Assirk Assaghir

In 1999 a group of creative youth responded to the increasing violence and unrest of the pre Second Intifada period peacefully and positively. They made their own clown noses from scratch and turned local jokes into clowning skits. Mostly improvised, they performed shows for children around Nablus especially in the poorest, most marginalized areas. This initiative was formalized in 2004 and the group adopted the name: Assirk Assaghir translated as 'the small circus' in English. The group of youth established relationships with European circuses that provided Assirk Assaghir with training, equipment and the opportunity to travel abroad in circus cultural exchanges. As the group gained skills in a variety of circus arts, they began to teach their skills to Palestinian children, which evolved into the Nablus Circus School (NCS), a space open to youth, children and adults promoting freedom of expression, creativity and fun. Assirk Assaghir was registered as a Palestinian non-governmental organization in 2011.