Huda Farid Al-Imam

A Jerusalemite woman from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, Huda was raised in the heart of Jerusalem, where she absorbed early on its language and spirit. She pursued studies in France in European languages and civilization, and later completed her graduate education in the United Kingdom, earning a master’s degree in human resource development from the University of Manchester and a second master’s degree in management from the London School of Economics. She is fluent in English, French, Italian, and German. She is also the mother of the young artist Hani, in whom she sees the continuation of a legacy of creativity and belonging.

Huda began her professional career with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Jerusalem, and later served as director of human resources at Orient House (1992–1994), where she organized university scholarship missions for Palestinian students and helped mobilize Palestinian expertise from the diaspora to support the building of emerging national institutions during a pivotal historical moment.

Subsequently, Huda founded and directed the Jerusalem Studies Center of Al-Quds University in the Old City, focusing on empowering the local community, restoring heritage sites such as Hammam al-‘Ain, and revitalizing the city’s cultural life. She faced pressures and arrests due to her continuous advocacy for Sheikh Jarrah and her efforts to highlight the displacement of families and the depopulation of Palestinians from West Jerusalem, in addition to her ongoing visits to her father’s home in the Baq’a neighborhood.

Rooted in Jerusalem, Huda’s cultural activism promotes the beauty and legacy of Palestinian identity in the city. Occasional actress, she promotes events, films and art, challenging cultural erasure threats. In 2022 founded ‘Time Out Palestine’ to highlight the importance of preserving Palestinian heritage & living cultures.

Huda works as the Diplomatic Outreach Advisor for Taawon, the Welfare Association.