Ahmad Dari, born in 1964 in Jerusalem, is a Palestinian artist whose distinguished and varied experience has solidified his presence in both the Palestinian cultural and artistic arena as well as in that of the broader Arab world. He grew up in Damascus, an ancient city that had a significant impact on him and contributed to the shaping of his relationship with Islamic art, specifically Arabic calligraphy.In 1985, Ahmad went to France to continue his education and started out with French language studies in Lyon. As a university student, he cofounded the Palestinian band Aras together with a group of Palestinian and Arab students. Aras has been very active and over the past 20 years has presented hundreds of artistic, musical, and lyrical performances at festivals and events in France and Europe in support of the Palestinian cause.
A cultural activity at Al-Quds School in Bucharest, Romania, June 2023.
Dari has focused on Arabic calligraphy and worked hard to develop his own identity and unique style. He has organized numerous exhibitions and Arabic calligraphy workshops for children and adults in various cultural centers, at festivals, in libraries, and at creative arts salons in France and Europe. He considers such activities to be important acts of intergenerational cultural dialogue, a feature that is essential for creating greater understanding and acceptance among peoples. He has produced many publications in the field of calligraphy in collaboration with several French publishing houses and contributed to many posters and logos for French, Palestinian, and Arab institutions and museums, including the work of Arabic calligraphy that decorates the Mahmoud Darwish Museum in Ramallah.Realizing the significance and impact of cultural work in Europe, Dari found that it was possible to build on this feature not only by interacting with the local cultural and artistic arenas but also by engaging in open dialogue with others. He relies on the fact that the Palestinians have a strong cultural presence throughout the world and believes that such engagement might prove more successful than the current faltering political, economic, and media actions.In 1996, Dari began his work as an assistant representative of Palestine to UNESCO in Paris. He held this position for fifteen years, during which he was seconded in 2008 to work in the management of the celebration of Jerusalem as the Capital of Arab Culture. He also worked as a consultant in the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in 2010 worked as director of its cultural department. These roles represent a breadth of exceptional experience that bring together the characteristics of artist, politician, diplomat, and activist into one personality.Dari’s only concern throughout the period in which he assumed these roles was to open doors to the Palestinian cultural and artistic experience in Europe. He also desired to integrate European creativity into cultural events in Palestine, such as festivals and artistic workshops, and supervised many Palestinian activities in France and Europe.
Working at UNESCO for several years has guided his vision of the Palestinian cultural experience and presence vis-à-vis the experiences of other peoples and cultures. His attendance at successive artistic performances presented over the years by the delegations of various countries at UNESCO has enabled him to evaluate Palestinian cultural and artistic contributions to the global landscape and develop an accurate, critical vision. This extensive experience has enhanced Dari’s ability to serve as a member on international jury committees, most notably the IMC-UNESCO International Music Prize, UNESCO’s International Simón Bolívar Prize, and other Palestinian jury committees.
