Our Story
In the summer of 2019, experts from various disciplines such as radio, journalism, and the local arts and culture scene were invited to identify the needs and requirements for an independent radio program focused on arts and culture.
The "Overtones Symposium" organized in October 2019 also helped define the scope of this project and build collaborative relationships with a broad network of local and international cultural audio professionals. "Overtones" highlighted the politics of listening and hearing among artists in Palestine and elsewhere. The four-day symposium was organized as part of RADIONISTS, a project initiated by the Goethe-Institut Ramallah to establish a critical discourse on cultural reporting. It included an exhibition, a conference, workshops and sound journeys about the politics of listening.
The Palestinian Cultural Radio Program - Atheer builds on the results of the RADIONISTS project.
What is Radio Atheer?
Atheer is a Palestinian cultural radio project run by the Goethe-Institut Ramallah, focusing on audio and cultural production of all kinds. The project consists of a sound studio, a mobile recording studio (Radio Atheer Bus) and an online audio platform/website. The platform will contain Radio Atheer's recordings and productions or audio content from cultural institutions and/or cultural actors collaborating with Radio Atheer.
The Goethe-Institut Ramallah and Palestinian cultural actors co-created this EU-funded project. It aims to disseminate and consume new content in Palestine and beyond, creating production opportunities to engage isolated communities. Social media is used to build an online community and collective and create a living archive of audio content.
Radio Atheer's messages and initiatives are aimed at youth and cultural practitioners in general, artists, musicians, journalists, researchers, and podcasters with a focus on Palestinian tangible and intangible cultural heritage, oral traditions, and history. The sound studio (Atheer Sound Laboratory) at the Goethe-Institut in Ramallah and the Radiobus are easily accessible, free of charge and provide a safe environment for recording, mixing and revising all types of audio productions. We target audio professionals as well as new cultural producers, as we aim to support experimental art and new audio content. Radio Atheer works with youth, collectives and groups to create dynamic and experimental audio productions. However, the focus is on underrepresented artists and productions. The project's various tools also provide opportunities for women to experiment and develop innovative, critical audio content, while making their contribution to the art and cultural scene in Palestine more visible and transforming their status from being a consumer to becoming a creator. Our program's initiatives also include work opportunities and fellowships for podcast productions, workshops and residencies in Europe in the field of production, audio art and audio documentation. Radio Atheer fosters partnerships with local cultural institutions and international online radio stations to produce and distribute critical audio content.
We are still a relatively new project and would like to expand our network both locally and internationally. Are you interested in learning more about Radio Atheer, its activities and what it has to offer? Would you like to use the sound studio or the platform? Do you have ideas for cooperation? Then we look forward to hearing from you on our various social media platforms:
Website: www.radioatheer.com
Instagram: radio.atheer
Facebook: Radio Atheer
Email: info.radio-atheer@goethe.de
