learnt to cook from her mother and grandmother in Halhul. In Melbourne she’s shared that knowledge through catering, cooking classes and a food truck. Her maqluba, a rice dish turned upside down to serve, adapts her grandmother’s recipe to what’s growing in her garden.
03 / Books
Australian writer Randa Abdel-Fattah, who is of Palestinian and Egyptian heritage, wrote the bilingual picture book 11 Words for Love, illustrated by Maxine Beneba Clarke. It introduces children to Arabic expressions for different kinds of love and was shortlisted for a 2023 Prime Minister’s Literary Award.
Explore the picture bookSee the award shortlistRead Randa on growing up in Australia
04 / Film
In HANEEN, Palestinian-Australian filmmaker Aprille Asfoura draws on conversations with her father and aunty. The short film connects memories of Bethlehem with the Blue Mountains and Sydney’s coast, combining close-up footage with animation by Ahmed Elkhalidi. It screened in the Sydney Opera House’s Holding Space program in 2026.
See the Sydney Opera House programRead about Aprille and the film
05 / Medical research
Palestinian researcher Dr Hala Raghib studied at La Trobe University and developed a way to screen medicines for possible effects on the heart using human cells. Her work on testing without animals earned the People’s Choice award at the 2007 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.
Read the ABC’s report on the researchRead La Trobe’s alumni profile
.jpg){kind=link}