For several years, The Tromsø-Gaza Twin City Cooperation has held a significant role in the twin city agreement between Tromsø and Gaza. It provides an exceptional platform for young people to develop their creative skills in a global and intercultural setting. This initiative allows youth from both Tromsø and Gaza to connect and collaborate on cultural projects, including performances, films, music, and texts. It is a wonderful opportunity to explore different cultures, gain valuable experience, and establish long-lasting connections with like-minded individuals.
The Tromsø-Gaza Twin City Cooperation, also known as the Gaza Project, hosted a vibrant series of events at Tvibit to strengthen solidarity between the Norwegian and Palestinian peoples. Despite the ongoing struggle and two years of genocide, we sought ways to foster cultural exchange between Tromsø and Gaza. For most of 2025, we held our breath. The world watched as Gaza endured two years of relentless genocide, and here in Tromsø, we felt every explosion, every loss, every plea for help as if it were happening next door. We waited. We hoped. We organised quietly in the background, knowing our work could not truly begin until the bombs stopped. And then, finally, relief came: a ceasefire. It was fragile, and violations continued, but it was a beginning. The moment the ceasefire took hold, we knew we could no longer wait. We had to act. With renewed energy and hope, we ended 2025 not with exhaustion, but with an explosion of solidarity and joy.
Together with 18 other institutions in Tromsø, we signed an agreement to dedicate our 2026 activities to celebrating the 25th anniversary of the twin city agreement between Tromsø and Gaza. This coalition – including Arctic Pride, the Arctic Philharmonic, Hålogaland Theatre, Insomnia Festival, Kurant, the Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum, Palkom, Perspektivet Museum, TIFF, and many more – will fill the coming year with art, culture, and meaningful action. With a shared logo designed by Palestinian artist Shareef Sarhan, we are ready to celebrate friendship, remember what was lost, and help rebuild. The celebration has already begun.
2025 was a busy and meaningful year, filled with action and solidarity. Tvibit showcased a rich tapestry of arts, music, film screenings, writing workshops, and solidarity initiatives, creating a platform for dialogue, understanding, and shared creativity.
We worked hard to support our friends in Gaza, our twin city. On an international level, we reactivated the EuroGaza Network, including the cities of Barcelona, Torino, Cascais, and Dunkirk, which will lead to a conference in Tromsø in the autumn of 2026. As the year came to a close, we ended with amazing energy, preparing many of our 2026 activities to celebrate our friendship with Gaza. We are proud to be part of this strong group, working together through art, culture, and solidarity.

ABOUT THE GAZA TROMSØ TWIN CITY COOPERATION

Organizations and individuals in Norway such as the Palestine Committee and Krafftak for Gaza, as well as doctors and nurses, have had a long history of friendship and solidarity with Gaza. In 2001, Tromsø established a twin-city relationship with Gaza City, which led to the creation of the Tromsø Gaza Twin City Cooperation at Tvibit. The project aims to facilitate closer relationships between young people from both cities. With over half of Gaza's 2.5 million population being under 18, many are enthusiastic about making friends from around the world and sharing their daily lives in Gaza. In Tromsø, the youth have shown great commitment to the friendship between the two cities.

Starting in 2009, Tvibit and Kulta received funding for three years from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Department for Peace and Reconciliation), Troms Fylkeskommune, and Tromsø municipality to enhance their youth project, which involved collaborating with partners in Gaza and Tromsø. This project proved to be a huge success and was granted approval for another four years in 2012.  

The Tamer Institute for Community Education, with offices in Gaza and Ramallah (West Bank), has been a permanent partner of this project since its inception in 2009 and continues to work with the project till date. Through video calls, video conferencing, social media, films, and cultural visits to Gaza and Tromsø, we have developed a strong bond and see great mutual benefits from this collaboration. The youth in Gaza get exposure to the outside world and develop their creative abilities in close collaboration with other young people. Similarly, the youth in Tromsø learn that their peers in Gaza have similar dreams, ambitions, and interests as themselves. Furthermore, they gain insights into new methods and approaches that add a new dimension to their work with films, texts, theater, and performing arts. Over the years, despite the distance, practical and political obstacles, several cultural projects, joint workshops, and activities have been carried out between youth in Gaza and Tromsø. Some of the notable partners of the Tromsø Gaza Twin City Cooperation include Kulta, Rådstua, Kulturskolen, NUFF, and the Tamer Institute in Gaza.

Some of our activities in 2025:

  • Letters to Gaza Exhibition at Tvibit

    We started the year with an exhibition reflecting the Letters to Gaza. We printed some of the letters from the booklet on a larger scale and displayed them at Tvibit's Ta-Plass. The exhibition kicked off with a reading of the letters written by young people in Tromsø to their peers in Gaza, showing the deep connection between our two cities.

    The exhibition took place during the same week as TIFF (Tromsø International Film Festival). In collaboration with TIFF, we brought two Palestinian filmmakers to Tromsø. We hosted director Mahdi Flefel with his film To a Land Unknown, as well as director Scandar Copti with his film Happy Holiday.

  • A Creative Writing Workshop

    Writing is always a way to express a feelings. In a show of solidarity, the Twin City Stories writing workshop gathered young student from Kongsbakken Shchool in Tromsø, to connect with Gaza through writing.

    Participants wrote new short stories and some worked on existing texts, sharing personal thoughts, key moments, and messages of hope. The workshop showed how writing can build bridges, express support, and bring people together. It left a deep mark on everyone who took part.

    These short text truned into the Letter to Gaza preformance which took place during Scenetekstivalen.

  • Theatre Performance at Rådhuset

    After an intensive creative theatre workshop week, the Letters to Gaza performance took the stage at Scenetekstivalen. The performance was inspired by the Letters to Gaza booklet – a collection of solidarity letters written by Tromsø youth to Gaza, reflecting the deep connection fostered by twin city solidarity.

    Collaborating with Kongsbakken high school, Tvibit, and Ferske Scener, five young, talented actors from Tromsø brought these letters to life, blending their voices with text created together. The performance took place in the Rådhuset lobby and was about resilience, friendship, and hope. This unique production amplified narratives of solidarity and cultural exchange, celebrating the human connection between Tromsø and Gaza.

  • PalArctic Film Program

    Tvibit and the Gaza Film Unit co-hosted an event last year for the release of the Palestine Film Directory, highlighting the importance of preserving Palestinian narratives in filmmaking. The online discussion, led by Mohamed Jabaly, featured Eslam Saqqa, Mohamed Almughanni, and Sarah Zeryab, who explored Palestinian cinema's role in storytelling and resistance amid various challenges.

  • Palestine Cinema Days in Tromsø

    On the somber anniversary of the Balfour Declaration (November 2nd), we presented two Palestinian films in cooperation with Filmlab Palestine, as part of the global Palestine Cinema Days:

    After two years of relentless genocide in Gaza, we welcomed the ceasefire. But the moment reminded us how vital it is to preserve Palestinian culture and narratives. The Tromsø–Gaza Twin City Cooperation at Tvibit committed to supporting Palestinians as they mourned and rebuilt.

    When I Saw You (2012, Annemarie Jacir, drama, 98 min) – In 1967 Jordan, 11-year-old Tarek and his mother, separated from his father during war, waited in a refugee camp. Tarek found a group that embodied freedom and hope, sparking his political awakening.

    A State of Passion (2024, Carol Mansour & Muna Khalidi, documentary, 90 min) – British-Palestinian surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah spent 43 days under bombardment in Gaza, treating the wounded. The film followed his most harrowing war, his family's fears, and the passion for Palestine that drove his mission.

  • RADIO GAZA / Tromsø WOrld

    RADIO GAZA (Palestine)
    Concert: Bakrommet, Amtmandens

    After two years of relentless genocide in Gaza, we welcomed the ceasefire. We understood more than ever the importance of preserving Palestinian culture and narratives. As Gaza began to mourn and rebuild, the Tromsø–Gaza Twin City Cooperation at Tvibit remained committed to supporting Palestinian voices.

    We were proud to bring Radio Gaza to the stage of Tromsø World. This powerful musical force—born from the collaboration of Watar Band, Abu Joury, and singer Moneim Adwan—breathed new life into traditional Palestinian songs, blending oud and bouzouki with electric guitar, ancestral percussion with hip-hop beats. Moneim Adwan’s voice, fierce and tender, carried stories of a people refusing to be silenced.

    Their music was a fusion of the poetic, the danceable, and the militant—an ode to resistance, life, love, and hope.

    In collaboration with Tromsø World, Tvibit, Tromsø Kommune, Vennskap Tromsø-Gaza, Palestinakomiteen i Tromsø, Verdensteatret, and Arktisk-Film-Norge.


  • Vennskap Tromsø -Gaza, hva nå?  

    The past two years of genocide have underscored the significant challenges that Palestinians face in their fight for survival. While the attacks on Gaza have ceased, what comes next? After two years of devastation, the Gaza Strip is set to be rebuilt. How can Tromsø contribute to this effort? What factors will influence future prospects?
    On Sunday, November 2, we invite all friends of Gaza to join us at Verdensteatret for an update on the situation and an opportunity to reconnect Tromsø with Gaza, our friendship city.
     
    Join us for an evening of music, film and words of solidarity from keynote speakers, including a word of solidarity from the Mayor of Tromsø and from the Mayor of Gaza
    Stay tuned! The full program and details about our keynote speakers will be announced soon.
     
    This event is collectively arranged by
    (Tvibit - The Twin City Cooperation, Tromsø Kommune – Palestinakomiteen I Tromsø - Vennskap Tromsø-Gaza - verdensteatret – Arktisk Film Norge) & More.

  • Tale of the Three Jewels (Film screening) followed by conversation with Michel Khleifi

    Tale of the Three Jewels (1994/1995) is a Palestinian feature film directed by Michel Khleifi, notable as the first film shot entirely in the Gaza Strip during the First Intifada. It follows 12-year-old Youssef, who escapes the reality of occupation by pursuing a mythical quest to find lost jewels for a girl named Aida, blending romance and folklore with harsh realities. 

    The film was screened as part of the Palarctic Film Program in collaboration with the Palestine Film Institute.

  • Freedom Fields (Film Screening) with Filmmaker Naziha Arebi

    Freedom Fields

    2018 ‧ Documentary ‧ 1h 39m

    An intimate look at post-revolution Libya through the eyes of an aspiring all-female soccer team, whose struggle to gain mainstream acceptance mirrors the broader challenges facing women in contemporary Libyan society.

    As part of the Palarctic Film Program in collaboration with the Palestine Film Institute.

  • Letters to Gaza outside the City Hall

    We set up a lavvu outside Rådhuset where people could write new letters to Gaza.

List of activities 2024:

  • Film screening: Life is Beautiful – Al Haya Helwa (TIFF Opening)

    We kicked off the year with the premiere of Life is Beautiful, a film by Mohamed Jabaly, in which Tvibit played a significant role by providing consistent support to Mohamed throughout the visa process.

  • Cinematic Interventions: Film as a Resistance

    On January 18th, Palestinian filmmaker Mohamed Jabaly led a panel discussion at Tvibit, organized by the Tromsø-Gaza Twin City Cooperation, the Palestine Film Institute, and TIFF. Jabaly and Mohanad Yaqubi explored cinema’s role as a tool for resistance, highlighting its ability to document Palestinian resilience and navigate challenges like funding and censorship. The event emphasized film’s power to shape global perceptions and connect audiences worldwide.

  • Twin City Stories – A Creative Writing Workshop

    In recent months, as we followed the harrowing situation in Gaza, many sought solace in writing as a form of expression. In solidarity with Gaza, the Twin City Stories workshop brought together young people from Tromsø to connect with the situation in Gaza through the art of writing.

    As Gaza’s twin city, Tromsø used this platform to share stories, foster cross-cultural ties, and demonstrate unity and support. Participants worked on existing texts or crafted new short stories, capturing personal reflections, significant moments, and messages of resilience. The workshop highlighted the power of writing as a tool for solidarity and self-expression, leaving a lasting impact on all involved.

  • Palestine Film Directory Release & Film Screening: Gaza Film Unit - Protecting Palestinian Narrative!

    Tvibit and the Gaza Film Unit co-hosted an event last year for the release of the Palestine Film Directory, highlighting the importance of preserving Palestinian narratives in filmmaking. The online discussion, led by Mohamed Jabaly, featured Eslam Saqqa, Mohamed Almughanni, and Sarah Zeryab, who explored Palestinian cinema's role in storytelling and resistance amid various challenges.

  • GAZA @ NUFF: Film Screening and Panel Discussion

    On June 26, a film screening and panel discussion took place at Amtmandens to celebrate 20 years of collaboration between Palestinian filmmakers from Gaza and the Nordic Youth Film Festival (NUFF) in Tromsø. This partnership led to significant cultural exchange, with Palestinian filmmakers engaging in impactful projects and NUFF workshops. However, due to the recent crisis in Gaza, filmmakers were unable to attend this year. In honor of their collaboration, five short films from the Gaza-Tromsø partnership were shown, followed by a panel discussion with Anniken Hoel, Nihal Afana, and NUFF founder Hermann Greuel, emphasizing their cultural ties and mutual understanding.

  • COFFEE IN GAZA (SOUND INSTALLATION)

    On Tuesday, 17th September, a sound installation titled Coffee in Gaza was held, offering participants an immersive simulation of the psychological effects endured by Gaza residents under constant Israeli surveillance. The experience recreated the sounds of aircraft hovering overhead, highlighting how even simple moments, like having coffee, are impacted by such conditions. Participants entered an audio-insulated room designed to simulate Gaza’s atmosphere, followed by an opportunity to document their emotions and reflections. Experts in psychology, sociology, and human rights also shared their insights. The event aimed to foster awareness and understanding of life in Gaza.

  • Writing Workshop - Twin City Stories 2

    Last year, a creative writing workshop, Twin City Stories 2, was held in solidarity with Gaza. As Tromsø is Gaza’s twin city, the workshop aimed to strengthen cross-cultural ties and support through writing. Participants shared and developed existing texts or wrote new short stories reflecting their thoughts, emotions, and experiences during the challenging times in Gaza. The event highlighted unity, resilience, and the power of storytelling as a means of solidarity.

  • Palestine Cinema Days in Tromsø

    November 2nd, coinciding with the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, we hosted Palestine Cinema Days in Tromsø, Norway, in collaboration with Tvibit and Tromsø World Festival. The event aimed to amplify Palestinian voices through film, featuring four film screenings held at Tvibit: The Wanted 18 (2014) by Amer Shomali and Paul Cowan, Resistance – Why (1971) by Christian Ghazi, 11 Days in May (2022) by Mohammed Sawwaf & Michael Winterbottom, Aida Returns (2023) by Carol Mansour.

  • Booklet Release: Letters to Gaza

    On December 5, the booklet Letters to Gaza was launched at Perspektivet Museum in Tromsø, celebrating the twin-city agreement between Tromsø and Gaza City that promotes cultural exchange. In fall 2023, Tvibit invited Tromsø youth to share messages of solidarity with Gaza through Letters for Gaza. The letters were compiled into a booklet designed by Liv Ragnhild Kjellman and coordinated by Mari Andreasen and Mohamed Jabaly, emphasizing human connection. The event included readings, a speech from a Tromsø municipal representative, a pre-recorded message from Gaza, and free booklet distribution, highlighting solidarity in challenging times.

 

The Mayor of Gaza visiting Tromsø

In May 2022, Dr. Yehya Sarraj, the Mayor of Gaza, was officially invited to visit Tromsø city. This invitation came as a part of an initiative to strengthen the relationship between Gaza and Tromsø and to participate in the Gaza Days activities arranged by Tvibit. During the visit, a new Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Tromsø Municipality and the Municipality of Gaza. The signing took place between Gunnar Wilhelmsen, the Mayor of Tromsø, and Yahya R. Sarraj, the Mayor of Gaza.

“Friendship Forever” 

Gunnar Wilhelmsen, the Mayor of Tromsø, and Yahya R. Sarraj, the Mayor of Gaza. 

“Considering the mutual interest in the pursuit of the ideas of peace, solidarity, and friendship between peoples, and determined, in a wide sense, to contribute to the reinforcement of the links of fraternity between the Palestinian people and the Norwegian people, they decide to sign this twinning agreement, by accepting the responsibility to cooperate in every action, that once accomplished, consign the promotion of the welfare of our citizens and tend to the development of our relations.” 

Past activities

Exploring the Twin City Friendship Project Seminar, Tvibit Hovedscene.

  • FLOW: MUSIC, MEDIA & MOVEMENT

In collaboration with the Creative Technology Unit at Tvibit, and invited two Palestinian guest artists, Julmud and Haykal, to join us as artists-in-residence at Tvibit. With their prolific work in hip-hop and electronica, they have been making musical waves both in Palestine and abroad. During their stay, they participated in a workshop on A.I. music and a panel discussion on its consequences, among other interesting perspectives.

Some of the most fascinating cultural works are produced by artists who had to learn to adapt around restrictions and identity - translating to a new flow in music, media, and movement that resonates on a global stage. In the meantime, the world of music production is being disrupted with generative A.I. creating a potentially terrifying culture of copying in its wake. The potential for creativity seems overwhelming, a tsunami of possibilities, but that is what this series of events will attempt to address.

  • GAZA FILM GROUP

We have established the Gaza film group online in cooperation with Save Youth Future Society in Gaza City. They have been working online on a highly productive workshop in filmmaking under the guidance of director Mohamed Jabaly.

  • Eyes of Children Exhibition

The exhibition brings together the children of a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon in one photography course helping them to capture the daily life of the refugee camp from their perspective using the camera as the main tool to express their feelings.

A group of Norwegian activists traveled to the Rashedie Refugee camp in Lebanon with a unique initiative to teach photography to the children living there. The goal was to help the children capture the daily life of the refugee camp from their own perspective using the camera as a tool to express their feelings. The exhibition showcases the work of these children, offering a glimpse into their intimate stories and lives. Through their photographs, we can gain a better understanding of the situation of the refugee camp and the challenges faced by the children growing up in such a difficult environment.

This photo project aims to give the youth in the Palestinian refugee camp Rashedieh in south Lebanon the opportunity to showcase their life through their own eyes. Each project involves around 25-50 children aged between 8 and 16 years. It commenced in 2009 and has been held annually, except for the years affected by Covid. The children are free to pick their favorite photo to exhibit in the camp and several locations in Norway.

The exhibition features photos taken by the children of Rashedieh, a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. It is curated by Mohamed Jabaly and Ingvild Sausjord and is a collaboration between PALKOM Tromsø, the Eyes of Children initiative, and Tvibit.

  • Celebrating Friendship (Seminar + Bazaar)

Exploring the Twin City Friendship Project and the long relationship to Gaza, and how solidarity work became an act of resistance against the blockade imposed on the city and its people over the last 16 years. Finding new methods of working by linking culture and art and learning from each other by involving artists, musicians, culture activists, and filmmakers to draw the lines of this solidarity work.

How can we learn from the past and how to improve the future?

This seminar will explore this history with Tromsø and solidarity work over the project history, what has been done over the years, and how we could move forward despite the challenges.

  • Untold Palestine: Hope & Life Stories! (Exhibition)

Untold Palestine Exhibition is a portrait, and description of the dreams, hopes, aspirations, and victories that Palestinians live for, and for a better future.

In this exhibition, you will not see the checkpoints, the occupation soldiers, or the confrontations. You are only going to see the daily life stories and tales of the victories of the Palestinians who survived the occupation. And that's what we want to highlight.

These portraits are a few moments taken by Palestinian male and female photographers who may not meet in reality as a result of the borders, checkpoints, and the political reality, that deprived them of their natural rights.

But they decided to meet in one room to convey the stories of the people of Palestine from Gaza to Haifa to Jerusalem, the diaspora, and the refugee camps.

This exhibition is curated by filmmaker and artist Mohamed Jabaly, in collaboration with the Untold Palestine initiative and the Gaza Project (Tvibit).

Previous years

  • Interactive installation and performance, “Recycle me”, 2017  

The exhibition and performance are based on the participants’ reflections on the topic: “Can you recycle people?” The exhibition featured many ‘stations’, including live sessions with youth in Gaza, and a performance by Tromsø youth.

  • Theatre play, “I am Hiding”, 2016  

Writing for a stage project, based on many meetings online between the youth in both cities and building the content together, ended up with a beautiful theater performance. 

  • Concert, “It is not too late to dream”, 2015

    Musical Concert by SKUG, the cultural school theatre department, and the cultural schools’ music students, and artworks from Gaza Youth.

  • Performance, “Voices from Palestine”, 2014  

    Writing for a stage project, based on online meetings between youth in Tromsø and in Gaza, resulted in a theater performance. 

Project leader

Mohammed Aljabali

Mohamed Jabaly is a Palestinian filmmaker and artist from Gaza City. He won numerous awards for his films, including Best Directing at IDFA for his latest film "Life is Beautiful – Al Haya Helwa", the Best Nordic Documentary Award at the Nordic Panorama, the Grand Prix Award at FIFDH, the International Competition Jury Award for Best Film at One World Festival and the Audience Award at Docville Belgium. His previous award-winning documentary, "Ambulance", has been shown at some of the world's largest film festivals and has been broadcast globally. Mohamed has conducted filmmaking workshops for young people and has served on juries for several film festivals. Mohamed holds a BA from Nordland Film & Art College in Northern Norway and currently pursuing his MA at the National Academy of Arts in Oslo while touring his new film. In the summer of 2023, he took the lead for the Tromsø Gaza Twin City Cooperation at Tvibit.

Contact: mohammed.aljabali@tromso.kommune.no