jordan pulse -

The Jerash Festival this year has a purely Palestinian identity. The presence of Dalal Abu Amneh, Marcel Khalife, and Sana Mousa is not just celebratory but a reinforcement of Palestinian identity. These artists have not brought forth models like Hassan Shakosh or Hamo Beka to Arab art; instead, they have presented the heritage song, the Palestinian identity, Mahmoud Darwish, and the Palestinian "Shulayat" heritage. They have offered the militant heritage, the militant tune, and the militant word.

My topic is not Jerash, but the shame that should be instilled in this generation during school graduation celebrations. I don't understand why, when a student finishes high school, the whole family rushes to celebrate with them, parading them through the streets of Amman. The more troubling issue is that schools are adorned with flowers and songs, and display boards are set up as if they are celebration halls, not educational institutions.

Yesterday, I was stopped on my street for more than 20 minutes because a family was celebrating their son’s high school graduation. They parked their cars in the middle of the street and switched places in their vehicles without any respect for traffic rules or regard for passersby. Then they blocked the street and danced in the middle of it, with discordant music dominating the scene.

Before objecting to the songs that reinforce Palestinian identity or to the militant poems of Mahmoud Darwish and the "Shulayat" of Sana Mousa, we should object to the private education director about what happens in our schools during graduation parties. These celebrations do not reflect the strength and seriousness of education; rather, they signify extravagance and irresponsibility.

I support the Jerash Festival when it expresses Palestinian identity through song, word, and string. I support every artistic and cultural act that sustains the patience and resilience of our people. However, even in normal circumstances, even before the events in Gaza, I have always criticized the extravagance of private schools, the luxury of graduation fees, and the emptiness of these parties.

We are a country that focuses on laws regulating individuals but forgets the laws that protect society.

May God help us.