PARTNERS
Konuz Charitable
Kunoz is a newly established Palestinian association based in Beit Sahour dedicated to supporting local artisans, preserving traditional crafts, and strengthening the handicraft sector. Its work focuses on connecting artisans with international institutions and markets, participating in exhibitions, developing training programmes in contemporary product design and marketing, and creating digital platforms to promote and eventually sell handmade products. Through these efforts, Kunoz seeks to empower artisans, encourage innovation, expand the visibility of Palestinian crafts, and create new opportunities for the sustainable development of the sector.
Piccirillo Handicraft Center- Issa Kharoufeh
A master artisan and the director of the Piccirillo Handicraft Center in Bethlehem, a community-based workshop established by the John Paul II Foundation and the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. Under his leadership, the center trains youth, women, and people with disabilities in traditional Palestinian crafts including mother of pearl, olive wood carving, and ceramics. Issa’s work emphasizes community empowerment through cultural production, and his commitment to sustaining and evolving the mother of pearl tradition has made him a key figure in Palestinian artisanal heritage.
Al-Samou' Charitable Association
Al-Samou’ Charitable Association, founded in 1975 in the Hebron district, supports women’s economic empowerment through the revival and preservation of traditional carpet weaving practices unique to southern Palestine. The association provides training and home-based employment for local women, enabling them to generate income while sustaining intergenerational craft knowledge. It also markets handmade carpets and accessories through its gift shop, serving as an important community hub that connects economic opportunity, cultural heritage, and craft preservation.
Ard Canaan- Yaqub Al-Natsheh (Abu Waheed)
Yaqub Al-Natsheh (Abu Waheed) is a Palestinian master glass artisan with more than 60 years of experience in traditional glassblowing and shaping. Working primarily by hand, his practice draws on generations of craft knowledge to create distinctive glass objects characterized by their forms, colours, and connection to Hebron’s longstanding glassmaking tradition.
Based at the Land of Canaan Glass Factory in Hebron’s Old City, Abu Waheed has dedicated his career to preserving and developing a craft that has declined significantly over recent decades. Through his continued practice, experimentation, and transmission of knowledge, he contributes to keeping Palestinian glassmaking alive while demonstrating its potential to evolve through contemporary applications and collaborations.