Kayed Hammad to visit the UAB and share his interpreting experience in Gaza
The Faculty of Translation and Interpreting of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) will host on 20 November a conference entitled “Interpreting in Palestine and Fighting Against Oblivion”, by Kayed Hammad, interpret and renowned journalist, fixer and filmmaker from Palestine.
Four months after his arrival in Spain, Hammad will share his experience in one of the most dangerous and media-pressured areas in recent years, Palestine.
The session will take place from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Room 002 and is aimed at the entire university community, especially Translation and Interpreting and Communication students.
Kayed Hammad will talk about his experience working as an interpreter and fixer in conflict zones. The people who accompany journalists or NGOs in these types of scenarios are essential to guarantee news coverage and humanitarian aid. Through linguistic and logistical support, they make it possible for reality to be observed, documented and transmitted to the rest of the world.
The film producer has explained on several occasions the profound impact that the war has had on his life. Last year he lost a son in a bombing. In just twenty months, he was forced to change his address up to 17 times. After months of procedures and despite the conditions of bombing, hunger and water shortage, he managed to flee from the Gaza area with his family. Kayed continues to work to make the reality of the Palestinian people visible and, at the same time, defends the role of interpreters and fixers like him, essential figures in ensuring that truthful information reaches the rest of the world.
Thanks to his essential figure, the documentary “Dreams Behind the Wall” was produced in 2015, which narrates life in Palestine from the perspective of two children.
Kayed Hammad has also been the soul of “Menú de Gaza”, the project that through an Instagram account explains the day-to-day life of his family through recipes prepared under conditions of famine and war, and that with journalist Mikel Ayestaran have translated into a book that is currently on pre-sale.
Hammad was awarded the José Couso & Julio A. Parrado Human Values Award by the Fuentes International Film Festival, for his career as an activist and communicator committed to human rights.
His conference will be an opportunity to learn first-hand about the situation in Palestine, as well as about the importance of interpreting and journalism in conflict contexts.
The talk is organised by the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting of the UAB and the Fundació Autònoma Solidària, with the support of the Barcelona City Council.